15 killed in Morocco floods

Heavy floods that swept through parts of central Morocco have killed 15 people and left hundreds of families homeless.

Flood waters continued to surge through parts of the Settat and Essaouira regions yesterday, after heavy rains on Sunday and Monday.

The interior ministry said in a statement that the death toll had risen to 15 by Tuesday.

Among those killed were six passengers travelling in a taxi that was swept off the road by the overflowing Boumoussa river, Settat, 90 miles south of Rabat.

An 11-year-old boy and two others were also killed in separate incidents in the same region, officials said.

Interior minister Driss Jettou, who has toured the worst-hit areas, said six people died on Monday and Tuesday in Essaouira.