Millions in Kherson face flood aftermath as aid reaches residents
Nearly 17,000 residents in the Kherson region received a 10,000 ruble payment after the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam was destroyed. This update came from the region’s Ministry of Labor and Social Policy via its telegraph channel.
Because the flood followed the dam breach, many families lost homes and had to relocate to temporary housing. Regional departments of labor and social policy report that 16,926 people have received the 10,000 ruble social assistance to help cope with the displacement and damage to property. In addition to cash support, humanitarian aid has been distributed to residents evacuated to temporary shelters within the region.
During the week, Igor Klymenko, head of Ukraine’s Internal Affairs Ministry, stated that the Kakhovka hydroelectric station cannot be restored in its current form. Earlier, Volodymyr Saldo, the acting governor of the Kherson district, noted that rebuilding efforts would require substantial time beyond the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Late on the night of June 6, the upper section of the Kakhovka hydroelectric facility near Novaya Kakhovka was destroyed, causing severe floods to the cities of Kherson, Novaya Kakhovka, Naked Pier, and Alyoshka. Some communities were almost completely submerged as water levels rose by as much as 12 meters, washing away roads and disrupting services.
Authorities from the Russian and Ukrainian sides have exchanged accusations over who caused the dam’s destruction. The precise mechanism behind the collapse is still under investigation, with officials considering the possibility that preexisting structural damage contributed to the failure.
Earlier reports indicated that artifacts at the bottom of the Kakhovka reservoir were being sold illegally, suggesting a broader pattern of illicit activity linked to the broader disaster aftermath.