Syrian village submerged after quake-damaged dam collapses

An aerial view of the Al-Tlul village flooded after a devastating earthquake destroyed a river dam in the town of Salqeen near the Turkish border, Idlib province on Feb. 9, 2023. (AP)

• Streets, wheat and bean fields were completely flooded in the village near the Turkish border

TLOUL, Syria: Syrians fled their flooded northwestern village when a dam collapsed Thursday, an AFP correspondent reported, in the aftermath of a deadly quake that struck Turkiye and Syria this week.
Dozens of families left their homes to seek refuge in nearby towns, as water partially submerged houses and trees in rebel-held Tloul.
Streets, wheat and bean fields were completely flooded in the village near the Turkish border.
“The mud dam collapsed because of the earthquake,” said Louan Hamadeh, one of the few villagers who remained despite the flooding.
“Everyone left except a few young men,” he said, adding “our situation is dramatic, look at all the water around us.”
Monday’s 7.8-magnitude tremor killed nearly 20,000 people in Syria and Turkiye, official and rescuers said.
At least 16,546 people have died in Turkiye and at least 3,317 were killed in Syria.