Devastation from Kakhovka dam collapse could take decades to heal

Hundreds of thousands of mines and debris are flowing into towns downstream, while lack of water upstream will hit food production

The people living along Ukraine’s lower Dnipro river must contend with the immediate consequences of the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam and flee for safety with whatever they can salvage, but the wider impact could make itself felt for generations.

Downstream, the flood waters will subside somewhat as the surge reaches the Black Sea, but many of the villages and towns along the course of the Dnipro may not be habitable again unless and until a new dam is built. Thousands of homes and livelihoods have been swept away, along with countless domesticated and wild animals.