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Worst floods in 200 years hit Ukraine -Red Cross
Written by: Emma Batha
The worst flooding in two centuries has devastated parts of Ukraine and Moldova, leaving more than 30 dead and dozens missing, according to the Red Cross. In Moldova, Europe's poorest country, homes with walls built of mud have "dissolved and crumbled like chocolate", Red Cross regional representative Joe Lowry says. The floods have caused over $1 billion in damages in the two countries, according to reports. And there is a danger of more flooding as rivers are still swollen and the land is sodden. Romania has also been affected. "I've worked with the Red Cross for 40 years and no one I know has ever seen anything like this, nor have their parents nor their grandparents," Alexandra Biltsan told Lowry in the village of Chernohusi in western Ukraine. Heavy rains in the Carpathian mountains at the end of July caused rivers to spill into towns and villages, submerging homes and displacing tens of thousands of people. But scan the international media and you'll find very little written on the disaster. "People are in desperate straits, food is urgently needed as well as clean water. Many people have lost crops, gardens, livestock, poultry as well as their food reserves," says Lowry who has written a graphic account of the destruction. "Moldova is still recovering from a succession of serious droughts ... This is the worst possible irony," he adds. The worst of the damage is along the banks of the Dniestr and Prut rivers. In Moldova, the Prut rose nine metres over its normal level, Lowry says. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is launching an emergency appeal for $1.2 million. Aid agencies responding to the disaster say there are urgent needs for clean water, food, hygiene articles and water filters. The European Union which has sent experts to the region is warning that the situation in Moldova could still deteriorate with many dikes along the Dniestr completely destroyed. Russia and Japan were also flying in tents, blankets, drinking water and generators, according to a report by Russian news agency RIA Novosti. This ReliefWeb map shows the worst affected areas of Ukraine as of July 28.
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