Water springs gushing in Al-Haouz region after the quake

Following the powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 2,500 people, residents of the region have witnessed a rare geological phenomenon whose impact is described as positive for the affected villages and the local economy.  

Amid the tragedy of the earthquake that struck several areas of Morocco last month, residents of many of these regions were surprised by the appearance of new water springs, as well as the resuscitation of other springs that have been dry for years.

While the inhabitants of the quake-affected areas were struggling with the rubble in search of survivors and while their wounds were still healing, they realised that the evil of the earthquake has been accompanied by an unexpected good: waterfalls and springs have sprung up in Al-Haouz and Ouarzazate, giving the population a source of water close by and easy to access. 

On the road between Taroudant and Marrakech, at an altitude of about 1,500 metres, the road in the Atlas Mountains, recently cleared, is now crossed by a torrent of pure water. For the past month, all the inhabitants of the region have been noticing the appearance of these streams of water along the road that passes through the mountain. 

According to the inhabitants of the area, "normally, to have so much water, it is necessary to have a lot of rain. However, this unexpected flow of water came about because of the earthquake". After long years of waiting for rain to save the life of the region's fauna and flora, no one could have imagined that a natural disaster could bring the miracle of the water springs that have rewarded the patience and solidarity of the farmers. 

It is worth mentioning that Morocco has experienced a severe drought during consecutive years of scarce rainfall in many of its regions, including those affected by the earthquake in the regions of Al-Haouz, Chichaoua, Taroudant, Ouarzazate and Azilal. Moreover, last year was the worst in six years of water stress, as well as the worst drought year for the country in 40 years. 

In these mountainous areas accustomed to summer droughts, the appearance of water is often seen as a blessing, but due to the material damage caused by the earthquake, several measures still need to be taken to make the best use of these water flows in order to rebalance the supply and demand of water services through the good management of these water resources. 

The deadliest earthquake in Morocco in more than 60 years, releasing its energy in underground waves, had caused a certain change of flow by affecting the subsoil structure of the affected areas. This caused cracks in the mountain villages, leading to the emergence of water springs and the recovery of springs that had disappeared years ago. 

Specialists in structural geology explain this phenomenon as a direct consequence of the earthquake that has caused water stored in porous rocks to be drawn out through cracks and fractures and released to the topographic surface. In this way, the springs of pure water in the rocks flow continuously into the valley of the Tizi-n-Test pass that crosses the High Atlas. 

Despite the water becoming more abundant, the earthquake also destroyed the agricultural fields. Indeed, these crops need to be rebuilt and irrigation systems adapted to the new flow. In the meantime, farmers are waiting for their villages to be rehabilitated so they can get back to work. 

For the time being, the future of these springs depends on their water reserves and the rainfall this winter. However, the emergence of these water flows will probably change the lives of the people in these areas, affecting the local economy because of the change experienced by these springs. The reason is that, by reversing the trajectory of the groundwater, the earthquake has opened some and caused the closure of others. 

In any case, there is no denying that these springs will alleviate the suffering of many remote areas where people found it difficult to travel long distances to access their drinking water and food.