The Kurakhiv dam blowing up. Photo: d1.
The explosion of the Kurakhivska dam by Russian troops has caused concern among local residents and environmentalists, but the scale of the tragedy and its potential consequences are still to be determined. So far, the authorities and experts cannot accurately assess all the consequences of the destruction, but important details of the situation have already been clarified. This was reported by TimeUkraineIsrael with reference to U-news.
Kurakhivske Reservoir: difference in scale with Kakhovka Reservoir
Environmentalist Oleh Lystopad reminded the Suspilne TV channel that the Kurakhivske reservoir is much smaller than the Kakhovka reservoir. While the volume of water in the Kakhovka reservoir is 18 cubic kilometres, the volume of water in the Kurakhivske reservoir is only 0.08 cubic kilometres. This means that even if the dam was damaged, massive flooding and tsunami-type waves, as happened after the Kakhovka dam was blown up, should not be expected.
Damage to the sluice and water movement
Roman Padun, head of the Kurakhove city military-civilian administration, explained that they are currently unable to conduct a full assessment of the consequences of the explosion due to damage to one of the locks on the dam. Water is flooding the areas downstream of the Vovcha River, starting from the village of Stari Terny. However, according to Padun, there is currently no threat of flooding to the settlements.
“No flooded houses have been reported so far. I have contacted my colleagues and the situation is under control,” he said.
Implications for the ecosystem and local people
Environmentalist Oleh Lystopad noted that the destruction of the dam could have negative environmental consequences, although they would be much less than those caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. In particular, the increase in the water level in the river could cause damage to local flora and fauna, as well as to residents living directly next to the river. However, compared to the huge volumes of water in Kakhovka, the risks here are much lower.
“These are completely incomparable scales. There will be no such catastrophic flooding here. Only one lock was damaged, and this confirms that there will be no massive water disaster,” Lystopad assured.
Future steps and the need for research
Environmentalists say that detailed measurements and research are needed to accurately assess the consequences. At the moment, access to the site of the explosion is limited, and even the availability of satellite images does not allow us to accurately determine the extent of the damage.
“This will be possible only after the specialists are able to carry out a field survey and measurements,” the ecologist concluded.
Thus, although the water is indeed moving down the Vovchya River, the situation is not critical for local residents. However, environmentalists and local authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
