Surviving shelling, displacement, flooding, and now fearing the harsh winter – the stark realities of life in southern Ukraine

When the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed in June 2023, the situation became even more dire for communities and families in the region, who had already endured immense suffering since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.  

“In the last 20 months, we witnessed Russian soldiers invading our village, survived intense shelling, and endured displacement. After our return to the village, we had hoped to normalize our lives and rebuild, but then the floodwaters arrived,” says 21-year-old Anna. 

A teacher at the local school, Anna lives with her mother and younger sister in Afanasiivka village in Mykolaivska Oblast. When they heard about the dam’s destruction, they never thought the water would reach their village, which is 120 kilometres away from the dam. But already the next day, houses were flooded, and water made the roads inaccessible.  

Anna and her family managed to escape their home, just before the water arrived. They were hosted by relatives in a safer area, and from here monitored the situation in their home village through footage on the Internet and social media.

“It was shocking how rapidly our village was flooded. Our greatest concern was that the water might displace landmines and transport them into the village. That was the most frightening”. 

The water damaged their house, leaving a layer of dark clay high up on the walls. It destroyed the garden and the basement, all the furniture was ruined and had to be disposed, and the fence completely collapsed. 

“Entering our house after the flooding, we couldn’t believe what we saw. It was as if a tornado had passed through here. The water was so powerful that it swept away everything in its path,” says Anna and adds that all walls and floors had to be repaired.  

Using emergency construction materials and other supplies provided by UNHCR and its partners, Anna’s family, like many other people affected by the flooding from the Kakhovka Dam destruction, could make repairs to their house.   

Now, Anna is worried about the upcoming winter. 

“Winter months are freezing in our village, so we fear cut-offs and blackouts similar to the last winter. After all we lived through, I just want to stay in our home together with my family,” says Anna.  

Afanasiivka village is one of 29 settlements severely affected by the water from the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. The devastating flooding swept away people’s lives, homes and hopes for stability, prompting an urgent need for evacuation of many people living there as well as humanitarian assistance.  

The devastating effects of the dam’s destruction also extended to the neighbouring village of Yuriivka, where a couple, Vasyl and Nataliia Berest, both in their sixties, work at the local irrigation system. They also tend to their garden and a small household with various animals. 

After the dam was destroyed, it took just a few hours for the flooding to begin in their village, and the water level rose rapidly. Vasyl hurried home from work, determined to salvage whatever he could. 

“At one point, I glanced around and found myself standing in water up to my chest, holding ducks in both hands, desperately trying to save them from drowning,” Vasyl recalls. 

It was crucial to act swiftly – by the following day, the water level had risen to the height of their house’s roof, and everything built and obtained through the couple’s 40 years of marriage and life here was on the verge of being submerged.  

After four days, the water began to recede, allowing Vasyl and Nataliia to assess the remaining structure of the house. Fortunately, the walls and the roof had endured the flooding, and they decided to start repairing it, as soon as the house was dry enough. With the use of construction materials from UNHCR, along with their own resources and support from their family, Vasyl and Nataliia successfully renovated the house, ensuring they could return to their home before winter. 

“We don’t know what challenges the winter months will bring, but we are determined to stay here, to stay home. This is where we belong,” said Nataliia. 

Immediately following the Kakhovka dam destruction in June 2023, UNHCR’s and its partners provided over 80,000 essential items, such as beds, mattresses, pillows, bed linen, blankets, towels, kitchen sets, and hygiene kits. Affected people were assisted with psychosocial support, counselling and transportation services, and over 12,000 people affected by the flooding have been registered for multi-purpose cash assistance.  

“The water was so powerful that it swept away everything in its path.”

At the request of the Mykolaivska oblast authorities, UNHCR and its local NGO partner The Tenth of April distributed essential construction materials to support 210 flood damaged houses.  The materials included cement, timber, blocks, roofing materials and materials to repair the interior such as collapsed ceilings and damaged plumbing.    

“I am glad to see that the support we have provided so far has practically helped families repair their war and flood-damaged homes before the winter, but share the concern expressed by many of the people I met regarding the upcoming winter,“ said UNHCR Representative Karolina Lindholm Billing, after visiting the affected areas. 

“It is likely to be very cold and we fear that attacks on critical infrastructure will further increase people’s exposure to the cold and wet weather. UNHCR is therefore prioritizing our winterization response in the coming months to help people carry out rapid insulation of their homes, cover the increased costs of heating and solid fuel, and receive winterized items like thermal blankets. Thanks to timely and generous funding from our donors, including the European Union, UNHCR and our partners will do everything in our power to contribute to the collective winterization response, so people in Ukraine can stay safe and warm this winter.” 

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