Torrential downpours battering several Syrian provinces have left at least five people dead, including four children, as severe flash floods swept through northern and eastern regions of the country. The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management confirmed in a statement that all four children drowned in various bodies of water across the Raqqa and Deir Az Zor governorates. A man also lost his life when his vehicle became trapped in rapidly rising floodwaters near the al-Salmani Bridge in the western Raqqa countryside.
Authorities reported that five additional individuals, including two children, remained missing following the storms that have drenched wide areas of the country. Emergency response teams successfully rescued 15 civilians whose vehicles had become stranded by the surging waters. In response to the encroaching floods, the emergency ministry evacuated approximately 375 families from three displacement camps located on the rural outskirts of Raqqa.
The severe weather caused widespread infrastructure damage and significant transportation disruptions, affecting bridges across Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir Az Zor, Hasakah, and Homs. State media reported that the al-Salmani Bridge, situated west of Tabqa, collapsed during the deluge, effectively shutting down the vital roadway connecting Raqqa to Aleppo.
The disaster marks the second consecutive day the ministry has recorded and responded to widespread flooding across the nation, with ongoing situation updates being issued through official channels. The country remains highly vulnerable to seasonal weather threats; earlier this year, UNICEF reported that flooding had adversely affected 17,000 people. That prior reporting noted that 700 families, including about 2,000 children, had been displaced, while 49 water treatment plants in the Deir Az Zor and Raqqa governorates were knocked out of service.
