Flood disaster in Lviv, Ivano Frankivsk area

I am sure that many will not have heard that there have been disastrous floods in the Lviv and Ivano Frankivsk regions of Ukraine. This area has been visited by many brethren and sisters during the past 10 or more years and a work goes on in both of the cities of Lviv and Ivano Frankivsk. I would not have known anything except that Vadym , our driver/interpreter in Ivano phoned me on Monday from Ivano to tell me about the disaster.
I then Googled "Ivano frankivsk flood news" and got news and pictures of the devastation. Vadym said that many of the bridges into Ivano were either closed or damaged by the raging water that came in from the Carpathian mountains . Fortunately, the dyke along the river held and the city is not flooded. The city water catchments was flooded and broke through and left them with only 2 or 3 days water.
I saw pictures of Victor Yuchenko the President, walking through knee deep water around Ivano, with his pants rolled up to the knee, visiting the flooded homes of people. Thousands of homed are flooded plus their gardens and fields washed away. 26 people are now reported dead and many still missing, 15,000 people have been evacuated.

Already, an orphanage we had visited for the first time in April, phoned Vadym and told him they had been flooded and were in great need, could he help. I said I would pass on the news .

When we were there in April they were predicting famine this coming winter because of the massive production of grain for bio-fuels and very little grain for bread and other staples. This loss of gardens and field can only add to this possibility. Many people rely on their village dachas to provide them with vegetables for the winter.

I thought I should pass this on to you for your prayers for this situation. I talked with Flo Kancir, who lives in Ontario but visits Ukraine twice a year, but she knew nothing about the flooding and was most distressed as she has visited many of the villages in this area with food and supplies and heads up most of our visits to Ukraine. She knew of many who would no doubt be suffering in this tragedy.