A severe heat wave in Morocco has claimed the lives of at least 21 people in a 24-hour period in the central city of Beni Mellal, the health ministry announced on Thursday.
According to the meteorology department, soaring temperatures affected much of the North African country from Monday to Wednesday, reaching a scorching 48 degrees Celsius in some areas.
In Beni Mellal, located over 200 kilometers southeast of Casablanca, the majority of deaths involved people suffering from chronic illnesses and the elderly. “High temperatures contributed to the deterioration of their health conditions,” the regional health directorate said in a statement.
The ministry could not immediately confirm if this was the highest recorded death toll from a heat wave in the country’s history.
On Thursday, Beni Mellal continued to experience sweltering temperatures of 43 degrees Celsius. However, the meteorology department predicts a respite in the coming days. Temperatures are expected to drop across the region, with the popular tourist destination of Marrakesh anticipating a decrease of 10 degrees by Sunday.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
