فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
The city of Ifrane is gearing up to face an impending wave of severe cold and heavy snowfall expected in the coming days. Local authorities held an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss preventive measures necessary to address the risks associated with heavy snowfall.
The meeting, chaired by Abdelali Azmi, the provincial director of the Ministry of Equipment and Water in Ifrane, reviewed various measures aimed at protecting residents in areas prone to heavy snow and rainfall. In a statement to the Maghreb Arab Press agency, Azmi announced that a series of measures have been taken in preparation for the snowfall expected from Saturday and for the winter season in general.
These measures include the maintenance of equipment, comprising 12 snowplows, 5 snow blowers, 3 mobile cranes, a grader, and a backhoe loader. The provincial official explained that the goal is to keep roads open to traffic during snowfall, noting that the province has 800 kilometers of roads, most of which are strategic, with 550 kilometers exposed to varying degrees of snowfall.
Oubiji M’Barek, head of the Equipment Division at the Provincial Directorate of Equipment, confirmed that maintenance work on snow removal equipment began last August. This involved comprehensive technical inspections to identify various breakdowns and technical issues, and prepare purchase orders for spare parts necessary for repairs carried out since then. He assured that everything is ready and all equipment is in good working condition to start the snow removal campaign for the 2024-2025 winter season.
The General Directorate of Meteorology issued an orange-level alert bulletin predicting snowfall on heights above 1500 meters from Saturday to Monday, along with a cold wave in several provinces of the Kingdom. Snowfall of 20-40 cm is expected in the provinces of Midelt, Azilal, Beni Mellal, Tinghir, Al Haouz, Taroudant, and Ouarzazate, while snowfall of 10-20 cm is forecast in the provinces of Ifrane, Chichaoua, and Boulemane.
The alert bulletin also predicts a sharp drop in temperatures, ranging from 5 degrees below zero to 1 degree Celsius from Saturday to Tuesday in the provinces of Boulemane, Ifrane, Beni Mellal, Azilal, Al Haouz, Chichaoua, Tinghir, Ouarzazate, Midelt, and Taroudant.
With these comprehensive preparations, local authorities in Ifrane aim to ensure the safety of citizens and facilitate traffic flow during the expected harsh weather period, affirming their readiness to face the challenges of the upcoming winter season.
