At least 7 people are currently missing in the town of Novaya Kakhovka in Southern Ukraine following devastating floods caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. The mayor, who was installed by Moscow, stated that over 900 individuals had to be evacuated from Novaya Kakhovka. However, according to local officials cited by the TASS news agency, the water levels in the area have begun to recede, dropping by approximately 35 centimeters so far. The administration of the Kherson region in Ukraine previously reported that 1,300 homes on the right bank of the Dnieper River had been flooded. In addition, the United Nations has stated that more than 16,000 people are in immediate need of assistance, with the humanitarian consequences affecting hundreds of thousands.
According to Leontyev, a local official, the situation in Novaya Kakhovka has improved slightly, with the water receding by 350 millimeters (35 centimeters) as of 6:00 AM local time (05:00 CEST). Additionally, seven missing persons have been confirmed by the local administration.
On Tuesday, as many as 900 people were forced to evacuate from Novaya Kakhovka as the water level reached 12 meters, resulting in flooding of smaller villages downstream along the Dnieper River. Leontyev noted that the village of Korsunka is completely submerged, while Dnipriany and Krynky are flooded up to the rooftops.
The flooding has also impacted the Ukrainian-controlled opposite bank of the Dnieper. Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of Ukraine’s Kherson regional military administration, reported 1,335 flooded houses, while Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko indicated that 24 locations had been flooded, as per AFP.
Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies, as reported by Reuters, displays the extensive scale of the flooding, revealing numerous inundated towns and villages. Many houses can be seen with only their roofs visible above the water.
A 53-year-old resident of Kherson, the largest town downstream from the dam, described the dire situation, stating, “Everything is submerged in water, all the furniture, the fridge, the food, all the flowers, everything is floating. I don’t know what to do.” The water level in this area rose by 3.5 meters on Tuesday.
The Kakhovka dam, one of Europe’s largest hydroelectric dams, was destroyed during the early hours of Tuesday. Ukraine holds Russia responsible for the destruction, while Moscow blames Kiev in return.
