Syria warns of rising Euphrates water levels

Syria issued a warning Thursday over rising water levels along the Euphrates River, following floods in the country's north and east caused by heavy rainfall and increased water flows from Turkey.

The Ministry of Energy stated it was monitoring the situation in light of what it called an "unprecedented increase" in water flows from the Turkish side, attributed to abundant rainfall and the opening of dam floodgates upstream.

Flooding was reported in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, rendering several bridges impassable and damaging farmland and homes. The neighboring region of Raqqa was also affected. Authorities declared a state of emergency in Deir Ezzor, Raqqa, and Aleppo provinces.

Syria's Euphrates Dam is operating near full capacity, forcing officials to release large volumes of water through floodgates that had not been used in roughly 40 years.

Turkish media also reported controlled water releases from the Atatürk Dam, one of Turkey's three major dams, built to generate electricity and irrigate the region near the Syrian border, after reservoir levels rose sharply due to months of heavy rain. Its spillway gates were opened for the first time in seven years.