Major Floods Kill 230, Leave 500 Missing

Flash floods in mountainous areas near Marrakesh have killed more than 230 people and left 500 missing, a newspaper said Sunday.

Major floods are unusual in this Western Sahara nation, but violent storms Thursday night turned rivers into raging torrents. The flood waters destroyed 50 homes and shops and nearly 200 vehicles, the newspaper said.

The worst flooding occurred south of Marrakesh in river valleys on the northern slopes of the Middle Atlas. Roads were cut by mudslides and giant boulders.

Flooding also hit El-Haouz province, a mountainous area east of Marrakesh. Most of the victims were Moroccans who were camping in the popular area when the storms struck.