Ukraine, the destruction of the Kakhovka dam caused floods and the evacuation of over sixteen thousand people: urgent humanitarian assistance

ROME – The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam – which crosses the Dnipro River in theoblast of Khersonska: theoblast is a territorial subdivision in some Slavic states and former Soviet republics, roughly similar to the concept of a region – it has caused massive flooding and left at least 37 towns and villages partially flooded, with serious consequences for hundreds of thousands of people in southern Ukraine. The United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs reports that local authorities have announced the evacuation of 16,000 people from these areas, but the movements are not without risk.

The risk of anti-personnel mines. Flooding can also lead to the movement of anti-personnel landmines and explosive devices into previously safe areas, endangering thousands more. Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations have deployed mobile teams in train and bus stations to assist people arriving from the affected lands with clean water, economic, legal and psychosocial support. Refugees are being evacuated by bus and train to Mykolayiv, the administrative center of the neighboring oblast, and then to Khmelnytskyi, Odesa, Kropyvnytskyi, Kiev and other cities across Ukraine.

The Kakhovka reservoir. The plant dates back to the Soviet era, stretches 240 kilometers across the Zaporizia, Dnipropetrovska and Khersonska oblasts and is one of the largest sources of water in the south of the country. It supplies water supplies, including drinking water, to major industrial cities, including Kryvyi Rih, Marhanets, Nikopol and Pokrov, which are home to nearly 700,000 people. According to the Ukrainian authorities, the destruction of the Kakhovka dam has also rendered the irrigation system unusable and affected the water supply throughout southern Ukraine, including Crimea. It has affected areas made up largely of agricultural land, which has led to farmers being halted in the middle of the season and can have long-term consequences.

The danger of war devices. Massive flooding at Kakhovka Dam may increase contamination risks from mines and explosive devices. Fast-moving water can cause landmines and explosive devices to move towards previously safe areas, endangering people, according to aid organizations on the spot. At least 30 percent of Ukrainian territory is contaminated by mines – the authorities say – and the Khersonska oblast is probably the most affected. Furthermore, any uncontrolled decrease in the water level of the Kakhovka Reservoir may adversely affect the safety of the Zaporizia Nuclear Power Plant and lead to a decrease in electricity generation.

The difficult humanitarian response. The organizations are providing urgent assistance to more than 16,000 people, including thousands of children, affected by the floods. Assessments to determine the precise impact of damages and needs as well as assistance in areas currently under the military control of the Russian Federation, however, are not possible due to the lack of access by both the UN and international NGOs. Humanitarian organizations specialized in water and sanitation assistance, or the so-called WASH services, have already distributed almost 12,000 bottles of water and over 1,700 kits with basic necessities to children in five municipalities in Khersonska oblast and in the Mykolayiv city.

The problem of finding housing. Other NGOs are supporting the authorities in providing housing for people arriving from Khersonska oblast. Still other organizations are working to find alternative sources of water such as wells and trucks for supply. The efforts of the humanitarian world join those of the local government which is sending power generators, mobile equipment for filtering water and for transporting it to the site of the flood. According to local authorities all the animals in the zoo of the city of Kakhovka died.