Aarida crossing: Storms wreak havoc along Lebanon-Syria border

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

This is the situation at the Aarida border crossing. Inside the town, collapses can be seen in the foundations of the crossing, which are made of temporary sandy material. This has created a large sinkhole and cut the road linking Lebanon and Syria.

The collapses at the crossing helped spare homes in the town along the banks of the Nahr al-Kabir from flooding, as the water stopped at the edge of agricultural land.

From Aarida, the tour continues through the river and plain villages. In Hekr el-Dahri, heavy machinery is removing sediment left by floodwaters that flowed between homes.

Along the river, lakes have formed that only heavy equipment can cross. Agricultural land has been submerged, families have been displaced by the flooding, and some residents are risking crossing the swamps on motorcycles.

The road ends at the Aboudieh crossing, where floodwaters have surrounded General Security and army positions and inundated large areas. Had the rainfall continued for a few more hours, Aboudieh and other villages would have been submerged.

The storm in recent hours serves as a warning of the potential disasters that could affect the region and its villages in future storms.