In a few months it will be 35 years since the Chernobyl tragedy, which occurred on April 26, 1986, when reactor No. 4 of the V.I. Nuclear Power Plant exploded. Lenin of Chernobyl.
The consequences are still being studied by researchers and that in December 2016 the installation work of a sarcophagus on the reactor culminated, ensuring 100 years of safety for Chernobyl.
The consequences are still being studied by researchers and that in December 2016 the installation work of a sarcophagus on the reactor culminated, ensuring 100 years of safety for Chernobyl.
A little history
A tragedy considered as the most serious nuclear accident in the history of the civil nuclear industry, it is the only one cataloged level 7 on
the international scale of nuclear accidents.
The fire caused by the explosion of reactor No 4, required 10 long days of work by the so-called "liquidators" to control the fire, but during all that time it affected more than 200,000 square kilometers of surface (Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus) due to the expulsion of more than 50 tons of radioactivity equivalent to 500 atomic bombs like the one in Hiroshima
INES Rating DescriptionsSource
In relation to the number of people who died, the data found to refer to 31 people who died during the explosion, and the control work was carried out the 10 days after it.
However, more recently they increased this figure to 9000 fatalities including those with the lowest exposure.
After the tragedy, more than 400 thousand people who worked to decontaminate the area and during the work carried out in the following months died as a result of radioactivity.
In addition to the health consequences, it should also be mentioned all those people who had to leave their home and the psychological problems caused by this tragedy, fear of radiation and its consequences, caused addictions to alcoholism and severe depressive problems, among others.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) initially made an estimate of 4000 fatalities, corresponding to people who were exposed to high doses of radioactivity in the areas closest to Chernobyl such as Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus.
However, more recently they increased this figure to 9000 fatalities including those with the lowest exposure.
After the tragedy, more than 400 thousand people who worked to decontaminate the area and during the work carried out in the following months died as a result of radioactivity.
In addition to the health consequences, it should also be mentioned all those people who had to leave their home and the psychological problems caused by this tragedy, fear of radiation and its consequences, caused addictions to alcoholism and severe depressive problems, among others.
"The greatest environmental catastrophe in the history of mankind."
This is what the United Nations calls the explosion of the Chernobyl reactor, the damage caused to the environment by radioactive contamination is incalculable, despite the fact that there is much secrecy on the subject, the evidence has been gradually exposed.
After the explosion of the reactor, the pine forest near him died instantly, it is known as "Red Forest", as well as all the nature around it was affected as well as the fauna existing at that time, the vast majority died and very few survived the high radioactive dose produced during the tragedy.
As time passes, the fauna that exists today in the area is mainly made up of wolves, wild horses, bears, bison, and lynx, as well as more than 400 species of vertebrates and birds such as the white-tailed eagle and the spotted eagle, among others.
After the explosion of the reactor, the pine forest near him died instantly, it is known as "Red Forest", as well as all the nature around it was affected as well as the fauna existing at that time, the vast majority died and very few survived the high radioactive dose produced during the tragedy.
As time passes, the fauna that exists today in the area is mainly made up of wolves, wild horses, bears, bison, and lynx, as well as more than 400 species of vertebrates and birds such as the white-tailed eagle and the spotted eagle, among others.
There is various information on the web in relation to the consequences of radioactivity in nature and fauna in Chernobyl, becoming very contradictory.
However, there are restrictions on the consumption of deer meat, wild boar, and other game animals for the European countries that were affected by the contamination caused by the reactor explosion, as well as with regard to the flora of the place.
Recently in 2016, the installation of a dome or safety sarcophagus for the reactor in Chernobyl was completed, which replaces the one they had for more than two decades, which was quite deteriorated due to the effect of the same radioactivity and time.
The current dome is designed in order to prevent further damage to the environment and ensures that it can last up to 100 years.
It is shaped like an arch, 110 meters high, 150 meters wide and 256 meters long, and weighs more than 30,000 thousand tons.
Here is a video with the installation of the sarcophagus.
However, there are restrictions on the consumption of deer meat, wild boar, and other game animals for the European countries that were affected by the contamination caused by the reactor explosion, as well as with regard to the flora of the place.
Security sarcophagus
Recently in 2016, the installation of a dome or safety sarcophagus for the reactor in Chernobyl was completed, which replaces the one they had for more than two decades, which was quite deteriorated due to the effect of the same radioactivity and time.
The current dome is designed in order to prevent further damage to the environment and ensures that it can last up to 100 years.
It is shaped like an arch, 110 meters high, 150 meters wide and 256 meters long, and weighs more than 30,000 thousand tons.
Here is a video with the installation of the sarcophagus.
In conclusion, after more than three decades of this unprecedented tragedy in the history of mankind, whose environmental consequences are still being investigated by experts in the field, we could say that:
What are we near the end of the end?
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Bibliographic references
The Chernobyl Disaster: 25 Years Ago. Online link
A century of security for Chernobyl. Online link
Chernobyl faces its second disaster. Online link