The Russian invaders blow up the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station, and an uncontrollable descent of water begins. The first flooded communities are already there.
On the night of May 6, Russian invaders blew up the dam of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station, located upstream from Kherson along the Dnieper. The fact of the explosion was confirmed by the South’s operational command. According to them, the waves were approximately three meters high, where the first flooded communities were located.
Such an act by the Russians is a war crime, which experts equate to detonating an atomic bomb or a nuclear power plant. Evacuation from dangerous areas has begun. In general, authorities urge residents of coastal areas to collect documents and wait for evacuation buses.
flood areas
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine named potential flood zones on the right bank of the Dnieper after the destruction of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station. These are the villages of Nikolaevka, Olgovka, Levo, Tyaginka, Ponyatovka, Ivanovka, Tokarevka, Pridneprov and partially the city of Kherson – Korabel Island.
The water level is rising and everyone in the danger zone needs to:
– turn off all electrical appliances
– get documents and valuables
– Take care of family and pets
– follow the instructions of rescuers and police.
Evacuation and initial consequences
Alexander Prokudin, the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, in a video message asked locals to collect documents and wait for buses for evacuation. At seven in the morning, he said the water will reach a critical level in five hours.
From the settlements indicated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the evacuation of residents of Kherson has been arranged, from where they will pass through Nikolaev to Khmelnitsky, Odessa, Kropyvnytsky, Kyiv and other cities. Also at 12:00, an evacuation train to Nikolaev will leave from the central railway station of Kherson.
In general, due to the destruction of the Kakhovskaya HPP, there is a threat of flooding of 80 settlements.
Meanwhile, the water level in the Kakhovka reservoir is decreasing. It is falling at about 15 centimeters per hour, authorities said.
“Make the highest possible reserve of drinking and technical water,” – called the chairman of the Nikopol Regional State Administration Yevgeny Yevtushenko.
The invaders were sitting in the trees
The so-called head of the Novokakhovka district occupation administration, Vladimir Leontyev, initially denied that the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station exploded. He then clarified that as a result of the “night strikes” the valves were destroyed. Now there is an uncontrolled discharge of water downstream. In general, the occupiers say that the evacuation of the population is not yet necessary.
At the same time, the local public reported that in Novaya Kakhovka, due to the bursting of the dam, the Fairy Dibrova Zoo was flooded. All the animals died. It is known that the water is in the city center and has reached the city hall.
Intercepts also appeared, while the Russian military, located on the left bank of the Kherson region, called for help on the radio: “We are sitting in the trees, we can hardly hold!”
As a result of the movement of water on the banks of the Dnieper near the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric station, Russian mines began to explode.
Threat for ZNPP
As you know, on the shore of the Kakhovka reservoir is the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is cooled by water from the reservoir. As a result of breaking the dam, the water level may drop so much that it will not be sufficient for the cooling ponds. For now, the situation is under control, Energoatom said.
“Water from the Kakhovka Reservoir is necessary for the plant to feed the turbine condensers and ZNPP safety system. Now the station cooling pond is full: since 8:00 am, the water level is 16.6 meters, and it is sufficient for the station’s needs,” the message said.
Energoatom monitors the situation and follows the actions of the Russian occupants at the Zaporizhzhya NPP together with other international organizations present at the plant, in particular, the IAEA.
Consequences for other things
According to the Geneva Convention, the demolition of the dam is a war crime. The destruction of a hydroelectric power plant is considered a weapon of mass destruction. It will also lead to serious environmental, economic and man-made impacts:
North Crimean Canal
Crimea’s water supplies will be cut again. Just cut it off your foot.
Reclamation of Tavria and Kakhovka Canal
The water supply to the irrigation systems of the fields of Kherson, Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye regions will stop, and mainly to the occupied lands. It is not clear if the processing is currently taking place there, but without water, it would certainly lose its meaning. Many towns and villages that consume it from the Kakhovka Canal, including occupied Berdyansk, will be left without drinking water.
Factories
Without a sufficient amount of water, the work of large industrial enterprises of the metallurgical industry in Marganets, Nikopol, and Pokrov had to be stopped.
Ecology is the worst!
A one-time decrease in water in a large reservoir will lead to unpredictable environmental consequences: the death of a large number of fish, the sinking of drained lands, and a change in the climatic regime of the region.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.