The Aftermath of the Russian-led Explosion at the Kakhovka HPS - What We Know So Far
As of the morning of June 7th, the intensity of flooding following the Russian destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station in Ukraine has diminished. However, the Kherson Regional Military Administration forecasts that water levels will still increase and could rise by a metre within the next day, reports RBC-Ukraine.
About the Evacuation
As reported by the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Aleksandr Prokudin, by 13:00, 1700 people have been evacuated.
Rescuers continue to work, mitigating the aftermath of the Russian onslaught. Currently, nearly 800 people and over 170 units of State Emergency Service (SES) equipment have been deployed.
As announced by SES director Sergiy Kruk in the morning, 52 people were saved in the past day, including two children.
"In case of necessity, SES is prepared to deploy another 250 staff members and over 60 units of equipment that are currently in reserve," he stated.
About the Russian occupiers
Natalia Gumenyuk, the spokesperson for the Southern Defence Forces, has reported that Russian troops have pulled back from the Dnipro river between 5 and 15 km after the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station.
"Russian military personnel are changing into civilian clothes and trying to blend in with the local population, which is evacuating to the right bank of the Dnipro," the National Resistance Centre reports.
Thus, the occupiers plan to use the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station to infiltrate sabotage and reconnaissance groups into the liberated territories of the Kherson region.
In the meantime, Russian occupiers continue to shell residential areas, putting at risk civilians trying to evacuate and rescuers.
Furthermore, Russian hackers attacked the hotline of Kherson's Regional State Administration in the morning. Local residents are being warned about potential communication disruptions. If the Regional State Administration hotline fails, they are advised to call: 101, 102, or 050-210-92-53.
In the occupied part of the Kherson region, 20 populated areas still require evacuation, but the occupiers are not facilitating this.
In certain districts of the temporarily occupied Oleshky and Hola Prystan in Kherson region, people had to move to upper floors or rooftops of their homes due to severe flooding where they spent the night.
It has also been reported online that occupiers in Velyki Kopani have set up three checkpoints and are not allowing anyone to leave.
About the flooding
According to Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Kherson Regional State Administration, there are currently known to be 1,852 homes flooded in right-bank Kherson.
"The intensity of the flooding is decreasing, but due to significant damage, the water will continue to arrive. According to our predictions, the water level will rise about another metre over the next 20 hours," the head of the Regional State Administration said in a morning video address."
"According to local media, water continues to flow into Kherson. Specifically, in the Richport area, it has already risen above two meters. The city's Korabelna Square and Tchaikovsky Street are also completely flooded.
Overnight, the Bilozerska community was also flooded, an area that had been untouched by the water as of yesterday.
Flooding has started to affect bridges in the Mykolayiv region. Specifically, by morning the bridge in the village of Yelizavetivka has been destroyed, and the one in Halahanivka is underwater.
At present, there is open communication between Snihurivka and the villages of Vasylivka, Yevhenivka, Pavlivka, and Tamarine.
In Nova Kakhovka, the water level is gradually decreasing.
In Mykolayiv, as of this morning, the water level in the city's aquatic areas has risen by 58 cm overall.
"We are monitoring the situation. I immediately want to reassure the citizens. The critical mark for Mykolayiv is +105 cm, but according to the specialists, this morning's figures are approximately the peak, so the water level should start to decrease from here," wrote the city's mayor, Oleksandr Senkevich.
In Kherson, the water level has risen by 5 meters. However, according to Ihor Syrota, the CEO of 'Ukrhydroenergo', the Kakhovka Reservoir has fallen by 2.5 meters.
"The water will continue to rise for another day. Although the rate of increase at the Kakhovka Reservoir is slowing down somewhat. If yesterday we saw an increase of 30 to 40 cm, today we see that it is 5-7 cm," Syrota explained.
He clarified that this means the rise will not occur in 4 days as earlier expected, but will be stretched out over time. It will not be as catastrophic, but could be more extensive. That is, it will not be the height of the flooding that increases, but its breadth.
About the water supply
The head of the military administration of Kryvyi Rih, Oleksandr Vilkul, has reported that the level of the Kakhovka Reservoir fell by another half meter overnight, and by 2.5 meters since the dam collapse.
In Kryvyi Rih, the city water utility is operating normally, and water is being supplied to all parts of the city. However, local residents are still being urged to use water sparingly.
In Nikopol and the surrounding area, a water conservation regime is being introduced. The head of the Nikopol Regional State Administration, Yevhen Yevtushenko, stated that this applies to both drinking and technical water.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced today that hundreds of thousands of people are left without proper access to drinking water.
"The deliberate destruction of one of Ukraine's largest reservoirs is an absolute disgrace. At least 100,000 people lived in these areas prior to the Russian invasion. At least tens of thousands are still there. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost normal access to drinking water," the President pointed out.
He added that all services are involved to provide assistance to those affected. However, in the occupied areas, the Russians are not even trying to help the people.
About Fish Harvesting Prohibited
Ivan Kukhta, the head of the Snihurivska Municipal Military Administration, has announced a ban on fish harvesting within the territories of the Snihurivska and Horokhivska communities.
"For the past two days, there has been a fish die-off within the community. In order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, the harvesting and sale of fish within the Snihurivska and Horokhivska communities are completely prohibited for a period of 10 days," wrote Kukhta.
The Ministry of Health has also stated that over the next 3-5 days, there will be a fish die-off in the Kherson region and the flooded areas in Zaporizhzhia due to a rapid drop in water levels. Consumption of fish from these areas is strictly prohibited.
About Missing Persons
Leonid Tymchenko, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, announced that as of this morning, three calls were received on the emergency line 102 regarding individuals who have gone missing under peculiar circumstances in the Kherson Oblast.
He also advised the relatives of those who have gone missing or are unreachable on what steps to take.
"First and foremost, it is necessary to contact the National Police of Ukraine at the number 102 to provide information regarding the individuals who have gone missing under peculiar circumstances. Following this, the National Police, utilizing all available resources, initiates a search for the individuals," stated the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
About New Satellite Images of Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station
Maxar Technologies, a company specializing in satellite imagery, has released new satellite images taken 24 hours after the Russian sabotage of the dam at Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station. The images cover an area of over 2,500 square kilometers between Nova Kakhovka and the Dnipro Estuary, southwest of Kherson.
In the published images, it is evident that the damaged dam of Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station is almost completely submerged under water. Additionally, houses of civilians, parks, other infrastructure, and buildings can be seen being engulfed by water.
Recalling the events, the Russian occupiers detonated the dam at Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station at 02:50 yesterday night. Ukrainian intelligence had previously reported that the Russians had mined the dam several months prior.
Meanwhile, British intelligence predicts further flooding over the next few days due to the destruction of Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station.
In total, 35 to 80 populated areas are at risk of flooding. According to Ukrhydroenergo, the peak water level from the Kakhovka reservoir occurred this morning on June 7, and the water is expected to start receding in three to four days.