Ukrainian officials reported three deaths from floods while Russian-appointed officials in the town of Nova Kakhovka, which is closest to the dam, said five people had died and 3 injured were being treated in hospital. institute. TASS news agency quoted the notice of the Russian emergency services agency in Kherson as saying that more than 5 houses were flooded, 41 people were evacuated.
Flooded houses in Kherson after the dam failure
Meanwhile, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin of Ukraine announced that at least 600 square kilometers of Kherson province had been flooded after the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam. The official said floodwaters had risen to an average of 2 meters and most of the flooded area was on the left bank of the river, which is currently controlled by Russia. Mr. Prokudin added that nearly 5,61 people had been evacuated from the flooded area as of the morning of June 2.000.
On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had visited the flooded area and discussed with local officials the response plan and the military situation. Earlier, Mr. Zelensky appealed to international organizations for support and said he was shocked that the UN and the Red Cross did not immediately help.
Both Russia and Ukraine are blaming each other for the dam failure. At the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague (Netherlands) on June 8.6, Russian Ambassador Alexander Shulgin accused Ukraine of massive artillery fire that destroyed the hydroelectric dam and previously deliberately raised the water level in reservoir to the limit, AFP reported. Ukraine did not immediately comment on the allegation but accused Russia of blowing up the dam to hinder Kyiv's military operations.
The US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that the dam failure changed the topography and geography of the frontline area in Kherson. In particular, floodwaters divided Russian defensive positions on the left bank of the Dnipro River, greatly affecting front-line positions such as Hola Prystan and Oleshky.
The Red Cross and Russian-appointed officials in Kherson yesterday warned that landmines previously placed by forces engaged in hostilities could be washed away by currents and pose a threat to civilians for decades to come. .
On the other hand, Ukraine and Russia announced that the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remained stable. This plant is currently controlled by Russia and uses water from the reservoir upstream of the Nova Kakhovka dam to supply the cooling system. On the same day, the Russian-appointed official in the Crimean peninsula also said the water level in the North Crimean Canal, which carries water from the reservoir to the Crimean peninsula, remained stable.
