Wind gusts reached 107.4 kilometers per hour at Casablanca airport on Wednesday night, the highest speed recorded by weather stations across Morocco as Storm Charles battered the country, leaving one man dead, another seriously injured and parts of the economic capital without electricity for nearly four hours.
The fatality occurred when a wall at Abdellah Guennoune High School in Salmia collapsed during the storm. Another person suffered serious injuries in the incident.
The wall of Abdellah Guennoune High School in the Salmia neighborhood collapsed shortly after 18:00 on Wednesday (K.Essalak/Le360)
The violent weather also knocked out electricity across central Casablanca and several other neighborhoods, as well as parts of Nouaceur province.
According to the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), the outage began at 4:55pm. Supply was gradually restored, with all affected substations back in service by 8:54pm.
Meteorological readings showed that Casablanca airport bore the strongest gusts, with a peak of 107.4 km/h recorded between 9:25pm and 10pm.
Essaouira recorded the second-highest speed at 94.5km/h, followed by Meknes at 90.7km/h.
Winds reached 88.9 km/h at Tit Mellil in Casablanca and 87 km/h in Benslimane, while Benguerir recorded gusts of 77.8 km/h.
Tetouan’s Saniat R’mel station registered 72.2km/h, with Rabat-Salé and Fez-Saïss both recording 68.5km/h. Gusts reached 64.8 km/h in Kenitra and 61.1 km/h at Tangier airport.
Marrakech, Laâyoune and Bouarfa each recorded 59.3 km/h, followed by Safi at 55.6 km/h, Nador at 53.7 km/h, Sidi Slimane at 51.9 km/h, and Guelmim at 46.3 km/h.
The strong winds accompanied the approach of Storm Charles, an active Atlantic low-pressure system carrying weather fronts and moisture-laden air towards Morocco.
Casablanca plongée dans le noir. (A.Et-Tahiry/Le360)
The General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM) had issued an orange-level warning forecasting gusts of 80 to 100km/h across numerous provinces between 6pm and 11pm on Wednesday.
Rain is expected to continue on Thursday and Friday before conditions gradually improve from Saturday, with rainfall easing and temperatures rising.
