Ankara: Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall have resulted in the deaths of at least three individuals and have displaced hundreds of families in northwest Syria, creating significant humanitarian challenges across multiple areas, as reported by Alekhbariah TV, citing a statement from a Syrian ministry.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management announced that several regions experienced sudden flooding from early Saturday through late Sunday night, impacting civilian communities and damaging 22 displacement camps west of Idlib. Tragically, two children lost their lives after being swept away by floodwaters in a rugged valley in the al-Assaliya and Ain Issa areas of the Turkman Mountain region in rural Latakia.

A Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteer was also killed in a traffic accident while traveling with a team to assist residents affected by the floods in the Turkman Mountain area. The accident resulted in injuries to six people, including five Red Crescent volunteers. The floodwaters severely affected residential areas, submerging 30 homes in the village of Sheikh Hassan in rural Latakia and 47 homes across Idlib province.

The ministry reported that more than 650 families experienced complete destruction of their homes, while over 1,300 families suffered partial damage. Additionally, flooding impacted 22 displacement camps in Idlib province. Patients, medical staff, and incubators were evacuated from Ain al-Bayda Hospital when the facility was inundated in the Kharbat al-Jawz area west of Idlib.

In response to the disaster, authorities established seven temporary shelters in schools in western Idlib to accommodate displaced families. Emergency relief supplies were distributed to 80 families at the al-Rahma School shelter and five families at the al-Ansar shelter. Urgent medical services were also provided to those affected by the flooding, according to the ministry.