Chernobyl: 23rd Anniversary
Benjamin Rudsteyn
After twenty-three years, the Chernobyl nuclear accident of April 26th, 1986 in Ukraine still has a tremendous effect on the local population of Belarus, Ukraine, and other neighboring countries. More radiation came out of this accident then that of the combined two atomic bombs dropped on Japan. According to BBC news, Belarus received 70% of the fallout from the accident ruining 20% of its agricultural land and contaminating 40% of Ukraine's forests with radiation. Many people still live in the exclusion zone of 18 miles, because they have no where else to go. Traces from the radiation have been found in almost all parts in the Northern hemisphere, including Western Europe.
This accident was caused by flaws in the building of the plant and mistakes in operation of the nuclear processes which allowed for overheating of one of its reactors. Radiation spilled
More radiation came out of this accident then that of the combined two atomic bombs on Japan.
out into the atmosphere and was absorbed by living organisms, as well as causing a fire that lasted ten days from the explosion. The area only came under control after a massive operation and a number of causalities. Two-hundred thousand people were evacuated from contaminated areas of Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. Nonetheless, the plant remained open until December 2000.
This immense and powerful radiation spreads through plants, soil, water, and air. It ended up in the food supply of both animals and humans. Affecting the atmosphere, the radiation contaminated the rain and eventually the drinking supplies and sewage systems. Local doctors now regularly treat children, with cancer, especially thyroid cancer and leukemia, heart defects, and kidney damage. The thyroid cancer resulted largely from the ingestion of “radioactively toxic” milk from contaminated cows. However, children
These problems arise from the anxiety and confusion...