Upstream, the fresh water gives way to an expanse of fragrant mud, redesigning an entire region.
The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam has caused damage estimated at 1.2 billion euros, according to the Ukrainian authorities. To date, 52 people have been killed and over 11,000 evacuated due to flooding.
The waters are gradually receding, leaving behind a thick layer of mud and garbage. Residents are still waiting for rescue workers to help them move.
Volunteers from all over the country are coming to the aid of the inhabitants of the flooded localities, bringing humanitarian aid: food, clothing, medicine…
For farmers, the destruction of the dam represents another danger: dozens of Russian anti-personnel mines were scattered by the flood. The clearing of farmland is now being carried out by drones directed by mine-clearing teams.
“There was so much tall grass here that you couldn’t see the mines. This field was totally mined for two kilometers,” explains one farmer.
Local farmers are wondering how to irrigate their crops. Without the Kakhovka reservoir, the irrigation channels will run dry. In all, between 1.5 and 2 million tonnes of grain are now “at risk”. Rebuilding the dam could take more than 10 years, according to local authorities.