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العربية
The western countryside of Deir Ezzor witnessed the collapse of Al-Shraidah Bridge, located on the Raqqa Road, as a result of heavy rain and rising water levels, which led to it being completely out of service after suffering severe damage.
Local residents called on the concerned authorities to conduct an urgent technical investigation to determine the causes of the collapse, and to work on accurately assessing the condition of the bridge, in addition to accelerating the implementation of maintenance and rehabilitation work, given the importance of the road for the movement of residents and the movement of transportation between areas.
In a related context, the rise in the level of the Tigris River and the continued rainfall over the past few days caused the “Simalka” border bridge, which connects Al-Hasakah Governorate and the Fishkhabur crossing in Dohuk, to go out of service.
Floodwaters submerged parts of the bridge, in addition to damaging the road leading to it, prompting the authorities to temporarily stop transit traffic, out of concern for the safety of civilians.
The Simalka Bridge is a vital crossing point for transporting goods and humanitarian aid between Syria and Iraq across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, raising concerns about potential economic and humanitarian repercussions if it continues to be closed.
These incidents highlight the fragility of infrastructure in the face of harsh weather conditions, in light of the repeated damage to roads and bridges during the rainy seasons, which reinforces the residents’ demands for the need to develop more effective maintenance and response plans to confront natural disasters.
