Khaberni - Syrian authorities continue, on Tuesday, their efforts to deal with floods that have swept several areas in the country, due to a low atmospheric pressure accompanied by heavy rains, resulting in the death of a child, injuring 12 people and evacuating 20 others.
The Syrian News Agency (SANA) reported that several areas in the country experienced numerous atmospheric lows, and varying rains across provinces, leading to the formation of floods and soil drifts, especially on the highways.
The official "Syrian News" channel reported that 20 people were evacuated after being trapped by rainwater in the city of Qaryatayn in rural Homs in the central region.
The channel confirmed that civil defense teams continue their work to clear the roads and secure the affected families due to the floods in Qaryatayn.
Death of a child
In turn, the Syrian Civil Defense stated - in a statement - that the weather disturbance led to the death of a child after being swept away by a flood in the village of Tanahaj in rural Hama (central), while trying to film the flood as a result of a landslide he was standing on.
The Civil Defense clarified that its teams responded to the weather disturbance accompanied by heavy rains that affected all Syrian provinces.
The Civil Defense published pictures showing the teams opening roads, and carving waterways in several areas in the country.
In this context, the Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management in the Rural Damascus Governorate in the south reported that 12 civilians were injured, due to a bus overturning caused by the rains on the Damascus/ Homs road.
The directorate - in a statement - confirmed that "civil defense teams provided first aid to several injuries, and transported 5 injuries to the hospital, while civilians helped 7 injuries."
The Syrian Meteorological Service - via Facebook - released video clips of sweepin floods and heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms and hail in several areas in the country.
The General Directorate of Meteorology predicted that the unstable weather conditions accompanied by thunderstorms would continue on Tuesday and the weather would start to stabilize tomorrow, Wednesday.
Clearing flood debris
SANA agency reported that the General Corporation for Road Transport in the Ministry of Transport began removing flood debris caused by the weather conditions, and heavy rains on Monday, on the Damascus/ Homs road, which caused partial disruption to traffic movement.
The director of the corporation's Damascus branch, Bassam Dakak, stated that maintenance workshops went to the location as soon as the rain stopped, supported by heavy machinery, where they worked on removing the mud and soil drifts from a distance of about 3 kilometers, and safely reopening the road for vehicles.
Dakak noted that the work was carried out in an emergency and swift manner to minimize the impact on transport movement, pointing to coordination with the relevant authorities to organize traffic in the area during the work period, as reported by the agency.
The Damascus/ Homs road is one of the most vital axes in the country, which makes it susceptible to these conditions, and requires quick intervention to ensure traffic flow continues.
