Idleb–Latakia, Feb. 8 (SANA) Syrian Civil Defense teams on Saturday intensified emergency response operations across parts of northwestern Syria after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods in Idleb and Lattakia provinces, damaging displacement camps, cutting roads and leaving several civilians trapped or missing.
According to a SANA reporter, floodwaters swept through camps near seasonal waterways in the Kherbet al-Jawz area west of Idleb, inundating and washing away a number of tents. Emergency evacuations were carried out, and schools and temporary shelters were opened to accommodate affected families.
Civil Defense teams cleared blocked waterways, opened drainage channels and evacuated residents from damaged camps. In coordination with the Health Directorate, patients and medical staff were evacuated from Ain al-Bayda Hospital after floodwaters reached the building and submerged the ground floor. They were transferred to facilities in Jisr al-Shughur and Idleb.
Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh said response teams remain deployed and are handling field reports in Idleb, Sarmada, Jisr al-Shughur, Saraqib and parts of the Hama countryside. He urged residents to remain cautious and avoid flood channels and areas where water has accumulated.
Idleb Governor Mohammad Abdul Rahman said heavy rains had damaged more than 10 displacement camps in several areas, adding that authorities were instructed to take urgent measures, secure basic needs and open schools and mosques to shelter displaced families.
In Lattakia province, the Directorate of Emergency and Disaster Management said it dispatched additional response teams and rescue vehicles equipped with water pumps to assist flooded areas, particularly in Kherbet al-Jawz and al-Badrousiya in the Kasab subdistrict.
The Civil Defense said rescue operations in Lattakia’s countryside focused on the al-Assaliya area, where floodwaters swept three civilians; one was rescued, while searches continue for two others. In the Ain Issa area, teams located one child trapped by floodwaters, while two children remain missing.
Families were also evacuated from flooded homes in al-Badrousiya and Sheikh Hassan, while crews worked to reopen damaged roads and remove debris. Civil Defense teams said search and rescue efforts would continue until all affected areas are secured, urging residents to follow safety instructions and report emergencies immediately.
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