Heavy rains on Saturday triggered flash floods that killed seven people in eastern Syria, including five children, a warning said while rescue teams scour murky waters, according to a statement from Syria’s Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed al‑Saleh on X. The fatalities included five children who drowned in sudden pools and the remaining victim died in a traffic collision, Saleh said. He added that four people are still missing, and teams are still searching the flooded districts of Raqqa, Deir al‑Zor and Hasakah.
The state news agency SANA had earlier reported the deaths and injuries on Friday, noting that the floods also badly damaged infrastructure, disrupted roads and forced many families to leave their homes. Since the storms began, civil defence teams have carried out more than 550 emergency operations, rescuing 60 people trapped by floodwater and responding to over 900 distress calls. They have also evacuated more than 350 students from two schools and assisted 375 families leaving camps in Raqqa province, and pumped water out of about 250 homes and public buildings.
Hasakah and surrounding areas have been hit hardest, with widespread flooding in rural Aleppo and Idlib camps, according to the minister. Roads have been cut off, and emergency crews continue to assess damage while local authorities urge residents to stay alert as weather conditions remain unstable, characterised by heavy rain and strong thunderstorms since Tuesday.
