Kherson region is waiting for your help

An inflatable boat floats through the streets of the village of Bilozerka, where children were running and cars were driving four days ago. There are houses  on both sides devastated by war and flood. Many of them were bombed by shells, and some were destroyed by the flood. A local resident, Ms. Natalia, said that a shell hit her and her neighbor's houses in winter, and the houses were almost completely destroyed. And now the flood caused by the actions of Russian troops has finally driven her out of her home.

"Caritas-Spes Ukraine and Caritas-Spes Odesa have set up a working group to assess the needs and coordinate the response. Odesa volunteers of the organization are helping with the evacuation in Kherson. Aid stations have been set up in Odesa and Mykolaiv.

Odesa

- 88 Mala Arnautska St. (food packages, clothes, blankets, financial assistance);

- 17 Polska St. (cash assistance)

Mykolaiv

- 61B, Kosmonavtiv Str. (food packages, water, clothes, financial aid)

We have established logistics routes for the drinking water delivery. To date, 24 tons of clean drinking water have been delivered to Mykolaiv. Another 48 tons of humanitarian aid is on the way and will be delivered to Odesa and Mykolaiv today. Shelters in different parts of Ukraine are ready to receive a new wave of IDPs. Caritas-Spes Odesa has also launched a financial support program for those affected by the flooding.

Our specialists have recorded that, in addition to drinking water and food, there is a need for water pumping and disinfection equipment, hygiene products and animal feed. Experts are also studying ways to prevent bacteriological hazards and working on both urgent and long-term assistance programs.

On Sunday, an all-Ukrainian action to help the residents of Kherson region will be announced at the parishes of the Roman Catholic Church. A week-long collection of water, food and other necessities is to begin. You can also support the campaign by making a donation to Caritas-Spes Ukraine, indicating the purpose of payment  "Charitable assistance to Kherson".

To recap: The Kakhovka reservoir contained approximately 18 million cubic meters of water. After the dam was blown up on the night of June 6, tons of water rushed downstream. The flooded area included 32 settlements in the de-occupied part of Kherson region, home to more than 42,000 people. According to various estimates, 16,000 people at risk will need evacuation assistance or on-site support. At least 5 people have been reported dead and 13 missing as a result of the flooding caused by the Russians' explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant. To date, more than 3,000 people have been evacuated from the region. The situation is aggravated by constant shelling by Russian troops, which significantly complicates rescue and evacuation efforts. The most difficult situation is on the left bank of the Kherson region, where 14 settlements are flooded with no possibility of assistance or evacuation.

The Religious Mission Caritas-Spes Ukraine of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine is one of the 49 members of the Caritas Europe Federation and a member of Caritas Internationalis, a global confederation of 162 Catholic organizations. In Ukraine, the Mission has been operating for over a quarter of a century in all regions, with a National Office and more than 50 regional centers. Yesterday, Caritas-Spes Ukraine won first place in the national competition "Charitable Ukraine - 2022" in the nomination "Charity in the social sphere".