In Odesa, work is ongoing on Rybalska Balka Street to address the aftermath of the recent flooding. This street was one of the hardest hit by the heavy rains on September 30. Water flows rushing down the slopes caused significant soil erosion and severely damaged the road infrastructure.

Local residents claim they have not witnessed such a level of flooding in decades. The situation was exacerbated by construction work carried out last year by unknown individuals who cut into the slope where the 'Odesa' sanatorium is located. Their activities were halted at the time; however, after the flood, there is now a real threat of the sanatorium's fence collapsing.

According to Oleksandr Filatov, the first deputy mayor of Odesa, several legal violations related to the transfer of land parcels into private ownership were uncovered during the disaster recovery efforts.

This concerns two state acts issued in 2008 and 2009 based on a ruling by the Kyiv district court that granted property rights over lands belonging to the communal property, effectively road segments.

“The city government has already begun reviewing all property documents related to constructions along the ravine. Simultaneously, legal actions are being prepared to contest actions that violate current legislation prohibiting the privatization of communal property lands without agreement from local government bodies,” said Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov.

Currently, municipal services continue to clear the area of mud, construction debris, and household waste.

Temporary solutions for water drainage are being implemented, and planning for a new section of the collector is underway to ensure stable functioning of Rybalska Balka Street in the future.