CARE partners continue lifesaving support and have distributed 20 tons of water, boats, and water pumps.
Lviv, 7 June 2023 – One day after the devastating explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant in the Kherson region in South Ukraine, the water level is still expected to rise by another meter in the next 20 hours. According to current information by the Kherson regional administration, 1852 houses were flooded so far and 1 700 people have been evacuated. Unfortunately, the left bank of the Kherson region could not be evacuated yet, so many residents are still stranded on rooftops. Apart from the water levels, CARE International is especially worried about mines that can be carried by water and are now floating in the area.
“The area where the Kakhovka dam was, is full of landmines, which are now floating in the water and are posing a huge risk. Furthermore, we are very worried about the catastrophic consequences this explosion could have on the environment”, says Fabrice Martin, Country Director at CARE Ukraine. “At least 150 tons of oil have been released into the Dnipro River with the risk of further leakage of more than 300 tons. This may lead to the Nyzhniodniprovskyi National Nature Park to disappear, which is more than 80 000 hectares of protected land. CARE-Teams and its partners are responding quickly, but we need more financial assistance to help the most vulnerable and provide lifesaving equipment and aid”.
Editor’s note: CARE spokespeople on the ground in Ukraine are available for interviews. Email [email protected] to coordinate.