Rescue efforts in western Ukraine hit by floods almost over

March 14, 2001 at 19:00
KYIV, Mar. 14 (AP) - Rescue operations in the flood-damaged western Ukrainian region of Zakarpatia were nearly completed Wednesday as the flooding appeared to have been contained, Ukraine's top emergency official said.

Rescuers have focused their efforts mainly on neighboring Hungary's Beregiv region, where several villages were inundated after a dike broke last week, said Emergency Situations Minister Vasyl Durdynets, according to the Interfax news agency.

The floods started last Tuesday after melting snow and heavy rains caused the Tisza River to overflow, breaking houses, electricity connections, roads and bridges on its way in parts of Ukraine, Hungary and Romania.

The Tisza has since receded to its normal channel and water levels in other rivers have been decreasing steadily, the Emergency Situations Ministry said in a statement. By Wednesday, more than 33,200 houses in 245 Ukrainian villages had been hit by flood waters, and more than 2,200 people suffered infectious diseases blamed on the flood, Durdynets said.

Rescue workers continued to supply flood victims with drinking water and have set up mobile kitchens in some villages.

Tons of medical and other humanitarian aid have arrived in Zakarpatia, and the Ukrainian government has sent Hr 11 million ($1.9 million) to be distributed among victims, Durdynets said.

Flood levels broke records this year, but caused less damage than major flooding in 1998 because dikes had been improved in the interim.

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