Idlib, Feb. 8 (SANA) – Syria’s Minister of Health Musab al‑Ali and Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al‑Saleh visited the “Rahma” center in Kherbet al-Jawz, rural Idlib, on Sunday to assess the situation of displaced families affected by recent floods and to review ongoing emergency response measures. The visit was joined by Idlib Governor Mohammad Othman, Lattakia Governor Mohammad Abdulrahman, and the Deputy Governor of Aleppo for emergency affairs.
Minister al‑Saleh said a rapid operations room was formed with the participation of several ministries and concerned governorates to prevent similar incidents in the future. He noted that executive teams began work immediately on the ground, with a plan focused on supporting families returning to their homes, securing essential needs for those in temporary shelters, and providing assistance to all affected residents.
Health Minister al‑Ali said ministry ambulance teams reached the impacted areas from the earliest moments, in coordination with the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management and local authorities. He added that Ain al‑Bayda Hospital initially served as the main medical point for receiving cases before it was flooded, prompting the evacuation of patients and staff to other facilities.
Al‑Ali emphasized that the current response is part of an integrated government plan led by the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, supported by the Ministry of Health through ambulance and medical services, and coordinated with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and the governorates of Lattakia, Idlib, and Aleppo, given that many camp residents originate from these areas.
Al‑Ali added that the ministry has deployed ambulances and mobile clinics to provide essential health services, while monitoring conditions in coastal hospitals and working to meet their needs. Mobile clinics are also accompanying returning families, particularly in areas lacking adequate health services.
Farhad Khorto, Deputy Governor of Aleppo for emergency affairs, said the meeting with the emergency response team—attended by ministers and governors—aimed to establish a practical plan to address urgent needs. The plan includes relocating camp residents back to their home areas, providing caravans and temporary housing, and delivering financial, logistical, and relief support.
Several areas in rural Idlib and Lattakia witnessed heavy rainfall and flash floods in recent days, causing significant damage to displacement camps and infrastructure and prompting an urgent government and humanitarian response.
