Uzhgorod, 18.11.98.

The beginning of a new ecological disaster in Transcarpathia

The situation is far not hopeful today.

The process of soil displacement has started. Two rocks split, in Mizhgir'ya and in Tyachiv districts. It affected the villages Synevirskaya Polyana and Vyl'hivchik.

30 million m3 of soil moved. The part of the town of Mizhgir'ya has been demolished by the mountain. Please find the photo enclosed.

The principal road to Rakhiv, which has been recently repaired, is demolished again due to soil displacement.

50 thousand people have to be moved out from Rakhiv, Tyachiv, Mizhgir'ya districts to other regions of Ukraine, which are not defined yet (possibly Crimea, Ternopyl'). The number includes not only inhabitants of the villages but also those who live in the bordering areas, for river water is flooding there.

What is needed urgently for today:

Warm clothes and boots (they are quickly wasted due to wetting and they can not be used anymore, no facilities to dry them), canned food, which could be stored for some time, clothes and shoes for children, special clothes for rescue groups, cables, water filters, fuel, medicine, disinfectants.

362 people are hospitalized with the diagnosis of overcooling, grippe A, B, poisoning with dirty, not filtered water, diphtheria, and dysentery. The official death-roll is 16 people.

The prognosis of geological services is that the consequences of soil displacements will be more disastrous than the flood itself.