LONDON: Authorities in the Syrian Arab Republic closed the final spillway gates at the Euphrates Dam on Tuesday, after reopening them two weeks earlier to relieve pressure that had led to devastating floods in the country’s eastern region.
Over 123 acres of farmland were damaged by the floods, and many water stations were either partially or completely out of service, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
The Ministry of Energy said that water releases from the Euphrates Dam now total 700 cubic meters per second, flowing entirely through power-generation turbines.
Heavy rainfall in late May and increased inflows from Turkiye prompted Syrian authorities to open the Euphrates Dam’s spillway gates for the first time in decades to ensure safety.
The General Authority for Water Resources reported that 30 water stations were restored to service this week after the surging water levels along the Euphrates River affected about 2,400 families in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces.
Authorities have also dispatched medical supplies, food baskets, and some boats through aid charities to assist residents who evacuated their homes in low-lying areas in the region.
