The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred in 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. An explosion and fire released large amounts of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, spreading over much of Europe. In the most affected areas, levels of radioactivity in drinking water caused concern for weeks and months. Some animals in the worst areas died or stopped reproducing, while the next generation appeared normal. Groundwater was not badly affected as radionuclides decayed or were absorbed in soils before reaching groundwater.