How Kherson lives on the fourth day of the great flood

We are standing on the roof of a nine-story building in one of Kherson's neighborhoods. Previously, it would offer a view of a wide field, a narrow river that often dried up in the summer, and the nearby village of Zymivnyk. Now all that can be seen ahead is the water and the rooftops and treetops peeking out from it.

Photo: Rubryka

Today, hundreds of volunteers work in Kherson — they help people, save animals, and support citizens already on land. They are all in the same boat, overcoming the consequences of the disaster caused by the Russians. Figuratively speaking. We literally found ourselves in the same boat with a couple of such volunteers — sailing through almost the largest flooded area of the city.

A view of the flooded area opens from the roof of a high-rise building

Where there was a field, there is now a lake

There used to be land here, now there is a lake

Denys and Kyrylo are volunteers from Odesa. They came to help the Kherson people on June 8, bringing two boats with them. On the spot it turned out that they were of little use without motors, so the volunteers looked for another one — a motor one — among Kherson acquaintances, who had already left the city themselves.

Denys and Kyrylo came from Odesa

Kyrylo volunteers on a boat

Rowing between the roofs of flooded private houses, typical nine-story buildings knee-deep in water, and power poles, we find ourselves in the middle of a large lake. On a hot day, it would be a real pleasure to swim in it. Only there might be mines in the lake, carried away by the flow of water from the mined territories on the left bank of the Dnipro, as well as dangerous substances that ended up in the water as a result of the Russians blowing up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. It's not really a lake.

Contaminated water flooded Kherson

Stepping into the water and coming out of it, you feel a film on your skin and see marks left by polluted water. Locals say they have water reserves for drinking and cooking, but you need more to wash off after staying in the polluted water around the houses.

Knee-deep in water in Kherson

A man standing on the roof of his house in Kherson

A neatly dressed elderly man stands on one of the roofs of private houses nearby. Next to him is his sheepdog, and behind him is an improvised bed in the open air. We approach closer, and volunteers ask if he needs anything. The man refuses — he says that he is already waiting for someone.

Flooded district in Kherson

Volunteers continue to go to houses where people still lived. They bring them electric stoves — the gas in the flooded houses was turned off, but the electricity was not.

Flooded district in Kherson

Frogs in the gardens

Volunteers Oleksii and Oleh deliver humanitarian aid to the affected people of Kherson

Oleksii and Oleh are from Kherson. Both are now volunteering, helping the townspeople. Oleksii says that he usually volunteers for children — for more than a month, he has been holding holidays for them in the surrounding villages. With the disaster at the Kakhovka HPP, the volunteers began to help everyone who might need immediate help. Oleksii explains that there are still people here who do not want to leave their homes.

A woman stayed in a flooded high-rise building

Oleksii from Kherson volunteers in the city

We ask about the greatest needs of people in the flooding zone.

Oleksii sighs:

"There was a lot of demand for dog food. Just yesterday, we brought food to a man with four dogs. And groceries, of course. Now the problem for Kherson is drinking water."

Flooded district in Kherson

As we speak, the boats are being carried towards the houses by the current — a little more and we would have come across someone's fence, which, although underwater, is quite close to the surface. Fortunately, we bypass the danger.

Flooded district in Kherson

Locals say that the flooding happened quickly. If, on April 6, around eleven in the morning, the water just started to rise in Kherson, then by the morning of the next day, private houses were already completely flooded — only the tops of the roofs could be seen. Now the water is slowly receding. Someone smiles and says that now the frogs are croaking in the gardens. Especially in the morning — "as soon as you leave the house, you listen to a concert."

One of the districts in Kherson is completely flooded

As soon as the water recedes completely, Oleksii plans to visit the villages again to organize events for children there.

"The children are very happy about that," he says and adds that part of the success is provided by Patron's dog costume, detection dog, and mascot for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, and the gifts the volunteer gives to the children, and, of course, the attention and feeling of the holiday.

Flooded district in Kherson

A very green blooming city

Kherson resident is standing near his flooded house

Our boat moves on, and we meet another local — we help him near his flooded house. A man stands up to his waist in water. We asked if it was possible to save something in the house, and he said that he had saved the documents and the clothes he was wearing. The man adds that, despite everything, he will already go to work tomorrow — he works in the police, in security.

"War is war, flood is flood, and work is work," laughs the man.

Volunteers tracing the flooded streets on boats in one of the districts of Kherson

Humanitarian aid is delivered on boats

A woman in a house nearby has a flooded basement, with water up to her knees on the first floor. She says she lives now on the second floor. She took her dog and chickens with her.

A Kherson local with chickens decided not to leave her home

In another house, we are met by Anton and his two shepherd dogs — Aphrodite and Berta. Behind him are two more dogs — a large Cane Corso and a small fluffy Shih Tzu with a neat ponytail on its head. The Khersonian says he has four more cats, all of which are now hiding in the house.