Euphrates River Flooding Syria – 25 May – 6 June 2026
In late May 2026, severe flooding affected communities along the Euphrates River in Syria’s Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor governorates. Triggered by heavy rainfall and rising river levels, the floods caused widespread damage to homes, agricultural land, roads, bridges, and water infrastructure, affecting more than 27,000 people. The Euphrates Valley is home to numerous archaeological sites and historic settlements located along the river corridor. Rising waters and riverbank erosion may pose risks to cultural heritage sites, highlighting the importance of satellite monitoring to assess flood extent and potential impacts on heritage landscapes.
SYRIA
FLOODING
Heritage Sites within the AOI
This map displays the extent of the May–June 2026 flooding along the Euphrates River in Syria, highlighting affected areas in the Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor governorates. It combines flood-affected zones with the distribution of cultural heritage sites, including UNESCO-listed properties and archaeological sites compiled from OpenStreetMap and other heritage datasets, to assess potential impacts on heritage assets located within the river corridor.
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total number of archaeological sites in Syria | 1321 |
| Total sites within flooded zone | 212 |
Legend
Flooded zone
Heritage sites
Pre- and Post-Flood Satellite Imagery
This map compares pre- and post-flood satellite imagery along a section of the Euphrates River affected by the May–June 2026 flooding. The before-and-after imagery slider enables visual assessment of changes in water extent and river conditions, while heritage sites are overlaid to identify cultural assets located within the potentially affected flood corridor.
Imagery Footprint Supporting Post-Flood
Heritage Monitoring
This map displays the footprint of high-resolution satellite imagery (Planet, Maxar, Sentinel) available over the flooded sections of the Euphrates River in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor governorates. Imagery is filtered by Ground Sampling Distance (GSD ≤ 0.5 m) where available to ensure suitability for flood impact assessment and monitoring of potential effects on cultural heritage sites and surrounding infrastructure.
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