The front-line town of Toretsk, eastern Ukraine, was left without drinking or running water due to the damage of “Gorlivka-Torezk” pipeline on October 15. The damage occurred due to shelling leaving 42,813 locals without any water. To add to the problem, the accident occurred on the demarcation line which made fixing the problem even more difficult. On October 23, an emergency repair crew went to fix the pipeline. “On the way to the site, the repair truck tripped a mine. The truck was damaged and the driver suffered a blast injusry”, the repair company reported. The works on restoring water supply were suspended.
Rescuers installed 4 fire hydrants in the town so that the locals could collect some utility water. It was reported by the rescue services that 34 cubical meters of drinking water were delivered to Toretsk, although the locals claimed that there was no available drinking water in the town.
“We managed to get to the point water distribution, – shares Natalya, the resident of Toretsk, – but it was just unreal to get any water there! The lines were unbelievably long and people were angry and swearing. One had to wait for hours to get some water!”
State Emergecy Sevices of Ukraine started delivering water to kindergartens, hospitals and schools, however, the locals were concerned that water wasn’t safe for drinking as it was brought in regular uncertified vehicles. Many children, elderly people and people with limited physical abilities were left without water – they could not reach the points of distribution of water or carry heavy containers back to their apartments.
CBN-Emmanuel announced a fund-raising campaign to provide the most vulnerable locals of Toretsk with drinking water. In 2 days, thanks to the collected funds, Emmanuel was able to bring drinking water to at least 100 families.
“We made a list of vulnerable families who needed water the most”, says Natasha Shchegljuk, a missionary in Toretsk, “We paid major attention to the people with disabilities who are bedridden and to large families with many children.”
Each of these families received a 25-liter bottle with a pump in the framework of CBN-Emmanuel’s clean water project. For the next three weeks, the suppliers of water will be bringing more clean drinknig water to these families.
63-year-old widow Olga Karelkina was one of the beneficiaries in the framework of this project.
“I am blaming our government for leaving elderly people like me without water – the woman shares. – I am disabled and I would never be able to travel to another end of the town to get at least some utility water. I am so grateful to the missionaries and CBN-Emmanuel for not forgetting me and bringing water to me!
Olga Karelkina and dozens of grateful families say “thank you” to the partners CBN-Emmanuel for promptly reacting to the situation and for brining them drinking water!
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