FLOODS triggered by heavy rain have killed at least 32 people, swept away buildings, vehicles and roads and forced the evacuation of more than 200 people in southern Morocco.

Flooding, which is quite common in the mostly arid desert region at this time of year, has in the past triggered violent protests by local people angered by what they see as a tardy or ineffective response by the authorities.

State television channel 2M showed local residents expressing anger after their homes were submerged near the town of Errachidia.

The prolonged closure of many national roads could prompt further angry protests.

Morocco's King Mohamed has given orders to the authorities to take "all necessary emergency measures to help and support victims of the floods", a palace statement said.

A woman in the Errachidia region, where around 60 houses were destroyed, said: "We have lost everything, everything. Now our families will sleep in the cold.

"Their (the authorities') previous programmes to restore our mud houses did not save us, our houses were just swept away."

Of the 32 confirmed deaths, 24 occurred in the region of Guelmim, a desert town, the interior ministry said, adding that six people were still missing.

The army deployed helicopters to evacuate dozens of people, including some foreigners, in some areas threatened by rising river levels.

News websites showed floods sweeping away cars, tracks and roads in several regions, including Guelmim and the tourist hotspot of Marrakesh.