Despite the fact that 28 years have passed since the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, science still has a lot of questions regarding its consequences. The most exciting topics are the impact of the disaster on human health and the environment.
The first victims of the disaster
The first victims of a powerful leak of radioactive substances were workers at a nuclear power plant. The explosion of a nuclear reactor took the lives of two workers at once. In the next few hours, several more people died, and over the next few days, the death rate among workers continued to increase. People were dying from radiation sickness.
The accident occurred on April 26, 1986, and on April 27, residents of the nearby town of Pripyat were evacuated, who complained of nausea, headaches and other symptoms of radiation sickness. By that time, 36 hours had passed since the accident.
28 workstations died four months later. Among them were heroes who exposed themselves to mortal danger in order to stop further leakage of radioactive substances.
At the time of the accident and after it, the south and east winds prevailed, and the poisoned air masses were sent to the northwest, towards Belarus. The authorities kept the incident a secret from the world. Soon, however, sensors at nuclear power plants in Sweden signaled danger. Then the Soviet authorities had to confess what had happened to the world community.
Within three months of the disaster, 31 people died from radiation. About 6,000 people, including residents of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, fell ill with thyroid cancer.
Many doctors in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union recommended that pregnant women have abortions to avoid having sick children. This was not necessary, as it turned out later. But due to the panic, the consequences of the accident were greatly exaggerated.
Environmental implications
Soon after the leakage of radioactive substances at the station, trees died in the contaminated area. The area became known as the "red forest" because the dead trees were reddish in color.
The damaged reactor was filled with concrete. How effective this measure was, and how useful it will be in the future, remains a mystery. Plans to build a more reliable and safer "sarcophagus" await implementation.
Despite the contamination of the area, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant continued to operate for several years after the accident, until its last reactor was shut down in 2000.
The plant, the ghost towns of Chernobyl and Pripyat, together with a fenced-in area known as the "exclusion zone", are closed to the public. However, a small group of people returned to their homes in the disaster area and continue to live there despite the risks. Also, scientists, authorities and other specialists are allowed to visit the contaminated area for the purpose of checks and research. In 2011, Ukraine opened access to the accident site for tourists wishing to view the consequences of the disaster. Naturally, a fee is charged for such an excursion.
Modern Chernobyl is a kind of nature reserve where wolves, deer, lynxes, beavers, eagles, wild boars, elks, bears and other animals are found. They live in dense forests surrounding a former nuclear power plant. Only a few cases of detection of animals suffering from radiation with a high content of cesium-137 in the body have been recorded.
However, this does not mean that the ecosystem around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant has returned to normal. Due to the high level of radiation, the area will not be safe for human habitation for another 20,000 years.
