Ukraine - Humanitarian Impact and Response Flash Update #7: Destruction of Kakhovka Dam (16 Jun 2023) [EN/UK]

HIGHLIGHTS

The fast depletion of the Kakhovka Reservoir, caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in the early hours of 6 June, is leading to a grim situation in southern Ukraine, where tens of thousands of people have already lost access to piped water.

Most of the villages and towns in the southern part of Dnipropetrovska oblast facing severe water shortages had an already fragile humanitarian situation, with thousands of people – including older people and thousands displaced by the war – dependent on aid to meet their vital needs.

In Khersonska oblast, flooded areas have reportedly reduced from 620 km2 on 9 June to 180 km2 as of 13 June, according to a preliminary analysis of satellite imagery released by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT).
Villages and towns that had been under water for several days, like Oleshky and Hola Prystan, in areas under Russian military control, appeared to be mostly dry on 13 June, according to the images captured by UNOSAT.
The receding floodwater, however, will likely create new challenges for people already facing humanitarian needs in Ukraine.

The UN and partners continued life-saving operations and delivered, since 6 June, at least nine inter-agency convoys with 41 truckloads and four boats of vital items to thousands of people affected by the disaster, in addition to the regular assistance provided separately by UN agencies and NGOs.

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

The fast depletion of the Kakhovka Reservoir, caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam during the early hours of 6 June, is leading to a grim situation in southern Ukraine, where tens of thousands of people have already lost access to piped water, mainly in Dnipropetrovska oblast. The reservoir – one of the largest in Europe and a source of drinking water to at least 700,000 people – is reportedly at 70 per cent of its capacity, according to Ukrainian too authorities. The width of the reservoir decreased from 3 to 1 kilometre, and the water level is now at around 7 metres, below the threshold of 12 metres when it stops working as a water reservoir. Large urban areas in Dnipropetrovska oblast, including Pokrovska, Nikopolska and Marhanetska, are completely cut off from centralized water, and others like Apostolivska and Zelenodolska have extremely limited access. This has left nearly 210,000 people in this area alone in urgent need of life-saving water, according to estimates from the United Nations and its humanitarian partners.

Most of the villages and towns in the southern part of Dnipropetrovska oblast facing severe water shortage had an already fragile humanitarian situation, with thousands of people – including older people and thousands displaced by the war – dependent on aid to meet their vital needs. Apostolivska hromada, for example, where piped water was completely cut on 15 June, is home to 22,000 civilians, including 700 children, nearly 3,000 internally displaced people and almost 1,000 people with disabilities. In the neighbouring Zelenodolska hromada, 70 per cent of the 19,000 people who live there are older people. The community also hosts around 1,400 people uprooted by the war, including around 100 civilians who had to leave flooded areas of Khersonska oblast a few days ago. In all these areas, support with water, hygiene items, and food, also in addition to accommodation, shelter and vital household items, will be crucial to prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis.

In Khersonska oblast, flooded areas have apparently reduced from 620 km2 on 9 June to 180 km2 as of 13 June, according to a preliminary analysis of satellite imagery released by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT). Villages and towns that had been under water for several days, like Oleshky and Hola Prystan, in areas currently under Russian control, appeared to be mostly dry on 13 June, according to the images captured by UNOSAT. Oleshky was 63 per cent (~10 km2) flooded on 9 June, with nearly 8,000 houses underwater, according to preliminary analysis from UNOSAT.

The massive flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam had continued to recede since 13 June, when imagery was taken, with water levels dropping by 3-5 centimetres every hour, according to the estimates of Ukrainian authorities. In Kherson city on 15 June, the floodwater level was just above 1.6 metres in areas under Ukrainian control, down from 2 metres two days before and the 5.6-metre peak recorded on 8 June. The number of villages and towns affected by flooding reduced from 46 to 13 in the Ukrainian-controlled areas of Khersonska oblast, where about 1,800 houses are still flooded, down from 3,500 a couple of days ago, according to the Ukrainian Government. In Mykolaivska oblast, no towns are flooded, compared to 31 on 13 June. On the other side of the front line, which is under the military control of the Russian Federation, information is limited, but according to Russian-installed authorities, the town of Nova Kakhovka and the village of Korsunka are no longer flooded.

Although the number of additional people being forced to leave their homes each day has decreased, ten days after the disaster, the Ukrainian Government reported some evacuations of civilians on both banks of the Dnipro River are still taking place. In total, nearly 3,000 people had been evacuated, including about 300 children, by the end of 15 June.

The receding floodwater will likely create new challenges for people already facing humanitarian needs in Ukraine. Although assessments are planned over the coming weeks, the UN and the Government warned of the likelihood of long-term impact on food production and food security, increased risks of mine and other explosive accidents, in addition to the soaring needs and health risks created by the destruction of water systems.