The Kakhovska reservoir in southern Ukraine has been devastated after the dam was destroyed, resulting in severe flooding in the surrounding areas. High-resolution satellite images taken by Airbus show the broken dam wall and the extent of the flooding in the immediate vicinity. Meanwhile, images from the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA reveal the widened river Dnieper in the lower reaches of the dam, where it has flooded parts of the city of Cherson.
Radar analyzes provide an insight into the depth of the floods, supporting the helpers on-site. The most detailed image comes from the Pléiades earth observation satellites, showing not only the broken dam wall and the masses of water flowing through it but also a completely flooded island below. Additionally, flooded buildings and areas on the banks of the river can be seen.
ESA’s Copernicus earth observation program provides an overview with lower-resolution but much larger-area satellite images. A false-color version highlights the comparatively narrow river and the extent of the flooded area. In comparison to earlier recordings, the flooded area has significantly increased.
NASA’s MODIS images provide a daily low-resolution comparison, showing how the narrow meandering Dnieper has become a wide river that has flooded large areas. The flooding continues, and the entire lower reaches of the Dnieper are still flooded over a large area. According to the latest reports, the level of the reservoir has already dropped by five meters.
The Ukrainian government holds Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, personally responsible for the destruction of the dam and compares the catastrophic consequences with those of a tactical nuclear weapon. Kiev alleges evidence of Russian guilt, including an audio recording of a confession.
