The agricultural and water sectors in Deir Ezzor (eastern Syria) are experiencing an unprecedented shock after flooding from the Euphrates River caused major damage to infrastructure and the livelihoods of thousands of residents.
The crisis is no longer just a temporary rise in water levels. The flood knocked drinking water and irrigation pumping networks and stations out of service after mechanical and electrical equipment was damaged, as vast areas of farmland were submerged and their strategic crops were completely destroyed.
Flooding from the Euphrates River submerged 16,870 dunums of agricultural land in Deir Ezzor. The areas of al-Kharita, Hajin, al-Tabni, and Muhaimida topped the list of the most affected locations, according to Deir Ezzor governorate, citing Fayez Abbas, head of the emergency response committee.
The floods also forced 83 water stations out of service, according to Abbas. So far, 13 stations have been restored, while earth berms have been raised to protect another 57 stations.
Efforts to Secure Drinking Water
The Ministry of Energy announced on Monday, June 1, that the Darnaj and al-Jalaa water stations had been restored to service after the necessary technical work was completed, securing water for around 50,000 people.
The Darnaj station helps provide drinking water to about 24,000 residents of the area, while restoring the al-Jalaa station to service helps strengthen the stability of water supply, as part of ongoing efforts to return recently affected stations to service.
To ensure continued water supplies, the emergency response committee allocated 38 tankers to distribute potable water to affected areas, according to Abbas. The most prominent of these areas are al-Shumaytiyah, al-Masrab, al-Bukamal, al-Toub, al-Mariiyah, Subaykhan, Baqras, al-Suwar, and al-Asharah.
Water also flooded the site of al-Baghouz water station in the countryside of al-Bukamal city, east of Deir Ezzor, as a result of the exceptional rise in the Euphrates River during the past few days.
Technical teams from the General Company for Drinking Water and Sanitation in Deir Ezzor carried out advance precautionary measures that included dismantling the station’s electrical and mechanical equipment and main machinery and moving them to safe locations before the water reached them, to preserve the equipment and ensure the station can be restored quickly when field conditions improve.
Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir announced on his official accounts on Monday that the major al-Furat station had returned to full production capacity, strengthening the stability of water supply for around 400,000 people, he said.
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