Morocco issues new 'significant' heat wave warnings

High temperatures are typical in Morocco’s summer season, but authorities are concerned this could exacerbate an already severe water crisis. Moroccan authorities are warning of a “significant new heat wave” expected to hit several provinces this week, with temperatures ranging between 42 and 46 degrees Celsius. The General Directorate of Meteorology said high temperatures will impact regions such as Tata, Zagora, Assa-Zag, Es-Semara, and Errachidia starting Monday. Others are Taounate, Ouezzane, Taroudant, Sidi Kacem, Sidi Slimane, and Khemisset provinces. High temperatures are typical in Morocco’s summer season, but authorities are concerned this could exacerbate an already severe water crisis. Climate change Rainfall was 70% lower than in an average year, Morocco's water and agriculture ministers said in January. Six consecutive years of drought have left Moroccan dams at critical levels, prompting a big drop in the area of land being irrigated. By mid-January, Morocco's average dam filling rate had dropped to 23.2% from 31.5% a year earlier, water minister Nizar Baraka said at the time. The worst drought in more than two decades prompted authorities to ban the use of drinking water to clean streets or irrigate parks in cities and to stop dam water from being used to irrigate some key farming areas. ➤ Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.