Emergency Ministry: Notable increase in soil moisture across vast areas of Syria

Soil and Moisture Data

The Ministry of Emergency Affairs and Disaster Management announced that the latest maps from the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS), part of the European Copernicus Service, show a notable increase in soil moisture compared to normal rates across vast areas of Syria. This follows the weather event that affected the country between October 28 and 29, according to data from yesterday, Sunday.

The ministry clarified via its Telegram channel on Monday that the color indicators on the attached map show that blue indicates soil moisture significantly higher than normal rates, appearing clearly in the northern, northeastern, and eastern regions of the country. Meanwhile, purple indicates moisture levels higher than usual to varying degrees.

Early Warning Indicators

The ministry pointed out that light gray represents moisture conditions close to normal rates, while yellow and red indicate areas experiencing relative drought compared to normal rates. It confirmed that these data rely on the LISFLOOD hydrological simulation model, which compares soil moisture with reference climatic conditions for the period 1990–2016.

The ministry explained that increased soil moisture may reduce its capacity to absorb additional rainfall, thereby increasing the likelihood of surface runoff and flash floods during heavy precipitation, especially in low-lying areas and water basins prone to flooding.

Risk Assessment and Forecasts

The ministry stated that these data serve as an important indicator in assessing flash flood and flood risks, but they do not necessarily imply that floods will occur or that the soil will become fully saturated. Determining the level of risk requires integrating these data with rainfall forecasts, hydrological, and topographical data. It added that these indicators highlight the importance of supporting Syria’s multi-hazard early warning system through the ClimWeb platform.

The ministry noted that climate warnings can be monitored via the ClimWeb platform, pointing out that most Syrian areas experienced heavy rains from Tuesday afternoon until early Saturday morning, particularly in the northern and eastern regions, which led to the formation of flash floods and floods and the cutting off of many roads.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)