Rabat — Eighteen people were killed and four others are missing following the torrential rains that hammered several provinces of Morocco, the Interior Ministry said in an updated toll.

Ten deaths were recorded in the province of Tata, three in Errachidia, including a Canadian and a Peruvian, two in Tiznit, two in Tinghir, including a Spaniard, and one in Taroudant, the Interior ministry pointed out in a press release.

The same source noted that four other people are missing in the province of Tata, adding that research operations are still underway.

Regarding material losses, the ministry reported the collapse of 56 homes, 27 of which completely collapsed, as well as the total or partial collapse of eight medium-sized engineering structures.

Torrential rains also damaged electricity, drinking water and phone networks, the ministry said, adding that field interventions carried out by the technical teams managed to restore major parts of the electricity network, while drinking water and telecommunications services were fully restored.

Temporary interruptions affected 110 road sections, 84 of which have been reopened to traffic following the intervention of the services concerned.

According to the same source, public authorities are mobilizing all the necessary human and logistical resources to deal quickly and efficiently with this exceptional situation and to take the appropriate measures to help citizens, in particular through the distribution of food rations, tents and blankets for flood-stricken families, while working to quickly restore services in the affected areas.