Kherson region continues to grapple with consequences of flooding after Russia's destruction of Kakhovka dam
As of Thursday morning, June 15, the average water level due to flooding caused by Russia blowing up the Kakhovka dam in the Kherson region is 2.04 meters, 9 cm less than the previous day.
Rubryka reports, citing the statement of the head of the Kherson regional military administration, Oleksandr Prokudin.
"Now the water is at the mark of 2 m 4 centimeters. 44 settlements remain flooded (27 on the right bank, 17 on the temporarily occupied left bank)," he said.
According to Prokudin, the area of flooded agricultural land decreased by 600 hectares in the de-occupied territories. In addition, as of this morning, 1,923 houses remain underwater on the right bank.
"This is 150 less than last night. Regarding the rescue operation, 2,782 people were evacuated from the right bank, including 309 children," the head of the region added.
Background
As Rubryka reported, on the night of June 6, Russian invaders blew up the Kakhovka HPP, located a few kilometers from the temporarily occupied city of Nova Kakhovka, Ukraine's southern Kherson region, which led to the flooding of villages and towns on the rivers of Dnipro and Inhulets.
The Ukrhydroenergo state water operators stated that the Kakhovka HPP was utterly destroyed and cannot be restored. Later, the authorities banned Ukrainians from swimming in reservoirs and catching and consuming fish in the Kherson region because the flooding washed away the mines, explosives, oil products, soil, and other substances in the waters of the Dnipro River.
One hundred sixty thousand birds and more than 20,000 wild animals are at risk of death due to the Russian destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
According to the estimates of the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solskyi, farmers will not be able to fully use 1-1.5 million hectares of agricultural land due to the explosion of Kakhovka HPP.
The Russian occupiers are shelling the flooded Kherson just as people are being evacuated there. On Wednesday, June 14, Russian troops once again attacked Kherson. As a result of the shelling, two volunteers were wounded, among them a foreigner.