Floodwaters submerge dozens of displacement tents in Syria’s Idlib countryside

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - Floodwaters submerged dozens of displacement tents in northern Syria’s Idlib countryside after a river overflowed following heavy rainfall, prompting emergency evacuations and relief measures, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The flooding hit the Khirbet al-Jouz area, where recent downpours caused a river to swell and inundate tents housing displaced families.

The heavy rainfall damaged and flooded more than 10 displacement camps across several areas of the province, Idlib Gov. Mohammad Abdel Rahman said. Authorities, he added, ordered an urgent response to protect affected residents and meet their immediate needs.

Abdel Rahman said schools and mosques were opened to temporarily shelter displaced families, while social affairs teams moved to distribute essential supplies. He added that staff and patients at Ain al-Bayda Hospital were evacuated to hospitals in Jisr al-Shughur and Idlib City to ensure their safety.

“The governorate is monitoring the situation around the clock, coordinating with service and humanitarian bodies to speed the response, ease the suffering of affected families and take all necessary measures to protect their safety,” Abdel Rahman said.

Emergency response teams were also deployed. Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh said civil defense crews were responding to the heavy rains and resulting flash floods that submerged tents in Khirbet al-Jouz, working to clear water channels and evacuate affected families.

Al-Saleh said teams continue to handle field reports and responses across Idlib, Sarmada, Jisr al-Shughur, Saraqib and parts of the Hama countryside, urging residents to avoid flood channels and areas where water accumulates.

Earlier on Saturday, SANA reported that the country was being affected by a weather system bringing thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and strong winds across most regions, with conditions expected to persist through the evening.

The General Directorate of Meteorology said the system is intensifying during daylight hours over northwestern and coastal areas, with rain extending to central regions, eastern areas and western highlands. Rainfall has been heavy at times and accompanied by thunderstorms, particularly along the coast.

Winter conditions and recent rainfall have compounded the suffering of thousands of displaced families living in camps across Idlib province. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Syrians live in makeshift camps in Idlib and northern Syria under harsh conditions, with their situation worsening each winter due to fuel shortages, high prices and a lack of basic services.

Between 2017 and 2020, nearly 2 million civilians fled attacks by former Syrian regime forces, many seeking refuge in areas near the Turkish border, where large displacement camps remain concentrated.