Flash floods sweeping through several parts of Syria left five people dead on Thursday. The victims included four children who drowned in various bodies of water across the Raqqa and Deir Az Zor governorates.
A man also lost his life when his vehicle became trapped in rising floodwaters near the al-Salmani Bridge in the western countryside of Raqqa. The Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management confirmed the fatalities in an official statement on Thursday.
Rescue operations continued for five other individuals who were missing following the severe storms. The missing group included two children.
Thursday marked the second consecutive day that emergency services responded to widespread flooding. The ministry shared regular situation updates through its official account on X.
Severe infrastructure damage and major disruptions to several bridges were reported in heavily hit regions. These included Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir Az Zor, Hasakah, and Homs.
The state news agency SANA reported that the al-Salmani Bridge, situated west of Tabqa, collapsed under the pressure of the floodwaters. This structural failure severed the road connection linking Raqqa to Aleppo.
Emergency response teams rescued 15 civilians whose vehicles were stranded by the deluge. The ministry also stated that about 375 families were evacuated from three displacement camps on the rural outskirts of Raqqa.
The country has faced frequent threats from heavy seasonal rains and subsequent flooding. Data released by UNICEF in June showed that 17,000 people were affected by flooding earlier in the year.
The UN agency reported at the time that 700 families had been displaced, affecting about 2,000 children. Also, 49 water treatment plants in the Deir Az Zor and Raqqa governorates were forced out of service due to those earlier weather events.
