Ukraine 2020 Flood Relief Appeal
July 2, 2020. Ottawa. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) are calling on all Canadians to support relief efforts in Ukraine, where heavy flooding has caused devastation. The response is complicated by the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Heavy flooding has left three dead and thousands homeless or stranded. Thousands of people in more than 300 towns and villages in western Ukraine are without access to clean drinking water and power. It has also brought to the forefront the impacts of climate change and illegal clear-cut logging.
“We call on members of our community to generously support these relief efforts. The UCC and CUF also express our deepest sympathy to all those who have been affected by the devastating floods.” said Alexandra Chyczij, National President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
Your donations will provide support relief for people most in need being served by Caritas Ukraine. Donations can be made online or by mailing a donation marked “Ukraine 2020 Flood Relief” to Suite 200 – 620 Spadina, Toronto ON, M5S 2H4
“Caritas Ukraine is currently on the ground responding to the needs of flood victims and helping communities overcome the effects of the flood,” said Oksana Kuzyshyn, Chief Operating Officer of the Canada Ukraine Foundation. “They have been distributing food kits, hygiene kits, bottled water and clothing to individuals and families in affected areas as well as conducting a needs assessment on the next steps.”
Background
About 70 percent of the region’s average monthly rainfall poured down. Due to heavy rains, mountain rivers in the Carpathians mountains damaged local roads. More than 300 towns and villages flooded and roads to 34 settlements were cut off by high water. The water stopped rising on Wednesday, June 24, leaving the huge damage.
At least three people died in Verkhovyna District (Ivano-Frankivsk region) including two whose car was swept away in a roiling river, and one person is missing. In Halych (Ivano-Frankivsk region) district hospital on the Dniester River moved out eight patients as water flooded the basement, but 43 suspected and confirmed Covid-19 patients remained.
As of July, 1 in Western regions of Ukraine, 12 settlements and 114 houses are still inundated due to the bad weather
Ivano-Frankivsk region:
- 4,600 houses were flooded, about 110 km of roads and 90 bridges were destroyed
- 130 bridges, more than 3100 hectares of agricultural lands, about 427 km of roads were damaged
- Transport connection with 21 settlements was disrupted
- 285 people were evacuated, 56 people were rescued.
Zakarpattia region:
- 65 households in the village of Yasynia and 5 households in Rakhiv were flooded.
Chernivtsi region:
- 15 settlements were flooded.
- 60 people were rescued, including 11 children.
Lviv region:
- 8 settlements were partially flooded.
Source: Caritas Ukraine
