RABAT, Morocco – At least 24 people have been killed in a flooded house used as a clandestine textile factory after torrential rain on Monday in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier, the Moroccan interior ministry said in a statement.
The victims, most of whom were women, were trapped in the basement of the house in a suburb in the city, the ministry said. At least ten people were rescued from the home and a search for more survivors continued. The state-controlled network 2M set the death toll at 28, citing police sources.
Photos and videos of heavy rain, and the bodies of men and women taken out of the house, were widely circulated on social media, sparking online outrage. Some witnesses told local news sites that some of the victims had been electrified, but there was no official confirmation.
The Interior Ministry said it was investigating.
The owner of the factory has not been identified, but according to local news reports, he was at the scene during the disaster and is currently under medical supervision.
Local news media reported that floods were a common problem in Tangier, despite major investment to prevent them. Many factories still operate illegally in homes in hazardous conditions, they said.
The streets around the house were flooded after the accident, and a number of cars were trapped in the water when ambulance survivors rushed to the hospital.
A witness quoted by local news media said that there was heavy rainfall in the morning and that rescuers struggled with the help of neighbors to pull out bodies, given the high level of the water.
A Tangier MP, Mohamed Khayi, called on Labor Minister Mohamed Amekraz during a televised session of parliament to investigate what happened and ensure that it does not happen again.
“This is a very sad day for Tangier,” he said. “We hope we will determine who is responsible. This is our joint responsibility. ”