The Kherson region is licking its wounds, with a blame war ongoing between Russia and the West on who is responsible for the Nova Kakhovka dam blast.
Experts estimate that the effects of the disaster are expected to last decades. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the disaster, which took place in an area occupied by Russian forces.
The numbers speak for themselves: 20,000 residents have been forced to leave their homes, 25,000 are expected to be instructed to evacuate their areas, and another 40,000 are considered to be at risk from widespread flooding.
The dam’s reservoir held 18 cubic kilometres of water and supplied both the Crimean peninsula – under Russian control since 2014 – and the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which needs an uninterrupted supply to cool the reactors off.
According to experts, the situation in Kherson is considered dangerous, with the water level rising very quickly.
The Kakhovka Dam also held back water used for agricultural purposes in the Crimean coastal region, so it is understood that environmental issues will arise in the near future.
It is noted that the dam, with a height of 30 meters and a length of 3.2 kilometers, was built in 1956 on the Dnieper, as part of the construction of a hydroelectric plant in Nova Kahovka.
A series of posts including videos and photos from the area have circulated on Twitter showing the moment entire houses were swept away, as well as depicting completely destroyed streets.
The Nova Kakhovka hydro-electric dam on the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine has been blown pic.twitter.com/a6wjTitTxD
— Saint Javelin (@saintjavelin) June 6, 2023
The catastrophe is unfolding. Entire houses are washed away by the flooding Dnipro River.
Source: https://t.co/j0UEIQXDBt#Ukraine #Kherson pic.twitter.com/3UEOsLziuB
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) June 6, 2023
Due to the russian terrorist act 150 tons of oil got into the Dnipro River. This ecological catastrophe will impact the whole Black Sea for years to come. It is a war crime and crime against humanity. Russia as a terrorist state needs to be stopped once and for all. pic.twitter.com/fdb4eN7tB5
— Roman 🇺🇦 Sheremeta (@rshereme) June 6, 2023
Ukraine War
The long awaited Ukrainian Counter offensive starts with massive defeats as Ukraine fails to re take any Russian positions.
Now huge swathes of the country under water following the destruction of a massive dam. Total carnage for Ukraine. Z pic.twitter.com/EpJEiKWYo6— Jim Dowson B.Th MA (@OfficialJDowson) June 6, 2023