Amid the weather front affecting Lebanon and the Mediterranean basin, the Syrian News Channel reported that  11 Syrians drowned while attempting to cross the Lebanese border back into Syrian territory.

The Lebanese army instructed them to move towards a border river, at a time when the area is experiencing severe flooding.

According to the Syrian News Channel, civil defense teams rescued a man and two women, while search operations continue in coordination with the Syrian army for the missing individuals, including an elderly man, two women, and five children.

SANA reported on the circumstances of the incident, noting that Syrian civil defense teams, supported by Syrian army units, rescued several people from drowning on Sunday night while they were crossing the southern Great River near the villages of Al Shabrouniyah and Al Dabbousiyah, close to Talkalakh in western Homs countryside, during attempted illegal crossings from and into Lebanese territory.

Ambulances rescuing the drowned (SANA).

Mounir Kadour, the commander of the Talkalakh center affiliated with the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, told SANA that the center received reports of people drowning near the village of Al Shabrouniyah, an area known for illegal crossing attempts, prompting specialized teams equipped with the necessary gear to move immediately to the site.

He added that the high water levels in the river’s tributaries and the strong current forced rescue teams to continue the operation on foot, accompanied by members of the 52nd Brigade of the Syrian Arab Army.

Kadour further clarified that "after a long walk, two women and a young man were found. They were provided with first aid and transferred to the Talkalakh National Hospital for treatment," noting that "the survivors stated that their group consisted of 11 people, four of whom returned to Lebanese territories, while others were swept away by the water."

A drowning victim receiving treatment in Syria after being rescued (SANA).

He added that civil defense teams attempted to continue search operations by entering the river, but mines left behind from the former regime along the riverbanks - combined with high water levels and a strong current -prevented further work at the Shabrouniyah and Dabbousiyah sites.

He noted that the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management dispatched a support team, including divers and specialized rescue equipment. However, operations were postponed due to the dangerous conditions in the area, pending coordination with the Lebanese side to enter from the opposite bank and resume the search this morning.

The Lebanese Army Command – Guidance Directorate denied what "some news sites reported about Syrians being forced to cross the river by the Lebanese Army while attempting to illegally cross the northern Lebanese-Syrian border."