The Chernobyl nuclear accident occurred on April 26, 1986 at a power plant in Ukraine when a sudden power surge and series of explosions released radioactive particles into the atmosphere. Over 30 years later, the immediate area remains largely uninhabited due to high radiation levels, though some residents refused to leave. In the aftermath, many nearby residents fell ill with headaches and other symptoms, and thousands have since died of radiation-induced illnesses like cancer. The accident also caused mutations in both humans and animals born in the affected zone.