Storms hit five Syrian provinces, forcing evacuations

Storms pound five provinces

Heavy storms battered five Syrian provinces on Saturday, displacing residents and inundating homes while emergency crews worked to restore access to blocked highways and remove debris, according to Syria Alikhbaria TV. State media reported that intense rainfall and powerful winds led to flooding, landslides and stranded vehicles across Latakia, Idlib, Homs, Hama and Aleppo.

Civil defense units executed 58 distinct interventions distributed across the governorates — 35 in Latakia, 10 in Idlib, five apiece in Homs and Hama, and three in Aleppo — according to the ministry. The adverse conditions impacted 20 households, with three families requiring evacuation, while workers extracted water from 43 residences and cleared 56 obstructed roadways.

Infrastructure damage reported

Electricity infrastructure suffered damage in Homs, where over 20 medium-voltage transmission lines failed, Syria Alikhbaria TV reported. The Homs General Electricity Company confirmed blackouts in Taldu, Al-Mukharram, Shin, Talkalakh and Palmyra, among other areas, leaving residents without power during the cleanup operations.

Authorities had issued alerts on Wednesday predicting turbulent conditions lasting from Friday afternoon through late Monday, with officials forecasting intense thunderstorms. The advance notice allowed officials to prepare before the weekend system delivered heavy precipitation and structural damage to Syria's coastal and central zones.