O. Vilkul: Through sharp temperature rise profile departments must take protective flood measures

“On the information of Gidrometcenter, in the nearest week the temperature will exceed the norm significantly: from 5 to 10 degrees Celsius above zero, and in Crimea – up to 15 degrees Celsius above zero. On conditions of the sharp temperature rise there has started ruining of ice cover on rivers and forming of ice gorges. Especially it concerns basins of the Dnipro, the Dniester and entrance to Dniester water storage basin. I set a task for the State Emergency Service, State Water Agency, Ministry of Regional Development, Infrastructure Ministry to take protective measures to counteract floods. The most important is to ensure safety of people. The basis of effective actions of responsible services includes timely planning of works, forestalling actions and strict control,” the Vice Premier said.

On commission of Olexandr Vilkul, the State Water Agency jointly with local authorities made ante-flood examination of potentially dangerous objects and hydraulic structures. Linear schemes of rivers that are encountered in the process of management the flooding situation and elaboration of various scenarios of its development have been made.     

Olexandr Vilkul set a task to the profile services and leaders of the regions to stir up the work of Interdepartmental headquarters and coordinate the actions in the regions. “If needed the Government will render assistance,” Olexandr Vilkul said.  

He noted it was necessary to organize 24-hour monitoring of hydrological situation, in particular in the basins of the Dniester, the Dnipro, the Danube. Including, coordination of actions with the headquarters of other states through which transborder rivers flow. In particular, with Russia, Belarus, Romania, Hungary and Moldova.

“Tomorrow I will hold a field working meeting on hydraulic structures on the Danube in Odessa region. The heads of the regions have to personally check the state of hydraulic structures on the key rivers situated in the regions,” Olexandr Vilkul said.

The Vice Prime Minister obliged regions’ leaders to supervise readiness of all territorial profile services to the passage of high waters, emergency teams availability, preparedness of machinery in case of emergency situations.

Aiming to prevent underflooding of the inhabited localities Olexandr Vilkul ordered the local authorities to ensure reliable functioning of sewer and drainage systems.

He stressed it is important to timely inform the population about worsening of weather conditions and emergency situations.

“In case of local floods the authorities must ensure timely delivery of foodstuffs and medications to the inhabited localities. And also to ensure work of medical services for rendering medical assistance,” Olexandr Vilkul said.

 The Vice Premier emphasized: “We have experience of floods in 2013, when the largest amount of precipitations over 100 years fell. Owing to the protective measures, passing of huge water amount was completely controlled. And we didn’t face massive flooding of the inhabited localities and emergency situations. The flooding period must be passed with the same effectiveness this year as well”.