Five killed in collapse of Syrian dam

ZEYZOUN, Syria -- A dam on the Orontes River in northern Syria collapsed after a heavy rain, killing five people and leaving about 450 people, the entire population of one village, unaccounted for, residents of the region reported Wednesday.

The dam collapsed Tuesday, and a day later all residents of Zeyzoun still had not been heard from. But residents in the area said most of the villagers may have escaped to higher ground and were staying with relatives or neighbors. Witnesses said a 10-foot wall of water crashed downstream and that two of the five people killed were children.

The Zeyzoun Dam was built in 1996 near the town of Idlib, about 220 miles north of Damascus.

Government helicopters were airlifting survivors to safety and delivering blankets and food, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reported.

Meanwhile, Japan has offered $40,000 to Syria to assist relief efforts, the Japanese Embassy in Damascus said in a statement Wednesday.