Death toll from Kakhovka dam collapse rises to 25

MOSCOW 

The death toll from the Kakhovka dam collapse has risen to 25, the Russian state-run RIA news agency said Friday.

At least 17 more people are missing with search and rescue operations ongoing, RIA said citing Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed governor in Ukraine's Kherson region.

"As of yesterday, there were 17 people missing. So far, neither the emergency services nor the military, who are actively involved in the search, can find people. The dead are now known -- 25 people," Saldo said.

According to the official, some 8,000 people were evacuated from the flooded areas.

Saldo further said a pregnant woman was killed in continuous shelling by Ukraine's forces on the camps where evacuees have been placed temporarily.

The claim could not be independently verified.

Ukraine and Russia have both blamed each other for carrying out strikes on June 6 which led to the destruction of the walls of the dam, resulting in flooding of nearby areas.