3 deaths and dozens of families flee their homes due to flooding of the Euphrates in eastern Syria

  On Wednesday (May 27th), areas in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor witnessed new drowning incidents in the Euphrates River as a result of the rise in the water level during the past days and the disconnection of a number of bridges and water pumping stations, in addition to the flooding of agricultural areas and the interruption of vital roads.

Two people died while swimming in the Euphrates River in the town of Al-Kharah and a 12-year-old boy while swimming in the Euphrates River in the village of Zughir Jazira, west of Deir Ezzor, while parents were able to rescue two other children who were with him

Out-of-service bridges

In parallel with the drowning incidents, the rise in the level of the Euphrates River caused a number of water pumping stations in the countryside of Deir Ezzor to be out of service, which was reflected in the arrival of water to several residential areas.

The rise in the level also led to the departure of dirt and vital bridges, including the Marat Military Bridge and the Dirt Bridge in the area, in addition to the exit of the Al-Mayadeen Dirt Bridge, which caused a disruption in movement between a number of towns, according to the correspondent.

In the same context, the area of "Hawija Kata" was completely flooded, while "Hawija Sakr" became almost besieged after the main road was cut off due to the rise in the level of the Euphrates River.

Temporarily remove part of the bridge

The Syrian Civil Defence said that teams from the Emergency Directorate and Disaster Management in Deir Ezzor, in cooperation with the city council and technical services, carried out technical works that included the temporary removal of part of the earthen bridge.

The Civil Defense explained that the measure aims to facilitate the drainage of water and prevent a sudden collapse that may threaten the safety of residents, stressing that the bridge is currently out of service.

He also warned residents against using river ferries to cross the Euphrates, due to the intensity of the current and the high risk of moving across the river during this period, calling for relying on official information and not circulating rumors.

Closure of Ma'dan Bridge in Raqqa

In Raqqa province,  the state-run SANA news agency  quoted the head of the Ma'dan City Council, Abdul Latif al-Ali, as saying that traffic on the Ma'dan bridge, which connects the Karama area east of the Euphrates to the area of Ma'dan in the west, was suspended as a precautionary measure in conjunction with the rise in the water level.

Al-Ali explained that the decision to close came after the appearance of pits and cracks in previously filled parts of the bridge and the road leading to it, as a result of the impact of high water on the body of the bridge.

He pointed out that the bridge is one of the vital crossings in the eastern countryside of Raqqa, which necessitated taking urgent measures and temporarily suspending traffic until the completion of technical inspection and treatment works.

He called on residents to abide by the instructions of the competent authorities and not to approach or use the bridge until further notice.

4 drinking water stations out of service

Deir Ezzor Governorate called on the people to rationalize drinking water consumption during the current period, and not to waste it, until the end of the emergency situation related to the rise in the level of the Euphrates River.

On Wednesday (May 27th), the Public Drinking Water and Sanitation Corporation in Deir Ezzor reported that four drinking water stations were out of service, namely "Al-Milaj Carrot, Al-Badia, Al-Kasra, and Al-Geneina."

  The technical workshops dismantled the raw pumping kits and power canisters at these stations, as a result of the emergency conditions caused by the flooding of the Euphrates River.

The technical teams confirmed that they are taking precautionary measures in the rest of the operating stations, with the aim of ensuring their continued operation and avoiding their interruption of service during the period of high levels.

In another statement, the governorate announced a decrease in water pumping in the city of Deir Ezzor, after a malfunction at the giant Euphrates station, due to the collapse of the water entry gate to the raw outlet.

This led to a 60-70 percent drop in pumping, with the possibility of a complete halt in the coming hours.

She pointed out that it is working to implement an emergency solution by dividing the city into sectors, and organizing rationing operations in water pumping in order to avoid a complete outage, until the malfunction is addressed and the system is rehabilitated.

This came in conjunction with the increase in the quantities of water discharge from the Euphrates Dam, and the opening of the overflow gates, which led to a significant increase in the water level during the past hours.

Raqqa. Flooded Villages and Displacement of Families

The rapid rise in the water level of the Euphrates River has exacerbated the damage in the countryside of Raqqa, after the amounts of water flowing exceeded 1800 cubic meters per second, with expectations that it will reach 2000 cubic meters in the coming hours, which warns of the expansion of the affected areas on the banks of the river.

The village of Hawija al-Sawafi has been one of the hardest hit areas since Tuesday, as water began to enter homes, prompting more than 15 families to leave their homes and move to safer areas.

The rising water level has inundated large areas of agricultural land planted with wheat and barley, as well as damage to fruit trees stretching along the banks of the river, in a new blow to farmers ahead of the harvest season.

The damage extended to fish farms scattered throughout the area, where fish farmers suffered significant losses as a result of the flooding of ponds and their out-of-control.

Disruption of drinking water and irrigation stations

The repercussions of the floods affected the service infrastructure, as the drinking water station in the village of Hamra Balsam was out of service after the water reached it, and the Tawi Rumman irrigation station stopped as a result of its complete submergence.

According to the Euphrates Dam administration, the water level is expected to continue to rise until next Sunday, before the discharge amounts begin to be gradually reduced, which keeps the possibility of damage expanding in the coming days.

Concerned authorities in the governorate, including the Emergency Directorate, Disaster Management and the Directorate of Water Resources, have begun to implement precautionary measures in cooperation with residents to protect drinking water and irrigation stations.

Farmers have also begun to move engines and pumps to higher grounds, fearing that they will be damaged as the Euphrates level continues to rise.