Odesa, Ukraine — October 1, 2025:
Severe flash floods have struck the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa, leaving nine people dead, hundreds rescued, and tens of thousands without power after record-breaking rainfall submerged homes, vehicles, and streets.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES) reported that a family of five drowned after being trapped in their ground-floor apartment when floodwaters surged through the building. Three women were also swept away and killed while walking along a flooded roadway.
Rescue teams worked overnight to save more than 360 residents and pump floodwater from inundated areas. Photos shared on Telegram showed passengers being lifted from flooded buses and cars submerged in murky water.
Over 42,000 residents across 32 towns and villages remain without electricity as heavy rain continues for a second day, damaging homes, uprooting trees, and flooding major roads. More than 500 emergency workers are engaged in rescue and restoration efforts.
The devastating floods underscore the growing impact of extreme weather events across Ukraine, with experts attributing the rise in natural disasters to climate change and vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure.