Daijiworld Media Network - Damascus
Damascus, Oct 30: At least five people, including four children, have died and five others remain missing after heavy rains triggered flooding across several Syrian provinces, damaging infrastructure and disrupting road connectivity.
The four children drowned in water bodies across Raqqa and Deir Az Zor governorates, according to a statement issued by Syria's Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management on Thursday. A man also died after his car was swept into floodwaters near al-Salmani Bridge in the western Raqqa countryside.
Five people, including two children, remain missing following the heavy rainfall that has affected several parts of the country.
The ministry said Thursday marked the second consecutive day of emergency response operations to flooding. It has continued to issue updates on rescue and relief efforts as the situation develops.
Flooding has caused infrastructure damage and disrupted several bridges across Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir Az Zor, Hasakah and Homs governorates. Syria's state news agency SANA reported that al-Salmani Bridge, west of Tabqa, collapsed following the flooding, forcing the closure of the road connecting Raqqa with Aleppo.
Emergency response teams rescued 15 civilians whose vehicles had become trapped in floodwaters. Authorities also evacuated approximately 375 families from three camps on the rural outskirts of Raqqa as a precautionary measure.
The latest flooding has once again exposed the vulnerability of communities in Syria to extreme weather and damaged infrastructure, particularly in areas already struggling with humanitarian and economic challenges.
Flooding has affected thousands of people in the country earlier this year as well. In June, UNICEF reported that around 17,000 people had been affected by floods, while 700 families, including approximately 2,000 children, had been displaced.
The UN agency had also warned that 49 water treatment plants in the Raqqa and Deir Az Zor governorates had gone out of service, further affecting access to safe water.
Rescue and relief operations are continuing in the affected regions, while authorities are assessing the damage and monitoring the situation as heavy rains continue to pose risks to vulnerable communities.