Stunning before-and-after images show how floods have left entire cities under water just hours after the destruction of the Ukraine dam
- Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been told to flee their homes amid ‘catastrophic’ flood levels.
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Shocking drone footage has revealed the scale of the devastating floods that have ravaged the Kherson region of Ukraine after a large dam and hydroelectric power station were damaged by explosions this morning.
A series of photographs taken of towns and villages around the city of Kherson show vast tracts of land completely engulfed by the deluge unleashed amid attacks on the Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine.
In some cases, houses were completely washed away, with video circulating on social media showing a building floating down the Dnieper River as stunned bystanders looked on.
Other smaller buildings were completely submerged, with an image showing how a local football and athletics stadium was completely under water.
Ukraine has warned that a complete failure of the dam could release 18 million cubic meters (4.8 billion gallons) of water and inundate Kherson and dozens of other cities and settlements, home to hundreds of thousands of people.
The cause of the explosions is still unclear, although Ukraine warned late last year that Russian forces had mined the dam as they withdrew from Kherson and Ukraine’s state hydroelectric company said the Kakhovka plant was destroyed by an explosion at the engine room, suggesting that it was attacked from within rather than by external blows.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the destruction of the Kakhovka dam would have “dire consequences” for people and nature, while local residents warned that “everything is going to die here” and said “people will suffer.”
This image shows the main square outside the administrative building of Nova Kakhovka, the closest major urban center to the dam, before and after the terrible flood. Officials based in Russia said the water level is expected to rise up to 72 hours after the incident this morning.
A view of the Kosheva River near Kherson shows the extent of the flash flooding after the dam was damaged this morning.
Several riverside huts and small corrugated iron buildings were almost completely submerged when the river burst its banks.
The Enerhiya athletics stadium in Nova Kakhovka was completely invaded by floodwater which submerged the track and parts of the stands.
A simulation shows the potential devastation that a complete collapse of the Kakhovka dam could bring to the region.
This screenshot from a video posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Twitter account today shows an aerial view of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station dam after it was partially destroyed.
A drone camera showed the extent of the flooding. Water is seen flowing over the top of the damaged dam.
An explosion is seen today at the destroyed Kakhovka plant in the occupied Kherson region of Ukraine. Water was thrown 40 feet into the air amid the explosions
Kherson floods after the Kakhovka dam was damaged in a series of explosions
Flood water has already invaded the countryside and several towns near Kherson.
The Kakhovka hydroelectric power station was completely destroyed by the explosions
In these images you can see the remains of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station after several explosions
Drone camera showed the extent of the flooding: water is seen flowing over the top of the damaged dam
A satellite image shows the Nova Kakhovka dam in the Kherson region of Ukraine on June 5, 2023, before the attack.
The dam has allegedly been blown up by Russian forces, threatening at least ten nearby towns.
This general view shows a partially flooded area of Kherson on June 6, 2023, following damage to the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam.
Flooding begins in the occupied Kherson and Kherson region after the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station
I am Rakesh Sharma, I associated with Elite News as an Editor, since 2021. I take care of all the news operations like content, budget, hiring and policy making.