Dam destruction and humanitarian response
The suffering inflicted on civilians by the floods following the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam comes on top of 15 months of intense shelling and military hostilities. Tens of thousands of people on both banks are directly or indirectly impacted.
ICRC teams have been working hand-in-hand with local actors and authorities since day one to serve emerging needs, with a particular focus on access to clean water and mine safety.
A few hours after the dam broke, ICRC distributed food and medical items to first responders, notably the Ukrainian Red Cross and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, on top of signs to mark areas contaminated with mines, unexploded ordnance and remnants of war which may have been moved by the water.
Our focus is now to ensure that civilians in Kherson and surrounding areas have clean drinking water. ICRC teams immediately brought chlorination solution as well as large-capacity water pumps and tanks to help the Kherson water board protect their essential water and wastewater infrastructure. We delivered water tanks that can hold more than 200 cubic metres of clean water in Marhanets city and four nearby villages, and residents received 4,500 jerry cans to transport clean drinking water.
The ICRC stands ready to respond on both sides of the river and has reiterated its offer of emergency help, especially in areas where we do not currently have access or the necessary authorizations to bring assistance.
Ariane Bauer, ICRC Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia
This humanitarian response wouldn’t be possible without partners like the Ukrainian Red Cross, whose mission it is to be a first-responder to such disasters, a mission they are achieving bravely including through the evacuation of hundreds of civilians, sometimes at great personal risks and in hard-to-reach places.
The ICRC has been present in this area prior to the breach of the dam. Since the beginning of the year, we have brought medical supplies for hospitals, first aid kits and training to first responders, repair material to service providers, food and hygiene parcels to local Ukrainian Reds Cross branches, and mine awareness material to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
We acknowledge Source link for the information.
