RAQQA, Syria (AP) — Officials in Syria issued evacuation warnings Tuesday for people living along the Euphrates River after water levels climbed significantly over recent days, triggering widespread flooding across northern and eastern regions.
The flooding has impacted two provinces – Raqqa in the north and Deir el-Zour in the east – though no injuries have been documented so far. Such flooding events have become uncommon in Syria following the construction of Turkish dams years ago that now regulate water flow into Syria and Iraq.
According to state media reports, the rising waters have damaged farmland along with residential and commercial properties in areas that saw fighting between government troops and Kurdish forces earlier this year.
Officials attribute the flooding to unusually heavy rainfall this season, which forced authorities to release water through gates at the Euphrates Dam to relieve structural pressure on the facility.
The state news agency SANA reported that opening the dam gates has created a flow rate of approximately 1,800 cubic meters (63,566 cubic feet) per second, potentially causing further water level increases.
Forecasters predict river levels could climb an additional 2 meters (6.5 feet) in the coming hours.
Mohammed Amin, 65, owns the well-known Greek House restaurant in Raqqa, which suffered partial submersion and thousands of dollars in losses. Fish were spotted swimming through the main dining area where water reached several centimeters deep.
“Our losses are huge,” Amin stated, explaining that refrigeration equipment failed and floodwaters swept away more than 200 chairs positioned along the riverbank.
Sabha Mohammed, 50, who was forced to leave her home in Maadan within Raqqa province, watched as flood waters destroyed much of her possessions at the riverside tent where she currently lives. “It was early in the morning when the flood began,” she explained.
Syria’s Civil Defense organization issued safety warnings advising people to stay out of the river and avoid crossing small bridges or using boats during the flooding. The agency also recommended that residents relocate themselves and their livestock to elevated areas.
