Rescuers evacuate a local resident from a flooded area after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached in Kherson, Ukraine, on June 7, 2023. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

WHO Emergencies Director Mike Ryan said the WHO has offered assistance to Russian-controlled areas but its operational presence is primarily on the Ukrainian side.

The impact on the region’s water supply, sanitation systems, and public health services cannot be underestimated, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that the WHO has rushed in to support preventive measures against waterborne diseases and increase disease surveillance.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the flooded area around Kherson to inspect emergency operations.