Eighth body found after Morocco football match flood

Morocco authorities said Monday they had found the body of a person missing after a flood hit a football pitch, bringing to eight the number of people killed in last week’s tragedy. The flood took place when a nearby river burst its banks in the southern region of Taroudant on Wednesday.

A 17-year-old boy and six elderly men were killed and have since been buried, while rescuers continued the search for an eight victim who was swept away by the flood, authorities said. The last body was found some 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the village of Tizret near where an amateur football tournament had been taking place. Photographs and videos shared on social media showed muddy waters carrying away people who had clambered on top of a building flattened by the flood.

Authorities have opened an investigation and the government has promised to take several measures to avoid such tragedies in the future. Morocco’s national weather service had warned of the risk of stormy rains on Wednesday afternoon in several provinces. The heavy downpour followed a dry spell, making the floods more violent, local media reported.