The Belgian Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation calls for travelers to be vigilant due to certain natural risks and the climatic variations that certain regions of the Kingdom know. Although Morocco is rarely confronted with great natural disasters, it knows from time to time of earthquakes in mountainous areas, especially along the flaws in the Rif region to the north and the Atlas chain, specify the Belgian authorities. On September 8, 2023, an earthquake of a magnitude of 6.8 followed by a strong replica struck the mountain range of the Moroccan High Atlas, near Marrakech, in the province of Al Haouz. According to Moroccan authorities, the balance sheet reports 2,946 dead and 6,125 injured.
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The earthquake affected around 660,000 people, leaving 380,000 people who are permanently or temporary without shelter, with more than 59,000 houses destroyed or damaged. In order not to be victims of such a disaster, the Belgian Embassy urged travelers to respect the instructions of the local authorities, to follow the news through local media, as well as to stand in touch with travel agencies or hotels where they are staying. She also pointed out that coastal areas are sometimes the scene of powerful sea currents making swimming dangerous, even on the beaches with surveillance services, drowning cases being regularly recorded.
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Also, she insisted on the need for tourists to be cautious when they are near the water. The Embassy highlights the importance of preparing for extreme temperatures and drought during the summer months in the desert areas of the South and the East. It recommends in the first time consulting weather forecasts before going there. According to her, heavy seasonal rains can lead to floods and landslides in several regions, causing serious damage to roads and bridges, endangering the safety of residents and visitors. In addition, it warns against travel near the wadis and rivers, which can be dry during drought but transform into dangerous passages during the rains.
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In the event of a disaster or an emergency event occurring during a stay in Morocco, the Belgian authorities advise travelers to inform their loved ones as quickly as possible in Belgium, while recalling that they can contact the Belgian Embassy in Rabat or the honorary consulates in Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir and Tangier. The Civil Protection and Royal Gendarmerie teams conduct rescue operations and secure the disaster areas, calling everyone to respect the instructions and not to try to cross the safety dams, the embassy said.