Rare Sandstorm Strikes Central Morocco, Killing One in Marrakech Region

In the Marrakech region, the sandstorm caused one death and injuries, but did not cause significant material damage. The phenomenon is not common at this time of year. "It’s rare to see a sandstorm episode in Marrakech," confides to L’Opinion, Abdelghani, a septuagenarian craftsman in the Marrakech medina, recalling that the city has experienced "in the past similar storms to a lesser degree, sometimes to a greater degree of intensity".

An atmospheric instability would be the cause of this storm that raged "in the Marrakech region, the East, the interior of the country, in the Atlas and to a lesser extent in the Agadir region," explains the national meteorological department, stressing that it was caused by a meeting of hot air masses (over 42°) in the lower atmospheric layers with cold air masses (–8°) at altitude, leading to showers accompanied by strong winds that raised dust and sand.

"This episode was less intense than the one that occurred on July 18 in the Benguerir region, which had then been marked by an impressive dust storm. There are several parameters that condition the formation of this type of instability, including the Atlas reliefs which played a role in the lifting of air masses in the upper layers," develops for his part Youabd Houcine of the national meteorological department.