Nearly two weeks after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in southeastern Ukraine, the floodwaters are receding, but local officials are grappling with a new concern: the potential for outbreaks from waterborne disease.
On Saturday, local officials in Kherson and Mykolaiv, the two regions most affected by the flooding on the Dnipro River unleashed when the dam collapsed, outlined plans to ensure safe drinking water.
And doctors in hospitals across those regions have been warned to prepare for the potential for an outbreak of disease.
Hundreds of residential areas are still underwater, including some under Russian occupation.
International humanitarian organizations have shared concerns about widespread pollution and the potential for illness, but the Ukrainian health authorities maintain that they are vigilantly monitoring for any signs of a disease outbreak.
Persons:
Oleksandr Chebotarov
Organizations:
Kherson City Clinical Hospital, International
Locations:
Ukraine, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, Kherson City