RABAT, Morocco – At least 24 people died in a flooded house that was being used as a clandestine textile factory after torrential rains in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier, the Moroccan Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The victims, mostly women, were trapped in the basement of the house, in a residential neighborhood in the city, the ministry said. At least 10 people were rescued from the home and a search is underway for more survivors, he added. The 2M state network estimates the death toll at 28, citing police sources.
Photos and videos of heavy rains and the corpses of men and women being removed from home were widely reported on social media, generating outrage online. Some witnesses told local news sites that some of the victims were electrocuted, but there was no official confirmation of this.
The Interior Ministry said it was investigating.
The owner of the plant was not identified, but according to local press reports, he was on the scene at the time of the disaster and is currently under medical supervision.
Local media reported that flooding is a common problem in Tangier, despite major investments to prevent it. Many factories still operate illegally in homes in dangerous conditions, they said.
The streets around the house remained flooded after the accident and several cars were stuck in the water while ambulances were taking the survivors to the hospital.
A witness quoted by the local media said that there was heavy rain in the morning and that rescue workers, with the help of neighbors, found it difficult to remove the bodies due to the high water level.
A Tangier MP, Mohamed Khayi, during a televised session in Parliament, asked Labor Minister Mohamed Amekraz to investigate what happened and ensure that it does not happen again.
“This is a very sad day for Tangier,” he said. “We hope to determine who is responsible. This is our collective responsibility. “