Sandstorm Chaos: Moroccan Flight Diverted as Southern Cities Choke Under Severe Weather Alert

The crew’s repeated attempts to land at the Hassan I airport in the city of Laâyoune were in vain. The plane was forced to change course and return safely to Agadir airport, pending an improvement in weather conditions.

For the past few days, the cities in the south of the kingdom have been suffocating under strong winds laden with sand. This seasonal phenomenon that the region experiences periodically during this time of year leads to a drop in visibility levels.

On Friday, the Moroccan Directorate of Meteorology (DGM) issued an orange alert bulletin for this weekend, due to forecasts of intense heat and strong winds in several provinces of the Kingdom. It warned that gusts of wind described as locally strong, with speeds of 70 to 80 km/h, were expected and that this phenomenon, which would generate sandstorms, would affect the provinces of Boujdour, Oued Ed-Dahab and Aousserd. The vigilance period for this event extends from Saturday 06:00 to Sunday at the same time, added the DGM.