UN warns of 'grave consequences' as Ukrainians flee breached dam

About 42,000 people are at risk from flooding in Ukraine after a hydroelectric dam in the Russian-occupied town of Nova Kakhovka was breached in what UN chief Antonio Guterres called a "monumental" catastrophe on a humanitarian, economic and ecological level.

Water flows through the damaged Kakhovka HPP dam in southern Ukraine. AFP - HANDOUT

Water gushed through dozens of communities along the Dnipro River forcing thousands to flee the region amid reports of Russian shelling in the area. The flooding is expected to peak on Wednesday.

Buses, trains and private vehicles were marshalled to carry people to safety in about 80 communities.

UN aid chief Martin Griffiths told the Security Council the Kakhovka dam breach would have “grave and far-reaching consequences for thousands of people in southern Ukraine on both sides of the front line through the loss of homes, food, safe water and livelihoods".

The destruction of Kakhovka dam is posing a catastrophic risk to many civilians in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/pSwaIzVF4J

— Amnesty International (@amnesty) June 6, 2023

Griffiths added: "The sheer magnitude of the catastrophe will only become fully realised in the coming days."

US spokesperson John Kirby said the flooding had probably caused "many deaths".

• Vatican sends envoy to Ukraine to 'sound out' possibilities for peace talks
• European leaders meet in Moldova in show of unity against Russia

Blame game

Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the collapse of the massive dam on Tuesday, in the Russian-occupied region of Kherson, which sent floodwaters across a swathe of Ukraine's war zone and forced thousands to flee.

President Zelensky said the dam had been "mined by Russian occupiers". Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the incident was "another terrorist crime by the Kyiv regime".

The gaping hole blasted into the infrastructure will severely impede Kyiv's efforts to reconquer territory lost to Russia.

The Soviet-era dam is a significant resource, supplying water to many communities upstream and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station.