Hit by devastating floods in December 2025, which resulted in significant human and material losses, the city of Safi has turned its focus to rebuilding and resuming activities. While the main efforts are concentrated on infrastructure, housing, and affected businesses, local stakeholders are working to ensure that the city's heritage is also included in this large-scale project.
Safi’s deadly floods this week mirror centuries of historical accounts describing torrents repeatedly entering the old medina through Bab Chaaba, destroying homes, shops, and lives. Accounts from the 1600s to the early 1900s record nearly identical scenes of devastation, showing that the same vulnerable point of the city has long been the epicenter of its worst disasters.
Safi recorded 19 mm of rain in just one hour before deadly flash floods left 37 people dead, according to the Directorate General of Meteorology. The unstable weather pattern behind the tragedy is expected to persist until Thursday, bringing more rain, thunderstorms, and snowfall across several regions of Morocco.