In brief
Heavy rains in Raqqa and Deir Az Zor governorates triggered flash floods that killed five people, including four children. The floods caused the collapse of the al‑Salmani Bridge and prompted the evacuation of 375 families from displacement camps. Earlier in the year, UNICEF reported widespread flooding impacts, underscoring the urgency of resilient water infrastructure.
Heavy rains across northern and eastern Syria on Thursday triggered flash floods that killed five people, including four children, according to the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management.
All four children drowned in bodies of water across Raqqa and Deir Az Zor governorates, the ministry said in a statement issued on Thursday evening.
A man died when his car was caught in floodwaters near al‑Salmani Bridge in the western Raqqa countryside; the bridge that served as a critical link between Raqqa and Aleppo collapsed amid the deluge.
Five other people remain missing after the storms, including two children, the ministry added.
The ministry also reported widespread infrastructure damage, noting that several bridges in Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir Az Zor, Hasakah and Homs were disrupted or collapsed as a result of the flooding.
Response and Relief Efforts
Emergency teams rescued 15 civilians whose vehicles were trapped by floodwaters, according to reports from the ministry’s crisis response unit.
In a coordinated operation, the ministry evacuated approximately 375 families from three displacement camps on the rural outskirts of Raqqa, moving them to safer, higher ground.
The disaster has highlighted the vulnerability of displaced populations, many of whom live in camps on low‑lying terrain that is prone to flooding.
Earlier this year, UNICEF reported that 17,000 people had been adversely affected by flooding in Syria, with 700 families displaced and around 2,000 children displaced; the report also noted that 49 water‑treatment plants in Deir Az Zor and Raqqa governorates had gone out of service.
Officials and aid workers are assessing damage to water‑treatment infrastructure and working to restore safe drinking water for affected communities.
Rescue and relief agencies have set up temporary shelters and distribution points for food, clean water and medical supplies as they continue to search for the missing and treat the wounded.
The ministry’s X account has been issuing continuous updates, urging residents to avoid floodplains, seek higher ground and to heed official evacuation notices.
