Almost a week ago, Russian aggressors disrupted the Kakhovska Dam, having caused one of the biggest ecological disasters of the last decades. Thousands of people have lost their homes, other millions – a source of fresh water. The stream that covered the settlements washed away toilets, cemeteries, garbage dumps, etc.. In addition, heavy metals, infectious diseases, pathogens, and chemicals could appear in wells and open water bodies after the water has left. It is strictly forbidden to drink water from such places. A Charity found “Direct inclusion” explains what to do.

Safety instructions

Currently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention employees are actively working in the affected areas. But the specialists can only monitor the level of water pollution while improving key indicators requires a lot of time and effort. The population must follow some rules to prevent the spreading of infectious diseases. They are quite simple but nevertheless important.

• consume bottled/bottling purified water only;
• running water can be used only for technical purposes from now on;
• heat-treat all food you are to consume (fry, boil, bake);
• be sure to wash your hands with soap frequently and thoroughly;
• do not wear clothes contaminated by flooding without their previous washing and disinfection;
• do not consume food that has been flooded with water (even if it is preservation);
• boil the water you will drink or use for washing dishes and vegetables. Remember that heat-treat kills bacteria but does not protect against chemicals and metals that may have entered the liquid.

Everyone is at risk

If you are a remote resident of the Kakhovska Dam region, this does not mean that the consequences of this disaster are out of your concern. Due to the reservoirs shallowing, there is currently a mass fish kill. It is possible that some people will collect and sell this fish (both fresh, dried, or salted). One of the consequences of consuming such products is botulism. So far, isolated cases of this disease have already been recorded. Therefore, in the near future, it is worth abandoning all fish products received from small suppliers.

It is forbidden to swim in many water bodies, including the Black Sea, because, in addition to parts of residential buildings, many remains of animals and other organic matter got to it from the Kherson region. In addition, due to sea desalination, new microorganisms will begin to develop, and the oxygen level will increase, leading to suffocation. Environmentalists say that today it is difficult to predict the opening of the next holiday season because it is still impossible to estimate the full scale of the consequences.

Charity found “Direct inclusion” appeals to Ukrainians to be cautious and seek medical help immediately in case of such symptoms as high fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.