Syria asks Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor residents to move to safety due to possible flooding in Euphrates River

Syria’s Emergency and Disaster Management Ministry on Monday warned residents in the provinces of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor of possible flooding along the Euphrates River following increased water discharge from the Euphrates Dam.

The ministry said in a statement that residents living along the banks of the Euphrates River and within nearby low-lying areas should “prepare for a flood wave and a rise in the Euphrates River level to more than two meters above its normal level.”

It added that “the volume of water discharge from the Euphrates Dam has been increased to 1,500 cubic meters per second,” warning that this could lead to “an additional rise in water levels of up to one meter during the coming hours and days.”

The statement urged the “immediate evacuation” of homes and commercial shops near the river, especially those located in low-lying areas.

The ministry urged residents to move families, livestock, and agricultural equipment to “safe and elevated areas” and to follow instructions issued by official authorities.

Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor are located in northern and eastern Syria along the Euphrates River basin, one of the country’s most important agricultural and water-resource regions.