November 28, 1998
- November 23 late breaking report
I have been receiving reports from my friends in Transcarpathia about serious
flooding that has destroyed more than 1300 homes (more than 50 in
Khust where we work) on November 5-6th. Unceasing rains brought a wall of water into
the normally beautiful Tissa Valley. More than a dozen people have been swept
away. The biggest problem now is the homelessness. The photos in this report illustrate
some of the flood damage.
In January 1999, 24 of us are going to this part of Ukraine on a medical mission. You can read about this mission by clicking here. Also, we are sending a 20 ton container of life-sustaining humanitarian aid here.
The bridge across the Tissa River has been swept away. Downstream in Chop, where we cross into Ukraine from Hungary, the water was more than 40 feet above flood stage.
I also received a FAX dated November 10 through George August in Long Beach, California who has relatives in Western Ukraine who report as follows:
"Nobody of the old people remember such a flood in Transcarpathia. In Korolevo 101 houses are ruined, 100 are about to fall down. In Mukachevo the
"Nobody of the old people remember such a flood in Transcarpathia. In Korolevo 101 houses are ruined, 100 are about to fall down. In Mukachevo the Latorytsa river level was at 6.87 meters. Many houses suffered near the castle and the Rovygovo district. More than 70 houses near the castle are ruined, many have cracks.
In Chop the level of the Tissa River was 13.28 meters. In the Beregovo region the following villages suffered: Variyevo, Chetovo, Kvasovo, Dobrisillya. About 650 houses were damaged here. In the Mizhirya region, the following villages suffered: Soymy, Holyatyn, Bystryy, Stryhalnya. About 3000 houses were flooded.
In Tyachevo about 14000 inhabitants were evacuated from their houses (10% of the region's population). In villages Lopukhovo, Ust Chorna, Komsomolske still no electricity, telephone communication. Roads are destroyed.
In the Khust Rayon 41 villages were flooded and in Khust 48 houses were destroyed. In Vyshkovo village 90 homes. In the Irshava region 881 houses were flooded in the villages of Zarisheya and Silets (1/3 of all houses in the region).
Borodivka also suffered, but we have no exact information. About 8-10 people are known dead, maybe more.People need food, clothes, building materials to rebuild homes. It is not very cold here yet, 0 degrees at night and 5-7 in the day. Hungary sent us 10,000,000 forints (1 dollar = 214 forints). Hungary has been very actively helping. There are many ethnic Hungarians in this region who have suffered.
All churches, local administrations (rayon and village level) are taking part in supplying aid to the people who suffered."
This has not been a good year for Ukraine. T
he potato crop, which
is one of the most important staples of life, was greatly impaired through blight.
Production of fruit, too, was great reduced. Add to this the economic problems in
Russia which have spilled over into Ukraine and you have a crisis.
To get first-hand reports about the flooding, here are some Web sites in Ukraine carrying the news: