A sharp warming and heavy rainfall in a number of regions may cause a record rise in river water levels. Meteorologists, emergency services, and local administrations are urging people in a number of regions to prepare for a possible natural disaster. Some areas have already been flooded.
Meteorologists' warning
According to the latest data from the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, residents of the city of Kropyvnytskyi and the Berezivka district of Odesa region are warned of an orange II level of danger.
By March 2, water levels may rise by 20-70 cm in the Pripyat River sub-basin and on the rivers of the Western Bug basin. Near the village of Lytovezh, the water level may rise by as much as 1.2 meters due to ice drift.
There is a threat of flooding of varying intensity in the Kirovohrad, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Cherkasy, Lviv, Volyn, and Ternopil regions. A yellow danger level has been declared in some areas.
Source: Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center
Regions are preparing for a natural disaster
In Zakarpattia, up to 136 settlements may be affected by flooding. Therefore, rescuers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) are stepping up preparations for the possibility of rivers bursting their banks.
In a comment to the Telehraf media, the SES stated that hundreds of personnel and more than 700 units of equipment are already ready for emergency response. These include tractors, SUVs, mobile power stations, pumps, emergency and rescue vehicles, and also drones.
Flooding is also expected in the Poltava community. According to Suspilne, local authorities have decided to rely less on emergency services, as they are involved in other regions due to the war. Therefore, the municipality is expanding its material reserves and preparing to receive motor pumps for water removal.
In the Chernihiv region, flooding could affect 50 settlements. The local administration is coordinating the efforts of emergency responders and engineering services to ensure the swiftest possible recovery after the disaster.
Kirovohrad region has already fallen victim to the forces of nature. According to data from Suspilne media, in some places, the water level there has risen by 0.5–3.5 m. Reports of flooding have come in from 26 communities.
Cause of dangerous flooding
The ideal conditions for a natural disaster were created by the weather: large amounts of snow, winter rains, and warming temperatures. However, human actions have also contributed to the increased level of risk.
Certain ecosystems are responsible for the natural containment of water, particularly forests, bogs, and peatlands. In recent years, however, Ukraine has been actively “cultivating” wild areas for agricultural use or development. As a result, bare hills, fields instead of peatlands, and concrete are incapable of absorbing excess water.
This viewpoint is shared by ecologist and biologist Oleh Lystopad in a comment:
"Floods will occur this year. All regions are at risk. No one else will tell you more than this, as forecasting is a thankless task. However, what to do is a different matter: restore wetlands, peatlands, and river floodplains. They accumulate moisture."
EcoPolitic reported that an illegal crossing in Zakarpattia blocked the ice flow. To prevent flooding, State Emergency Service staff had to urgently dismantle the structure.
The destruction of wetlands and peatlands not only leads to more severe flooding but also to the opposite problem-a lack of water. According to a United Nations report, the loss of wetland areas is identified as one of the drivers of a looming global water bankruptcy.
