June 7, 2023
News
On Tuesday, 6 June, a devastating explosion occurred at the Kakhovka dam in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine. The explosion destroyed the reservoir and caused flooding that affected towns and villages on the banks of the Dnieper River, deepening the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Caritas Czech Republic will help people affected by the collapse of the dam.
Helping the people affected
According to the UN, over 16,000 people living in areas affected by the floods are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Caritas Czech Republic will support people affected by the collapse right on the spot together with our partner organisation New Dawn. There is a desperate need of drinking water, canalizations are not functioning and the wells are contaminated. The catastrophic hygiene conditions can lead to serious health problems. Thanks to our support, New Dawn will provide drinking water to the affected people, provide mobile toilets and also repair critical instrastructure in the flooded areas. Moreover, 5 boreholes will be drilled for new wells in Snigyrivka community.
After the dam broke, the water reached up to 12 metres in the affected areas and flooded smaller villages downstream of the Dnieper. Surrounding towns and villages are therefore becoming uninhabitable and people are forced to flee to safety. The floods also pose a safety problem due to the displacement of mines carried by the flow of water.
The humanitarian crisis around the Kakhovka dam is likely to increase the already high number of displaced people in Ukraine. People are fleeing to safety mostly to the relatively safe west of the country, where Caritas Czech Republic is also helping.
“We are expecting a new wave of displaced people to arrive in western Ukraine who have lost their homes because of the explosion at the Kakhovka dam and the associated flooding. We are ready to help these people to secure safe and dignified shelter," says Nataliia Kozachuk, Caritas Czech Republic's desk officer for Ukraine, directly from Mukachevo.
Caritas Czech Republic provides safe housing for people in western Ukraine
Caritas Czech Republic has been helping people affected by the war in Ukraine since the first day of the conflict. The Russian invasion has driven millions of people from their homes, many of whom have found safe haven in the west of the country. But these regions did not have sufficient facilities for so many people, and many had to be housed in gyms and halls.
Caritas Czech Republic built modular houses in the west of the country for Ukrainians who had lost the roof over their heads. At the same time, we renovated mass accommodation facilities to ensure decent living conditions. We provided cash support to people fleeing the war to buy basic necessities.
We are also providing psychological assistance to Ukrainians in the west of the country. In cooperation with the Fire and Rescue Corps of the Czech Republic, we have trained local psychologists in providing psychological care in crisis situations.
We are able to help people affected by the war in Ukraine thanks to the generous support of our donors. Join us in helping people who really need it. Thank you to everyone who chooses to contribute.
We also help people in Ukraine thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Trócaire, Irish Aid and with the support of the Transcarpathian Regional Council.
