ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited Deir ez-Zor on Friday to oversee government efforts to address flooding caused by a sharp rise in Euphrates River water levels entering Syria from Turkey, as authorities continued evacuations and emergency operations across affected areas.
During his visit, Sharaa met local officials and emergency teams and reviewed measures aimed at protecting residents and critical infrastructure. The visit came as Syrian authorities warned that water levels in parts of the Euphrates had reached their highest levels in decades, threatening communities along the river in Deir ez-Zor and neighboring Raqqa province.
The flooding follows a significant increase in water inflows from Turkey through the Euphrates River, combined with heavy seasonal rainfall. Syrian officials said reservoirs at the Euphrates Dam approached critical levels, forcing large-scale releases of water downstream and prompting emergency measures in eastern Syria.
According to Syria’s state-run SANA news agency, authorities have established a joint operations room involving several ministries and security agencies to coordinate the response. Deir ez-Zor Governor Ziad al-Ayesh said teams succeeded in protecting several water stations by relocating equipment before floodwaters reached them, while evacuation efforts for families living along the riverbanks remain ongoing.
Syria’s Defense Ministry announced that military units and engineering teams had been deployed to assist local authorities, build protective earth embankments, and assess urgent needs in affected communities.
The Energy Ministry has also mobilized resources to safeguard drinking water and electricity infrastructure, while civil defense teams continue to reinforce riverbanks and monitor vulnerable roads and bridges.
Earlier this week, officials managing the Euphrates Dam warned residents in Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa to avoid riverbanks, saying water levels in some areas could rise by more than two to three meters. They described the current flow as unprecedented in more than 30 years.
Floodwaters have already submerged roads, damaged agricultural land, and disrupted transportation links in several areas along the Euphrates. Authorities have urged residents in low-lying areas to relocate to safer ground and follow emergency instructions.
No major casualties have been officially reported, but officials say emergency operations will continue until water levels recede and the threat to riverside communities is reduced.