On April 26, 1986, reactor number four at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine exploded, releasing massive amounts of radiation into the environment. The Chernobyl disaster is considered the worst nuclear accident in history. So how does the Chernobyl exclusion zone, established after the accident, look today, over 35 years later?
What caused the Chernobyl disaster?
The Chernobyl accident occurred during a safety test on reactor number four. Operators wanted to see if the reactor’s turbines could provide enough power to keep coolant pumps running in the event of a blackout until generators were activated. But a combination of design flaws and human error caused an uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction instead.
Specifically, when operators initiated the safety test and lowered power at reactor four, instability increased dramatically. Operators made several fatal mistakes as they tried to stabilize the reactor, including disconnecting emergency safety systems. Finally, a large power surge occurred, triggering explosions that destroyed the reactor core and released massive amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere.
How much radiation was released from Chernobyl?
The Chernobyl explosions released an enormous amount of radiation, estimated to be hundreds of times greater than the radiation released by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Most of the radiation was released in the first 10 days after the accident, although fires at the plant later contributed additional contamination.
The radioactive cloud created by the explosions spread over much of Europe and even reached eastern North America. However, most of the radiation settled close to Chernobyl in northern Ukraine, southern Belarus, and western Russia.
What were the effects of the Chernobyl disaster?
The Chernobyl accident had devastating human, environmental, and economic consequences:
- At least 31 people died as a direct result of the explosions or acute radiation sickness in the weeks afterward.
- Hundreds of thousands of people were exposed to radiation, including workers trying to contain the accident, and people living downwind of the plant. Increased cancer rates have been documented in these populations.
- Over 300,000 people were evacuated from contaminated areas in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. Many of these residents were forced to permanently leave behind their homes, belongings, communities, and livelihoods.
- Vast areas of forest and farmland were contaminated. The economies of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia were all hurt by the disaster’s effects on agriculture and livestock.
- Psychological distress increased due to radiation fears and stress from evacuation and resettlement.
The total cost of the Chernobyl disaster is difficult to calculate, but estimates range from hundreds of billions to trillions of dollars.
What is the Chernobyl exclusion zone?
In the first few months after the Chernobyl accident, an area extending 19 miles (30 km) in all directions from the plant was designated the “exclusion zone.” This zone included the town of Pripyat, where many Chernobyl plant workers lived. By 2017, the Ukrainian government had offically expanded the Chernobyl exclusion zone to cover an area of approximately 1,000 square miles (2,600 sq km).
The exclusion zone is restricted to reduce radiation exposure. Residents were evacuated in 1986 and resettled elsewhere. Entry requires a permit, and most visitors only stay briefly for tours. A small number of residents returned to their homes in the exclusion zone after resettlement, refusing to go or sneaking back in, and over 100 of these residents still live there despite government orders to leave.
What does the Chernobyl exclusion zone look like today?
The Chernobyl exclusion zone is a largely abandoned area, contaminated by radiation but slowly being reclaimed by nature. What it looks like depends on where you are within the zone:
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
The damaged reactor at the Chernobyl plant was enclosed in a giant concrete and steel “sarcophagus” structure in late 1986 to contain the radiation. In 2016, a newer, larger confinement structure called the New Safe Confinement was moved over top of the sarcophagus. It is designed to prevent additional radiation leaks from the site for at least 100 years. The other three reactors at Chernobyl continued to operate but were then shut down by 2000. The plant itself looks like an industrial complex – decaying but not entirely derelict.
Pripyat
The town of Pripyat was built in the 1970s to house workers from the Chernobyl plant and families. At the time of the disaster in 1986, around 49,000 people lived there. Today, nature is slowly reclaiming the empty apartment buildings, shops, schools, gyms, parks, and other infrastructure. Trees and vegetation grow through cracks in concrete. Rusting playgrounds, ferris wheels, bumper cars, and dodgem cars remain in an amusement park that was set to open a few days after the accident. Pripyat is often described as a “ghost town.”
Surrounding villages
Hundreds of small villages populated the region around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant before the accident. Most were bulldozed and buried due to contamination, leaving only the overgrown foundations visible. A few villages remain partially habitable for the residents who returned after resettlement. Support infrastructure like roads, power lines, and railways have been left to decay.
Forests
Much of the exclusion zone not taken up by towns or roads consists of forest. Scots pine tends to dominate, but birch, oak, cedar, and other species grow as well. While radiation levels remain elevated, the lack of a human presence has allowed animal and plant populations to expand undisturbed. Wildlife in the Chernobyl exclusion zone includes elk, boar, wolves, foxes, badgers, eagles, rodents, and more. However, there is evidence of mutation and developmental abnormalities.
Is it safe to visit Chernobyl?
Yes, it is possible to visit the Chernobyl exclusion zone as a tourist. You must apply for a permit and go on an organized group tour. Visitors usually spend only a few hours in the most contaminated areas and remain in the vehicle to limit radiation exposure. More time can be spent in less contaminated areas of the zone.
According to Ukrainian law, the radiation dose received over a 24-hour visit cannot exceed 5 millisieverts, although the typical dose received during tours is well below this limit. This is a safe level of exposure for a rare, brief visit. However, living in a contaminated area or receiving repeated high exposure would increase cancer risks.
To stay safe, visitors to the exclusion zone are advised to:
- Follow all instructions from tour guides
- Remain on roads and designated paths
- Avoid touching any debris or structures
- Limit time spent in the most contaminated locations
- Wear long pants, long sleeves, and closed toe shoes
- Avoid eating or drinking within the zone
- Use hand sanitizer frequently
By taking appropriate precautions, the Chernobyl exclusion zone can be visited safely and provides an informative, if haunting, look at the long-term consequences of nuclear accidents.
What is the radiation level today?
Radiation levels within the Chernobyl exclusion zone vary widely depending on the location. Some of the most contaminated areas include:
Location | Radiation Level (mSv/hr) |
---|---|
Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor | 14.0 |
Red Forest | 2.0-4.0 |
Pripyat Amusement Park | 0.5-1.5 |
Pripyat City Center | 0.3-1.0 |
Away from the most contaminated areas, radiation levels fall significantly but still remain above the global average background of 0.17 mSv/hr:
Location | Radiation Level (mSv/hr) |
---|---|
Pripyat residential outskirts | 0.05-0.30 |
Chernobyl observation point | 0.14 |
Duga radar installation | 0.10 |
Overall, radiation levels have declined since 1986 due to natural decay processes, but still remain elevated across much of the exclusion zone. The most hazardous areas are limited to a “hotspot zone” that is strictly controlled. Other areas can be visited briefly under supervision.
When will Chernobyl be safe for people to live in permanently?
It’s difficult to definitively say when Chernobyl might be fully safe for permanent human habitation again. Several factors determine whether an area contaminated by nuclear radiation returns to safe levels:
Radioactive decay
Over time, the radiation released by Chernobyl has decayed. For example, iodine-131 decayed away completely over the first months after the accident. The 30 km exclusion zone was established based on the prevalence of shorter-lived isotopes like iodine-131. However, radioactive isotopes with longer half-lives persist in the environment.
Cesium-137, with a half-life of 30 years, remains one of the key contaminants. After 10 half-lives (300 years for cesium-137), radioactivity has decayed to about 0.1% of original levels.
Weathering and leaching
Over decades and centuries, weathering and leaching removes radioactive particles from the environment. Rain and wind help erode contaminated soil or wash it into waterways. Radioactive materials slowly migrate into lower layers of soil. However, this process can take thousands of years for complete decontamination.
Forest fires
Forest and peat fires in the exclusion zone redistribute radioactive particles back into the air through smoke, partially offsetting decay over time.
Bioaccumulation
Radioactive materials accumulate through the food chain via lichen, plants, and fungi. Animals that consume these in turn become contaminated. The extended presence of wildlife in the exclusion zone may impede decontamination.
Groundwater contamination
Radioactive isotopes have steadily leached into groundwater under the exclusion zone over decades. Groundwater can discharge back into surface reservoirs and rivers, further spreading particles.
Given these factors, it may be hundreds of years before the most contaminated areas in the Chernobyl exclusion zone fall to safe levels suitable for permanent human resettlement. However, areas with lower original contamination could potentially be reoccupied sooner.
Conclusion
Over 35 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the exclusion zone remains abandoned and highly contaminated, a haunting relic of the accident. Nature has begun to reclaim the area, creating an accidental radioactive wildlife preserve. While radiation levels have declined and a few hardy residents have returned, most of the zone is still too hazardous for reoccupation. With careful management of radioactive contamination, limited visits are possible. But it may be centuries before the legacy of Chernobyl is gone entirely.