Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Fighting hits water supply in east Ukraine city

Space Daily via AFP: Up to one million people face water shortages in eastern Ukraine as workers battle to repair pipes damaged by fighting in rebel-held Donetsk, a city spokesman said on Thursday. "Today the water supply is limited and a full supply is being provided only at certain times," Maxim Rovinsky, spokesman for Donetsk mayor Oleksandr Lukyanchenko, told AFP.

The city is the largest rebel stronghold in eastern Ukraine and the epicentre of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. Rovinsky said water would reach residents in five-hour stretches every morning and evening, in restrictions that went into force on Tuesday.

The region is suffering from severe water shortages after weeks of fierce fighting between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian troops damaged vital infrastructure.

There has been no water supply to the battle-ravaged northern city of Slavyansk -- which has a population of 120,000 -- since the start of the month. Many other towns have had their supply restricted. "As of today the water supply to Donetsk is down 20 percent," Rovinsky said....

The Kalmius River in Donetsk, Ukraine, shot by AndrijKo.ukr, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

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