This photo released by the Syrian state news agency SANA on May 28, 2026, shows flooding in Deir al-Zor province following rising water levels in the Euphrates River. (Credit: SANA/AFP)
Syria’s Energy Ministry warned Thursday of rising water levels on the Euphrates River following flooding in the country’s north and east caused by increased water flows from neighboring Turkey and recent heavy rains.
The Ministry said it was monitoring the situation on the Euphrates “in light of the significant and unprecedented increase in water flows from the Turkish side.”
According to the Ministry, the increase was due to “the abundance of the current rainy season and the opening of floodgates at dams located along the river in Turkish territory.”
A statement said water authorities in Deir al-Zor, Raqqa, and Aleppo provinces had declared a “state of emergency” and were taking precautionary measures.
State news agency SANA reported flooding Thursday in urban and rural areas of Deir al-Zor province, where an earthen bridge was submerged.
The agency had reported Wednesday that several bridges in the province were out of service because of flooding that also affected farmland and homes. It also reported flooding in neighboring Raqqa province.
Turkish local media, citing regional water authorities, reported “controlled water releases” from the Atatürk Dam after water levels rose due to heavy rainfall in recent months. The spillway gates were reportedly opened for the first time in seven years.
The Atatürk Dam is one of Turkey’s three major dams and was built to generate electricity and irrigate areas along the Syrian border.
Syria’s Energy Ministry said authorities managing the Euphrates Dam had warned that the country’s dam storage capacity was nearing full levels, “necessitating the continued release of large quantities of water.”
Late Wednesday, the ministry published an image showing the opening of the Euphrates Dam floodgates, saying they had not been used in around 40 years, and urged residents to exercise caution.
