Chernobyl: Chernobyl: 20 Years Later20 Years Later

1986: The year of the 1986: The year of the accidentaccident

► 26 April 1986, 26 April 1986, 1:23:00:1:23:00: A test of the A test of the cooling system begins cooling system begins in unit no. 4 of the in unit no. 4 of the Chernobyl power plant Chernobyl power plant

► 26 April 1986, 26 April 1986, 1:23:40:1:23:40: The The emergency shutdown emergency shutdown fails. fails.

► 26 April 1986, 26 April 1986, 1:23:44:1:23:44: The reactor in The reactor in unit no. 4 runs out of unit no. 4 runs out of control and explodes. control and explodes.

Why?Why?

►Design flawsDesign flaws Lack of Lack of

containment shell containment shell Positive void Positive void

coefficientcoefficient Graphite moderatorGraphite moderator

►Dangerous Dangerous experimentexperiment

Immediate Soviet ReactionImmediate Soviet Reaction► Unprepared officials at a Unprepared officials at a

local and national level local and national level exacerbated the problemexacerbated the problem

► Firefighters who went to put Firefighters who went to put out the graphite fire were out the graphite fire were not told of lethal radiation not told of lethal radiation levelslevels

► Eventually the government Eventually the government acknowledged the disaster acknowledged the disaster and ordered the evacuation and ordered the evacuation of nearby Pripyatof nearby Pripyat

The SarcophagusThe Sarcophagus

► A hastily-built A hastily-built concrete and steel concrete and steel structurestructure

► Placed around the Placed around the remains of Reactor 4remains of Reactor 4

► Shoddy construction; Shoddy construction; extremely unstableextremely unstable

► Plans are underway Plans are underway for a new, more for a new, more permanent buildingpermanent building

26 April to 4 May 1986:26 April to 4 May 1986:► Most of the radiation Most of the radiation

was released in the was released in the first ten days. first ten days.

► At first, northerly and At first, northerly and northwesterly winds northwesterly winds predominated. At the predominated. At the end of April the wind end of April the wind switched to the south switched to the south and southeast. There and southeast. There were frequent but local were frequent but local showers.showers.

► This resulted in a very This resulted in a very varied regional and varied regional and local distribution of the local distribution of the radiation. radiation.

Health and Physiological Health and Physiological ConsequencesConsequences

► Increase in thyroid cancerIncrease in thyroid cancer► Increase in other types of cancerIncrease in other types of cancer►Chronic IllnessChronic Illness

A young thyroid cancer patient

awaiting treatment at a center in Kiev

After radiation therapy

Psychological ConsequencesPsychological Consequences

► Anxiety Anxiety ►Depression Depression ►Helplessness and Helplessness and

despair leading to despair leading to social withdrawal social withdrawal and loss of hope for and loss of hope for the future. the future.

►Other disorders Other disorders attributable to attributable to mental stress mental stress

Environmental EffectsEnvironmental Effects

Food and Other RestrictionsFood and Other Restrictions

SourcesSourcesImage SourcesImage Sources

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Text SourcesText Sources

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