Transport and Communications Minister Yosyp Vinskyi has estimated damage to roads from floods at UAH 1.5 billion and to railway at UAH 0.5 billion.

He announced this at a press briefing in Ivano-Frankivsk region.

He said maximum efforts are needed for prompt restoration of roads because they are important for the economy.

"Today the key task is to move roads from river beds as far as we can," Vinskyi said.

The minister added that traffic on 34 bridges was resumed as of August 4, including 20 bridges in Ivano-Frankivsk, six in Chernivtsi region, seven in Zakarpattia region, and one in Lviv region.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, as of July 28, the Ukrzaliznytsia state railway transport administration and the Ukravtodor state automobile road service estimated damage from floods in the western regions of Ukraine at UAH 1.155 billion.

According to Ukravtodor, 122.7 kilometers of roads were damaged, 39 bridge structures were destroyed and 71 automobile bridges were in a state of disrepair.

The Cabinet of Ministers decided to redirect UAH 1.2 billion from the special fund of the 2008 national budget, initially intended for construction of a railway bridge in Kyiv, for reconstruction of bridges and roads in six flooded regions.