Chernobyl 25 years on

On the 26th of April 1986 at 1:23:45 am Moscow time the worst nuclear disaster occurred. The plant is located in Pripyat, Ukraine. Reactor four suffered a catastrophic power increase which resulted to the core exploding. Vast amounts of  radioactive fuel and materials were released into the atmosphere and ignited the graphite moderator. The burning of graphite increased the amount of radiation particles. The disaster was an experiment to test the safety of the emergency cooling of the core.

Shortly after the accident  fire fighters arrived to extinguish the fire. The men were not told of the dangerous radiation that face them. They were told it was an electrical fire. The fires would not be quenched until 6.35 am. A witness is said that after the fire fighters finished they could 'taste metal' and 'had pins and needles all over their faces'.

Hundreds and thousands of people were evacuated from the area. But yet the people had been affected. Some  thousands of children developed thyroid and other cancers due to the mutilation of cells.  Animals and nature suffered as a result also. In some parts, entire forests have been destroyed.

In over 25 years only 3% of the reactors deadly radiation has leaked. People worry if so much damage is done by the 3% then what will happen after the other 97%? A shelter/dome which surrounds the reactor which encases the radiation is now beginning to degrade.  An estimate of $1.2 billion dollars is needed to create a new shelter.

We must ask ourselves; Do we want a future Chernobyl? No. That is why we Must now more than ever use Renewable energy

This website has pictures of areas near Chernobyl http://totallycoolpix.com/2011/01/chernobyl-25-years-later/