Rescue plan for 47 pumping stations along the Euphrates and UNICEF fortify the dam's water station
The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management confirmed the start of the gradual decline of the water level of the Euphrates River in the governorates of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor following the closure of the fourth gate, presenting positive indicators of the success of the proactive response plan, which was launched with the support of heavy machinery brought from several governorates.
The ministry indicated in a statement today that the plan contributed to fortifying vital facilities and preventing any loss of life, despite the fact that material damage was recorded to about 3,000 families and the affected agricultural areas exceeded the threshold of 10,000 dunums.
Field response and partial opening of the Ashara Bridge
In turn, the Emergency Response Committee in Deir Ezzor announced the opening of the "Al-Ashara Bridge" in the eastern countryside of the province to light vehicle and pedestrian traffic on Monday (June 1 at night), after intensive reinforcement and maintenance operations.
The committee called on citizens to abide by the instructions issued by it, while the governor of Deir Ezzor, Ziad Al-Aiyesh, pointed out that the work of consolidation and ambulance immunization was concentrated as a top priority on the "Al-Ashara" and "Al-Siya" bridges to face the peak of the water flow, pointing out that the governorate received the data 48 hours before the wave and rushed to inform the people of the areas at risk of flooding to take precautions and start precautionary evacuation.
On the ground, the Civil Defense in Deir Ezzor explained that the river level has declined in Raqqa, while it is still stable in Deir Ezzor at about 3 meters vertically and 50 meters horizontally from the western administrative border to the city of Al-Mayadeen, with temporary slight rises (between 10 and 30 cm) observed in the area extending from Al-Mayadeen to Al-Bukamal.
The engineering teams carried out intensive work to raise earthen barriers to protect drinking water pumping stations in (Sukkariyya, Al-Jalaa in Al-Bukamal, and Shumitiya), as well as the construction of a 1000-meter-long earthen berm in the village of Al-Shaafa to prevent the flow of water to houses, and other berms in the town of Al-Anaba to protect agricultural lands, with the allocation of 3 safe crossing points equipped with rescue boats and ambulances to transport humanitarian cases between the two banks of the river.
Agricultural Damage Inventory and a Ministerial Meeting for Financing
Eng. Yasser Abboush, a member of the Executive Office of the Agriculture Sector in the province, revealed that the agricultural areas affected in Deir Ezzor province due to the rise in the level of the Euphrates River exceeded 10,000 dunums, distributed over different areas in the province.
In a statement on Monday, June 1, during a meeting held at the Directorate of Agriculture on Sunday, Abboush explained that the affected areas were distributed in Al-Mayadeen 772 dunums, Al-Kishkiyah 350 dunums, Al-Sousse 650 dunums, Mohsen 750 dunums, Dhiban 200 dunums, Al-Khara 2293 dunums, Tabani 1238 dunums, Muhaimida 1200 dunums, Hawija 1500 dunums, Al-Kasra 336 dunums, and Al-Karama 840 dunums.
He pointed out that the meeting dealt with the inventory of the areas damaged by the recent floods, in preparation for submitting reports to the Damage Compensation Committee, in addition to stressing the need for the Syrian Grain Corporation to provide the necessary logistics to ensure the movement of cadres between the two banks of the Euphrates River and the continuity of agricultural services.
He pointed out that the meeting reviewed the mechanism of disbursing farmers' dues, whether through the Agricultural Bank or through the "Sham Cash" application, which contributes to facilitating the procedures for farmers to obtain their dues, and simplifying financial transactions related to the agricultural sector.
At the government level, the Minister of Finance, Mohammed Yusr Barnieh, held an extensive meeting with the Minister of Transport, Yarub Badr, and the Director General of the Syrian Roads Corporation, Moaz Najjar, during which they agreed on urgent executive steps to provide the necessary funding and immediately start construction works to rehabilitate and expand the damaged bridges in the governorates of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, in implementation of the presidential directives. The financial resources allocated in the general budget for the year 2026 to raise the efficiency of the national road network within a three-year development project.
Protecting the Euphrates Giant Station in cooperation with UNICEF
A delegation from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), headed by the head of the Water and Sanitation Sector, was briefed on the ongoing rehabilitation works at the Euphrates Giant Station in Deir Ezzor.
The Director of the Organization's office in the governorate, Mohammed Kanawati, said that the organization, in coordination with the General Water Company, hastened to provide heavy machinery to establish an earthen buffer dam that prevented the flood from reaching the towing station, which saved the facility from a realized disaster and ensured the continuation of the flow of drinking water for about 400 thousand people in the city of Deir Ezzor and its countryside, stressing that the cadres continued to work around the clock, including during the Eid al-Adha period, and that the work of replacing one of the damaged engines was about to be completed in preparation for the official opening of the station Coming soon.