Life in Marrakech, Morocco took an unexpected turn for many residents this past weekend when a torrential storm overwhelmed the city. As rain and wind battered the city in the late evening hours, fear and panic set in as thousands of desperate Marrakech residents were forced to spend the night in the streets.
Though the storm began relatively in the afternoon, many were still attempting to traverse the city throughout the night, hoping to make it back to their homes. But that quickly became impossible for many as the streets flooded to dangerous depths. The power quickly went out as the storm intensified, plunging the city into darkness.
The scene as the night went on was both heartbreaking and incredible for those who bore witness. Already-vulnerable citizens were pushed farther out of their comfort zone as they were forced to seek shelter in whatever surfaces they could find, be it a doorway, an overpass, or the nearby sidewalks. This was especially concerning for theGrowing community of refugees in the city, many of whom had been displaced from their home countries.
As the sun finally began to rise the next morning, people slowly began to venture out of their makeshift hideaways and take stock of the situation. The streets had gone from chaotic to eerily quiet as people took in the destruction caused by the storm throughout the city. Homes had been destroyed, properties damaged, and entire families displaced due to the floods.
The scene was calming after the previous night of chaos, and those who had been forced to flee the city had already begun to return to help in the rebuilding process. Unfortunately, it was clear that the damage to Marrakech would take days, if not weeks to repair and it will be some time before the city truly returns to it’s former glory. Nevertheless, it is heartwarming to see the solidarity and strength of the Marrakech residents during these trying times, and it serves as proof of their resilience.
