The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam earlier this week in Ukraine has become a fast-moving disaster that is evolving into a long-term environmental problem, affecting drinking water, food supplies and habitats reaching into the Black Sea. The short-term issues can be seen from outer space, tens of thousands of flooded acreage with more to come. Environmental experts say the long-term damages will be generational.
For every flooded home and farm, there are fields upon fields of newly-planted grains, fruits and vegetables whose irrigation canals are drying up. Thousands of fish were obviously relocated and died gasping on mud flats. Countless trees and plants were drowned along with any animals using them for shelter or food.
The Kakhovka Dam was the last in a system of six Soviet-era dams on the river, which flows from Belarus to the Black Sea. Since the dam’s destruction and subsequent collapse on Tuesday, the rushing waters have uprooted landmines, torn through hidden caches of weapons and ammunition, and carried 150 tons of machine oil to the Black Sea. Entire towns have been submerged to the rooflines, and thousands of animals under Russian occupation and care died in a large national park.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrij Melnyk called the dam’s destruction, “the worst environmental catastrophe in Europe since the Chernobyl disaster,” which makes me think it’s probably pretty bad. It will take a generation or two for the flora and fauna populations to return and adjust to their new reality. Who knows how long it’ll take for the Ukrainians who lived there.
Side Items
(Deep Sigh) Manchester City: Turns out Inter Milan was no match for a team facing 115 financial fair play charges. Manchester City completed their historic season by being crowned champions of Europe yesterday, beating Inter 1-0 in a match that really could’ve gone either way. Romelu Lukaku lived up to expectations by missing a few chances to level the game at its end, but it seemed like nothing could stop City’s march to the title. If the team had any fans I’m sure they’d be unbearable today
After Me Lucky Charms: The former UFC champion and walking liability Connor McGregor knocked out the Miami Heat mascot during a midgame skit that went wrong. The poor guy in the mascot outfit was just trying to earn some money to feed his family, but the Heat thought it was a fun idea for him to get punched in the head twice by a guy who makes a living punching people in the head. The man inside the mascot briefly sought medical attention Friday night after taking two punches to the dome from McGregor, but I imagine he then called his attorney to get to work on the lawsuit
Pigs Being Pigs: The entire West Virginia state police department is under investigation for sexual misconduct as they’re being sued by 42 women, including 10 minors, for placing a recording device in their women’s locker room facilities. According to witness-provided evidence, hidden cameras were placed and operated inside the female locker room at the State Police Academy, including during the “Junior Trooper” program for children. Here’s what West Virginia’s governor Mr. Jim Justice had to say: “”We don’t need to turn our back on the whole because the bad actors are the few. We need to do our job to develop a real confidence that the people are satisfied that we did our job. But we don’t ever need to forget who brought us to the dance too and I say that in slang, but we owe a lot of gratitude to our state police.”