标签： Africa

CASABLANCA, Morocco — Catastrophic flooding has struck the coastal city of Safi, Morocco, resulting in at least 37 fatalities according to an official statement released Monday by the nation’s Interior Ministry. The disaster unfolded as torrential overnight rains triggered severe flash floods that submerged approximately 70 residential and commercial properties while sweeping away 10 vehicles. Emergency services reported 14 individuals hospitalized with injuries.

The severe weather event has prompted local authorities to announce three-day school closures as recovery efforts continue. Beyond Safi, significant flooding and infrastructure damage have been reported across multiple Moroccan regions including the northern city of Tetouan and the mountainous community of Tinghir.

Situated approximately 320 kilometers from the capital Rabat, Safi serves as a vital economic center for Morocco’s fishing and mining sectors, employing thousands in resource extraction and processing operations. The city of 300,000 residents hosts a major phosphate processing facility, though operations have been disrupted by the catastrophic flooding.

Disturbing social media footage depicts vehicles partially submerged and stranded as powerful floodwaters surged through urban thoroughfares. Climate scientists note that Morocco’s weather patterns have grown increasingly unpredictable due to climate change impacts. The region has experienced prolonged drought conditions that have hardened soils and reduced natural absorption capacity, exacerbating flood vulnerability.

This tragedy follows another recent building collapse incident in Fez that claimed 22 lives, raising questions about infrastructure resilience and building code enforcement. While Morocco has invested in disaster risk reduction initiatives, implementation varies significantly at local government levels, particularly regarding drainage systems and construction standards. These infrastructural disparities became a focal point during youth-led protests that emerged across the nation earlier this year.

The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo faces a severe humanitarian emergency as renewed hostilities by M23 rebels create widespread devastation and displacement across South Kivu Province. Recent military advances have left visible scars along strategic transport routes, with charred military vehicles and bullet-riddled buildings lining the road from Bukavu to Uvira—a vital artery connecting northern and southern parts of the conflict-ridden region.

Since December 2nd, intensified fighting on multiple fronts has precipitated one of the largest displacement crises in recent memory. United Nations humanitarian agencies report approximately 500,000 individuals have been forced from their homes, while Congolese authorities confirm over 400 casualties since the offensive began. The M23’s claimed capture of Uvira—South Kivu’s second-largest city—has transformed urban centers into militarized zones where residents navigate daily life under rebel surveillance.

The conflict’s regional implications are rapidly expanding. Burundi’s closure of border crossings with the DRC has severed critical supply routes for essential commodities including food and fuel, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation. This development coincides with reports of approximately 38,000 Congolese asylum seekers crossing into Burundi between December 5-9, according to Burundian state media.

UN officials have raised alarms about the potential for broader regional conflict. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, warned the Security Council that the current offensive “revived the specter of a regional conflagration with incalculable consequences.” He emphasized the increasing regionalization of the conflict, noting that cross-border movements of both civilians and combatants heighten escalation risks.

International concern continues to mount, with China’s UN representative Fu Cong emphasizing the urgent need for immediate hostilities cessation. The DRC government has announced potential negotiations with Burundi regarding establishing temporary humanitarian corridors to address the growing crisis, though details remain undeveloped amid ongoing volatility.

A significant resurgence of migrant crossings occurred on December 13th as 737 individuals successfully traversed the English Channel in small vessels, according to official figures released by the UK Interior Ministry. This movement ended a notable 28-day hiatus in arrivals—the longest interruption in seven years—primarily attributed to adverse weather conditions preventing maritime travel.

The latest influx involved eleven separate boats making the perilous journey from northern France to England’s southern coastline. With this arrival, the cumulative total of migrants reaching UK shores via small boats throughout 2025 has now reached 40,029 persons. This figure positions the current year to potentially become the second-highest annual arrival period since systematic record-keeping began in 2018.

These Channel crossings have evolved into a contentious political issue within the United Kingdom, significantly influencing domestic politics. The anti-immigration Reform Party, under the leadership of Nigel Farage, has capitalized on public concern regarding migrant arrivals. Opinion polling throughout much of the year has consistently shown Reform maintaining double-digit advantages over Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, indicating the substantial political impact of migration patterns.

The cyclical nature of crossings—directly correlated with maritime weather conditions—demonstrates the persistent challenge facing border enforcement authorities. Despite heightened surveillance and enforcement measures, the fundamental dynamics of migration patterns continue to be heavily influenced by environmental factors beyond governmental control.

In a devastating incident highlighting the perils of irregular migration, nine African migrants perished from extreme cold exposure near Morocco’s mountainous border region with Algeria. The tragic discovery in Ras Asfour—a remote area known for its harsh winter conditions—has triggered significant concern among human rights organizations across North Africa.

The Moroccan Association of Human Rights confirmed the victims included seven men and two women from various sub-Saharan nations, with one individual identified as Guinean. According to their Saturday statement, “Their exhausted bodies could not withstand the plunging temperatures” that characterize this treacherous transit zone.

This tragedy occurs within the broader context of ongoing migration patterns where thousands annually attempt dangerous journeys from North Africa to European destinations. Many seek entry via Spain’s North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla through fence scaling or swimming, while others undertake the perilous Atlantic route to the Canary Islands.

The region has increasingly become a focal point for migration control efforts, with EU security agreements enhancing North African authorities’ capabilities to deter irregular movement. Many migrants spend months or years in informal employment sectors—including construction, agriculture, and domestic work—while awaiting crossing opportunities across the Mediterranean or Atlantic.

Human rights groups have responded forcefully to the incident. The Moroccan Organization of Human Rights has called for border humanization policies, decriminalization of irregular migration and residence, and establishment of mechanisms to track missing migrants. Meanwhile, six victims have been buried locally while two bodies were preserved for family identification purposes.

Morocco’s Interior Ministry has not yet issued official comments regarding the specific circumstances of these deaths, though the nation’s security forces regularly report intercepting migration attempts through this corridor.