The Kakhovka dam: a humanitarian, economic and ecological catastrophe

The Secretary-General also states that the disaster will affect more than 80 towns and cities and could have consequences for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. More than 16,000 people have by now lost their homes. The picture emerging is one of massive flooding, large-scale evacuations, environmental devastation and the destruction of newly planted crops.

It is still too early to understand what the harmful consequences of this enormous disaster will be. Even Guterres admits that, for now, information from independent sources is lacking.

In general, when a dam of this size is destroyed, we cannot say with certainty what the water will carry with it: it could carry significant pollutants such as oil, or worse. The danger does not concern buildings alone but also the soil, which could suffer serious erosion lasting for years. It is almost certain that the current crops will be swept away.