Rescue teams in Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa worked through the night to confront severe flooding and storm damage that left nine people dead, including a child, authorities said on Wednesday.
The State Emergency Service reported that heavy rains and floods wreaked havoc across the city and surrounding district, forcing residents to be evacuated from submerged homes and vehicles.
Rescuers pumped water from buildings, pulled cars from flooded streets, and freed passengers trapped in a submerged bus.
One girl who had been reported missing was found in the early hours, the service said on Telegram. In total, 362 people have been rescued since the storm began.
Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov described the scale of the rainfall as unprecedented, writing on Telegram: “In just seven hours, almost two months’ worth of rain fell in Odesa. No stormwater drainage system can withstand such a load.”
Authorities have warned that rescue operations remain ongoing as emergency workers continue clearing roads and assisting residents hit by the disaster.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
