This is the Al-Kasrah hospital in Syria’s Deir Ezzor. For the past few weeks, dozens of patients have been coming here every day complaining of diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach aches. They have all been consuming water from the contaminated Euphrates River. Yet for hundreds of Syrians living in this area, this polluted river remains their only hope of survival. Cholera is making its first major comeback since 2009 in Syria. The United Nations has said the war in Syria has damaged nearly two-thirds of water treatment plants, half of its pumping stations and one-third of its water towers. As of September 22nd, the Syrian government had recorded 23 deaths and more than 250 cholera cases. The Kurdish administration that runs northeast Syria and parts of Deir Ezzor, recorded 16 deaths and 78 cases in areas under its control. The 2,800 km long Euphrates river runs across Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Over the years due to climate change, the river’s water levels have reduced drastically. The Kurds also accuse Turkey of holding back more water than necessary in its dams. This reduced water flow has increased river pollution, from sewage and oil. Despite the contamination, over 5 million Syrians rely on the Euphrates for their drinking water. The contaminated water from the Euphrates is also used to cultivate crops in the region. Without any other option, locals are forced to consume contaminated crops to survive. Thank you for watching our video! You can subscribe to our channel here: https://bit.ly/3c8Adi6 Visit https://www.thehindu.com/ for the latest updates, analysis, opinions, and more. You can also download our apps: Android: https://bit.ly/3nboBEi iOs: https://apple.co/3EDCwt4 The Hindu is committed to keeping you up-to-date with information on the developments in India and the world. We promise to deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda. You can support us by subscribing to our digital offerings here: https://bit.ly/3emywiz Follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_hindu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_hindu/