Tech

Inside the radioactive wasteland of Chernobyl, 30 years after the meltdown

Chris Weller

2016-04-01T20:34:00Z

Thirty years ago, the largest nuclear meltdown in history devastated a small Ukrainian town called Pripyat. The population was just shy of 48,000 people.

Today, it's zero.

Researchers are divided on the true death toll caused by the Chernobyl disaster, but many put it in the tens of thousands. Some think it could be closer to a million because of related cancers. Deadly radiation still spews from Chernobyl, as it will continue to do as half-lives degrade over the next 600 years.

Here's a look inside the radioactive wasteland.

In the early hours of April 26, 1986, a failed test of the Chernobyl's reactor limit caused dual explosions to shoot huge amounts of radiation into the air. Fires burned for weeks.

Pripyat residents were quickly evacuated, with the expectation that they'd soon return home. Most never did. Their valuables stayed behind, left to the elements.

Today, visitors can take guided tours through Pripyat provided they undergo radiation screenings at the end. For a day tour, the radiation levels aren't harmful.

Walking through the ghost town is akin to stepping through time, rediscovering a piece of history frozen in place.

Many of the buildings are dilapidated, as are the remnants inside.

In the immediate aftermath of the meltdown, the state tried to clean up the disaster zone for roughly seven months, before eventually acknowledging the radiation risks.

Kindergarteners outfitted their dolls in gas masks before evacuation.

Rusted-out beds and destroyed toys add to the unsettling effect.

So does the abandoned clothing.

The latest research suggest the most severe health impacts of Chernobyl have been thyroid cancer and mental health issues. Many women also requested induced abortions immediately following the meltdown.

Financially, the disaster was just as ruinous. The Soviet Union spent $18 billion to contain the meltdown and decontaminate the area — practically bankrupting itself.

In many ways, Chernobyl has come to define the failures of the Soviet Union for Ukrainians: Operational error was caused by a mixture of hubris and lack of safety oversight.

There has been some support. In 2002, the United Nations created the Chernobyl Recovery and Development Programme to offset the burden in the most affected areas of Ukraine.

Additionally, the nonprofit Chernobyl Children International works with the Belarusian government and the UN to perform research and advocate for victims.