Dear citizens, it is imperative for you to file a prior report stating that you are on the verge of death, as funeral halls and graves in Damascus are witnessing severe congestion. This is a natural consequence of the catastrophic conditions faced by the bereaved citizens, with a surge in heart attacks, strokes, and an alarming increase in death rates.

According to local media, the costs of death and funerals have more than doubled compared to previous years, becoming a financially burdensome matter for the deceased's family. Affluent individuals are forced to purchase their graves before their demise to avoid the extreme congestion at burial sites.

For those who missed the opportunity to secure a grave before their death, their grieving families will have to pay the burial office a hefty sum of 1.85 million Syrian pounds for a new grave, or 850,000 Syrian pounds for the opening of an existing one. This includes costs for grave digging and worker allowances. In total, the expenses reach up to 2 million Syrian pounds, considering the grave digging and worker gratuities, turning the saying "he died and left" into "he died and left behind expenses." Some families opt for communal family graves, reducing costs somewhat.

Post-mortem costs are no less burdensome, reaching double the expenses incurred during the funeral. Washing the deceased, a service that previously cost between 80,000 to 100,000 Syrian pounds, now demands 150,000 Syrian pounds. Additionally, the cost of a vehicle for transporting the deceased has risen to 200,000 to 250,000 Syrian pounds, varying based on location. The person who announces the funeral details using a microphone charges 50,000 Syrian pounds, while the grave digger demands 100,000 Syrian pounds. The reader of the Quran, whose fees range from 500,000 to 700,000 Syrian pounds per day, increases charges based on their popularity.

Renting a funeral hall costs 1.5 million Syrian pounds per day, and families are required to pay for the coffee server's services separately. The hall's rent was 1 million Syrian pounds last year. Sadly, most funeral halls, if not all, charge around 4.5 million Syrian pounds for the three days of mourning. The rental fee for the third day does not include the costs of the last day's meal, known as "Al-Khatmah," organized by the deceased's family and amounting to approximately 5 million Syrian pounds for a modest meal serving around 70 people.

The escalation of funeral and burial expenses poses significant challenges for grieving families, compounding the economic difficulties faced by the citizens in Damascus.