Ukraine struggles with floods, shelling amid desperate escape from Russia attacks

Amidst the relentless shelling by Russia on Ukraine, a dire situation unfolded as floods struck the country, forcing citizens to desperately flee the escalating violence.

The source of their fear was twofold—a breach in a dam upstream led to rising floodwaters, while the ominous echoes of Russian warfare resonated overhead.

According to a report on Wednesday, in an island in the Dnieper River, dozens of evacuees scrambled onto military trucks or rafts, seeking refuge from the encroaching floodwaters.

The unsettling sound of abandoned dogs only added to the somber atmosphere as people were ferried to safety.

“The panic heightened when a military truck became stranded in the swelling waters, prompting Red Cross teams to orchestrate an orderly evacuation,” the report unveiled.

The magnitude of the disaster loomed large, with uncertainty surrounding the potential rise of the waters gushing through the gaping hole in the Kakhovka dam. The fate of both people and pets hung in the balance.

This chaotic evacuation, involving boats and military trucks, underscored the ongoing human suffering caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities pointed fingers at Russian forces, accusing them of intentionally destroying the dam, while Russian authorities shifted blame onto recent Ukrainian military actions.

“The Russians have targeted the dam without considering the consequences,” lamented Oleksandr Sokeryn, who fled his flooded home with his family. “Their actions should not be forgiven.”

Officials on both sides maintained that there were no reported civilian casualties resulting from the massive dam breach. The swift evacuation efforts aimed to preserve this record.

The island neighborhood affected by Tuesday’s catastrophe was just one residential area directly in the path of destruction. Experts anticipated that the unfolding crisis, with pent-up waters from the Kakhovka reservoir flowing unhindered towards the Black Sea, would continue for days. Assessing the true toll and extent of the damage could take considerable time.

Initially, many residents attempted to weather the storm as floodwaters approached. However, as the water levels surged, nearly submerging bus stops and reaching the second floors of buildings, national guard teams and emergency crews mobilized to rescue stranded individuals.

Some found themselves trapped beneath the rafters of their homes as the water continued to rise. Limited space on the trucks posed a challenge, and an attempt to tow two rafts together ended in failure when the ropes snapped.

In a desperate act, one man threw his German shepherd from the roof of the stalled truck to safety. Some residents clung to each other, desperately avoiding being swept away by the rising tide.

Authorities estimated that around 22,000 people resided in flood-prone areas controlled by Russia on the eastern side of the river, while 16,000 lived in the most critical zone under Ukrainian control on the western side—the same areas that witnessed the urgent evacuations on Tuesday.

The United Nations reported that at least 16,000 individuals had already lost their homes, prompting efforts to provide clean water, financial aid, and legal and emotional support to the affected population. Evacuations on the Ukrainian-controlled side of the river transported people to cities such as Mykolaiv and Odesa in the west.

“While towns and villages downstream of the Dnieper River succumb to flooding, the destruction of the Kakhovka dam has resulted in a significant humanitarian disaster. The international community must join forces to hold those responsible accountable,” emphasized Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s regional director for Eastern Europe.

She added, “International humanitarian law specifically safeguards dams due to the hazards their destruction poses to civilians.”

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric highlighted the severe and long-term consequences of the flood caused by the dam breach.