Drinking water in Ukraine contaminated with corpses as dam blast floods graves

Drinking water in Ukraine has been contaminated with corpses following the destruction of a dam.

The Kakhovka dam in the Russian-occupied city of Nova Kakhovka was ruptured on Tuesday (June 6), sending a surge of 4.8billion gallons down the Dnipro river.

Water from what was Ukraine's largest reservoir burst the river banks, flooding entire villages and leaving parts of Kherson completely submerged.

READ MORE: Ukrainian football stadium submerged under water after Russian attack destroys dam

Ukraine has accused Vladimir Putin's men of blowing up the dam. The Russians have pointed the finger in the opposite direction.

Rescue efforts are continuing with Ukraine estimating that around 42,000 people are at risk.

The knock-on effect could be much greater still. Several areas have been left without power and there are now fears around contamination from pollution and dead bodies, with flood water surging over cemeteries.

"Our water comes from the Dnipro – but now the cemeteries are flooded, so it's not safe to drink," one rescuer told The Sun.

The destruction of the dam also released 150 tons of machine oil into the river. Hazardous chemicals and even landmines, swept away by the current, pose problems too.

The rescuer added: "Also there is oil in the water, the remnants of the power plant, and the mines.

"There is a lot of water now in the city – but there is no drinking safe water."

The rescuer said more and more people are being trapped in homes – and it is feared they could soon drown.

The UN's humanitarian aid agency said access to drinking water and health risks associated with contaminated water were among the most pressing concerns.

About 3,000 people have been evacuated from areas on both sides of the river, officials said.

Already tens of thousands of people have been deprived of drinking water. Many are homeless, crops are ruined, land mines have been displaced and the stage is set for long-term electricity shortages.

The reservoir was also critical for water supplies to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.

Ukraine's agriculture ministry warned: "The fields in the south of Ukraine next year can turn into deserts."

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