After the dam burst: How big is the risk of a nuclear disaster at Zaporizhzhia plant? | DW News

The humanitarian consequences of the floods resulting from the destruction of the Kakhovka dam are "already quite severe," said Achille Després, a Spokesperson at the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Despres told DW on Wednesday that ICRC personnel were on the ground since the day before, to help evacuate those affected by the floods. Already 800 civilians were evacuated on Tuesday, with over 50 more on Wednesday.

Despres added that the difficult situation on the ground adds to the "already dire humanitarian situation following more than 15 months of military hostilities and active armed conflict in the immediate vicinity of these areas."

The destruction of the Kakhovka dam has thus far not posed an "imminent or critical risk" to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, nuclear researcher Mariana Budjeryn said.

Speaking to DW on Wednesday, the senior research associate at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center said the UN Atomic Energy Agency and Ukraine's nuclear operator both confirmed there was not yet any risk.

She warned, however, that for a nuclear power plant to safely and securely operate, it needed a constant and reliable water supply.

Budjeryn noted that the destruction of the dam has led to a dramatic drop in the reservoir levels, which after a certain level, could mean the plant's pumping system would fall short.

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