The Chernobyl disaster is arguably the most terrible accident that almost destroyed human civilization, especially in Europe. According to the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), the Chernobyl disaster is at Level 7, which means a 'major accident'.
As quoted from National Geographic, here are 3 facts related to the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union:
1. Worst Accident
There were 190 metric tons of Chernobyl uranium in the atmosphere at the time of the incident. The Soviet Union, aware of the severity of the incident, decided to evacuate 335,000 people, establishing a 19-mile-wide 'exclusion zone' around the reactor.
At least 28 people were initially killed in the crash, while more than 100 others were injured. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation has reported that more than 6,000 children and adolescents developed thyroid cancer after being exposed to radiation from the incident, although some experts have disputed that claim.
International researchers have estimated that eventually, about 4,000 people exposed to high levels of radiation could die from radiation-related cancers, while about 5,000 people exposed to low levels of radiation could suffer the same fate. But the full consequences of the crash, including the impact on mental health and even the next generation, are still being debated and studied.
2. Still being watched
What remains of the reactor is now inside a large steel retaining structure that was deployed in late 2016. Containment and monitoring efforts are continuing and cleanup is expected to last until at least 2065.
3. Long term impact
The impact of the disaster on the surrounding forest and wildlife also remains a matter of research. After the accident, the area nearby was nicknamed the 'Red Forest' because so many trees turned reddish brown and died after absorbing high levels of radiation.
Currently, this Chernobyl exclusion zone is very quiet, yet full of life. Many trees have grown back, although scientists found evidence of increased rates of cataracts and albinism among some wildlife species in the area in recent years.
The good news, however, is that due to the prohibition on human activity in the vicinity of the closed power plant, the number of some wildlife, from lynx to deer, has increased. In 2015, scientists estimated there were seven times as many wolves in the exclusion zone as in the nearby nature reserve.
