Syria's Al Sharaa visits flood zones after week of mayhem

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - DAMASCUS — Syrian President Ahmad Al Sharaa visited areas devastated by floods on Friday after days of mayhem caused by surging waters in the Euphrates.

Rising water levels on the Euphrates River have triggered evacuations and disrupted basic services across eastern Syria, affecting an area spanning more than 200 kilometers, authorities said..

Several children have died, homes and farms were flooded, a bridge collapsed and the military has been called in after heavy rain pushed the Euphrates to its limits in northeastern Syria.

The crisis prompted widespread evacuations, urgent shelter preparations, and a sweeping humanitarian relief effort, Syria’s Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed El-Saleh said

Authorities in the provinces of Deir Ezzor, Raqqa and Aleppo had reportedly announced a state of emergency and were taking precautionary measures as floodwaters inundated the region, cutting off dozens of water stations and key crossings.

The government has continued emergency operations after surging water levels along the Euphrates affected about 2,400 families in Deir Ezzor province.

Al-Sharaa arrived in the province on Friday to oversee the expanding response. He was joined by a ministerial delegation to assess ground conditions and look at the immediate resource needs of affected communities.

Finance Minister Mohamed Yisr Barnieh has confirmed that the government is actively coordinating across multiple state agencies to secure vital funding and logistical support for ongoing relief efforts.

Local authorities are working round the clock in close coordination with the Civil Defense and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to evacuate residents from vulnerable riverbanks and establish temporary shelters.

As precautionary measures, the General Electricity Company preemptively disconnected power lines in the Huwaylat Saqr area as water approached critical electrical infrastructure, while the Ministry of Economy and Industry dispatched 1,050 tonnes of flour to ensure local bakeries could continue uninterrupted production.

The acute phase of the crisis has since passed, and Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed Al-Saleh has confirmed that water levels along the Euphrates have returned to normal with no new flooding recorded in the region.

The Energy Ministry earlier said it was monitoring the situation on the Euphrates “in light of the significant and unprecedented increase in water flows from the Turkish side.”

Syria’s Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Marwan Al-Halabi announced the postponement of practical examinations at Al-Furat University in Deir Ezzor following the rising water levels and amid concerns over the safety of students and academic staff.

The practical exams had been scheduled to take place after the Eid holiday.

Al-Halabi said practical sessions planned for the coming period would also be postponed, and a new date was dependent on developments.

The minister said a contingency plan had been prepared for faculties and institutes affiliated with Al-Furat University to ensure the continuity of education while safeguarding students and employees.

Al-Halabi added that the university’s volunteer teams had been asked to participate in relief efforts, in coordination with the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, and the administration of Al-Furat University, to support communities affected by flooding.

Local authorities have issued warnings to residents in vulnerable areas and stepped up emergency preparedness efforts amid fears that rising waters could threaten homes, farmland and infrastructure along the river.