Floods damage more than 21,000 dunams of farmland in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Flooding caused by rising water levels in the Euphrates River has damaged approximately 21,853 dunams of agricultural land in Syria’s eastern governorate of Deir ez-Zor, local agricultural authorities said on Thursday.
Ali Alloush, Director of the Agriculture Directorate in Deir ez-Zor, told the Syrian state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV that the recovery period for the affected farmland would vary depending on the severity of the damage.
According to Alloush, some agricultural lands could regain their productivity within weeks if the impact remains limited to surface-level damage. However, areas where floodwaters eroded and destroyed the topsoil may require years before cultivation can resume.
He explained that sediment deposits left behind by the floodwaters could provide some beneficial mineral elements to the soil. Nevertheless, he noted that the negative effects of the flooding outweighed any potential benefits.
“The rise in water levels and the speed of the floodwaters caused soil saturation, reduced oxygen around plant roots, damaged soil structure, and led to erosion and land degradation in some areas,” Alloush said.
The Euphrates River is a critical water source for agricultural communities across eastern Syria, including large parts of Deir ez-Zor governorate, where farming remains a primary source of income for many residents.
In a separate assessment, Alloush said damage to the livestock sector was minimal and limited to a small number of individual cases, with no widespread losses reported among livestock breeders.
Local authorities continue to monitor the impact of the flooding on agricultural areas across the governorate.