On November 3, several houses in the village of Qusayba in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor sustained varying degrees of damage due to heavy rains and flooding that hit the area, amidst deteriorating humanitarian conditions experienced by the village.

According to local residents interviewed by Enab Baladi, the rainstorm resulted in the death of a woman, the destruction of more than 100 homes, and the loss of approximately 350 heads of cattle and sheep, with many areas forming water puddles.

The floods swept into adobe houses in the village, causing many to be buried, while residents issued appeals for assistance.

Damage to homes and agriculture

According to estimated figures, over 100 families remain affected and are seeking shelter after losing their homes and livelihoods with the death of their livestock.

Bashir Ali, one of the flood-affected individuals, told Enab Baladi that residents of the village are appealing to local authorities from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and humanitarian organizations to help them after what he described as a “disaster.”

He mentioned that he was displaced to the town of Kubar after the floods buried his three-room house, also drowning his source of income from livestock, leading to the death of a cow and several sheep.

Before the rains and floods, the village of Qusayba was suffering from difficult economic conditions, with most of its residents living below the poverty line, relying on agriculture and livestock farming.

Young man Mohammed al-Hilal, also affected, stated to Enab Baladi that the rain and erosion caused significant damage to a large portion of the houses and to crops in the village, such as newly planted vegetables, with floodwaters sweeping away cultivated barley fields.

He added that many trees were broken or tilted, and he lost five sheep, with four trees in his yard being broken.

Residents are awaiting greater support and assistance than what the local authorities have announced. The co-chair of the western Deir Ezzor area council affiliated with the AANES, Mohammed al-Hilal, stated that service assistance has been provided to the village affected by the storm.

He added that “necessary machinery will be provided to remove the damages and open roads,” indicating that the council is working to provide necessary support to the affected village residents.

Meanwhile, the co-chair of the Social Affairs Committee in the Deir Ezzor council affiliated with AANES, Hanan al-Hamadi, stated that the body responded quickly to the victims of the rainstorm in the village of Qusayba.

She mentioned that the Social Affairs Authority assessed the damages promptly and provided affected families with food baskets and tents in the first phase, with plans for additional aid later.

Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria is characterized by a hot climate, experiencing less rainfall than the coastal and northern regions of Syria. However, it has witnessed repeated battles and bombings over the past years, leading to a dilapidated infrastructure and causing the roofs and walls of residents’ homes to crack, increasing the risk of collapse especially in severe weather conditions.