Tunisia saw its heaviest rainfall in more than 70 years in January. There has also been severe weather and flooding in Algeria.

Morocco has been particularly badly hit in recent weeks. Last month the port of Tangier saw around four times its January average rainfall and more heavy rain hit the north on Wednesday in association with Storm Leonardo.

The army has been deployed to help with evacuations amid a red alert for more heavy rainfall this week. More than 140,000 people in northern parts of the country have been evacuated already.

Authorities have urged residents of flood prone areas in the country’s north-western plains to leave immediately with rising threats of inundation from heavy rain, swollen rivers and the release of more water from full dams.

Storm Marta will bring more rain to northern parts of Morocco and Algeria this weekend.

The exceptional rainfall has ended a seven-year drought that had pushed Morocco to accelerate investments in desalination.