Disaster at Chernobyl nuclear power plant took place 21 years ago
The disaster at Chernobyl nuclear power plant – the worst man-caused catastrophe on Earth – took place 21 years ago. The plant’s Reactor 4 exploded on April 26, 1986 at 01:23 a.m. The nuclear power plant was situated near the city of Pripyat, Kiev Region.
The explosion shifted the upper blocks of the reactor which led to its depressurization. Generated steam displaced and destroyed the reactor lid, rupturing the coolant tubes and then blowing a hole in the roof. After part of the roof blew off a fire started.
Contamination of the atmosphere turned out to exceed the contamination caused by the bombing of a Japanese city of Hiroshima by 300 times. More then 77% of radioactive nuclides drifted to the territory of Belarus. The Chernobyl disaster affected all spheres of life – production, culture, science and economy.
About 2 million Belarusians (including 500 thousand children) suffered form the catastrophe. 2 million 64 thousand square kilometers of land was forbidden to be used in agriculture. 54 collective and state farms were liquidated and 9 plants were closed down.
Usage of forest, mineral and other resources significantly decreased. The territory that was home to about 1.8 million people and contained 340 enterprises, 25% of the country’s forest resources and 132 deposits of mineral and raw material resources of various types was contaminated.
The territory of Belarus became a zone of environmental disaster for many centuries. Representatives of democratic forces are going to hold a traditional manifestation “Charnobylski Shlyah” in Minsk today.
Member of higher orders of clergy Philareth will conduct a requiem mass in remembrance of victims of the Chernobyl disaster. Representatives of Minsk City Executive Committee will bring flowers to the Stone of remembrance of victims of the Chernobyl catastrophe in the capital. Events dated for the 21st anniversary of the disaster will also take place in other regions of the country.
The explosion shifted the upper blocks of the reactor which led to its depressurization. Generated steam displaced and destroyed the reactor lid, rupturing the coolant tubes and then blowing a hole in the roof. After part of the roof blew off a fire started.
Contamination of the atmosphere turned out to exceed the contamination caused by the bombing of a Japanese city of Hiroshima by 300 times. More then 77% of radioactive nuclides drifted to the territory of Belarus. The Chernobyl disaster affected all spheres of life – production, culture, science and economy.
About 2 million Belarusians (including 500 thousand children) suffered form the catastrophe. 2 million 64 thousand square kilometers of land was forbidden to be used in agriculture. 54 collective and state farms were liquidated and 9 plants were closed down.
Usage of forest, mineral and other resources significantly decreased. The territory that was home to about 1.8 million people and contained 340 enterprises, 25% of the country’s forest resources and 132 deposits of mineral and raw material resources of various types was contaminated.
The territory of Belarus became a zone of environmental disaster for many centuries. Representatives of democratic forces are going to hold a traditional manifestation “Charnobylski Shlyah” in Minsk today.
Member of higher orders of clergy Philareth will conduct a requiem mass in remembrance of victims of the Chernobyl disaster. Representatives of Minsk City Executive Committee will bring flowers to the Stone of remembrance of victims of the Chernobyl catastrophe in the capital. Events dated for the 21st anniversary of the disaster will also take place in other regions of the country.
