By Brian Okoth and Agencies
Tens of thousands of people are on the verge of being marooned by floods after a major dam in Ukraine was blown up on Monday night in unclear circumstances.
Both Russia and Ukraine are trading blames over the destruction of Nova Kakhova Dam in southern Ukraine.
The area was under Russian control as fighting between the two nations continued.
Footage clips show that water is surging downstream towards Dnipo river. There are fears that if evacuations aren’t done promptly, many lives in the city of Kherson will be at risk.
The destroyed dam is a key source of water for farmers and residents of the city and its environs.
The facility, which was constructed in 1956, also serves the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula.
Several downstream towns have already reported flooding, with many at risk of tragedy. Some of the residents had begun fleeing the deluged towns in buses and trains.
The Ukrainian head of Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said on Tuesday that some 16,000 people were in a “critical zone”, and needed urgent evacuation.
Prokudin said in a statement that Dnipo river, where the water from Nova Kakhova Dam flows into, would break its banks “in a few hours’ time” if no urgent solution is found.
He appealed to people living near the riverbanks to vacate before tragedy strikes.
Vladimir Leontyev, the head of the Russia-controlled city of Nova Kakhovka, said evacuation efforts were being made to “preserve all lives”.
The water level at the town immediately adjacent to the dam had risen by 10 metres on Tuesday afternoon, the Russia-installed mayor said.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Interior ministry called for residents of at least ten villages on the riverbanks and parts of the city of Kherson to gather essential documents and pets, turn off appliances and leave, while cautioning against possible disinformation.
Ukraine says Russia blew up the dam to “raise the stakes” in the war, while Russia claims Ukraine repeatedly fired at the dam overnight to cause an “uncontrollable flow of water”.
At least 300,000 people live in the Kherson region.
The Nova Kakhova Dam was 30 metres deep and 3.2 kilometres long. It could hold up to holds an estimated 18 cubic kilometres of water.
