Ivano-Frankivsk floods most intense in Ukraine in 20 years

Floods in the Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine have caused
at least two deaths and destroyed several hundred homes and farms on June
23-24, as reported by the State Service of Emergency Situations. During these
two days, the 200-235 millimeters of rainfall that fell is the norm for 2-2.5
months, as reported by the state meteorology service, which estimated it to be
the most intense rainfall in Ukraine for the last 20 years. A dam on the
Dnister River was reported to have been breached, threatening at least two
villages in the Ternopil region and prompting their evacuation. Prime Minister
Shmyhal, who toured the flooded areas in a helicopter, said the current floods
are worse than the last flooding disaster of 2008. He cited the amount of
rainfall a bigger factor in the flooding than alleged illegal logging in a
press briefing after his tour.

To cope with the disaster, President Zelensky
announced on June 24 he will lead the government in helping citizens rebuild
their destroyed homes or find new ones. He also said that roads, bridges and
other infrastructure will be rebuilt. He promised to find the necessary funds
for renewal, which he estimated at more than UAH 1 billion. In its turn, the
cabinet said on its website the same day it will ensure the constant monitoring
of the flooding and epidemiological situation in the region, prevention of
further flooding, provision of support for victims and those evacuated, assess
property damage, and determine amounts of financial aid, among other measures.

Zenon Zawada: This natural disaster will simply make a desperate situation in
Ukraine even more difficult, adding to the moral and economic hardship caused
by the ongoing war in Donbas, the coronavirus pandemic, ongoing failures to pay
medical workers, and the global economic recession. It will draw more resources
away from these other calamities.