Flooding kills 28 workers at garment factory in Morocco

Local authorities said emergency workers saved 10 people from the workshop, in the basement of a residential villa

Emergency workers at the scene of flooding in Tangier, Morocco. Tanja 7 via AP

Heavy rains flooded an illegal garment factory in Morocco, killing at least 28 workers.

Emergency workers saved 10 people from the factory, in the basement of a residential villa in Tangier. Rescuers searched for others who might have been trapped in the sudden flooding.

The total number of labourers at the site was not immediately known and an investigation was opened.

A shaken woman who emerged from the flooded basement told TanjaNews, a local site, that no one was prepared for the deadly deluge.

“There was nothing to worry about. We were working as usual,” the woman said. “And then because it was raining, as you can see ... the water started entering, a little water, even my shoes didn't get wet. But suddenly ..." She couldn't finish her sentence.

To meet international demand, numerous factories in Morocco, notably in Casablanca and Tangier, rely on unregulated factories to speed up production and compete with cheaper Chinese and Turkish products.

Such hidden factories are mainly located in residential areas and up to 40 people – including underage workers – often work in them.