The Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine experienced a catastrophic explosion in 1986, causing the largest nuclear disaster in history. Faulty reactor design, human error, and lack of safety precautions led to explosions that released massive amounts of radiation into the environment. Over 30 people died initially, and many cleanup workers later developed health issues from radiation exposure. The disaster crippled the Soviet economy and accelerated its collapse, while also increasing public opposition to nuclear energy. Today the abandoned city of Pripyat near the plant stands as a ghost town and reminder of the accident.

1. The Chernobyl
Accident

2. • Chernobyl, Ukraine was the
site of the largest nuclear
disaster in the history of
Introductory humankind. Ukraine
Reactor Four exploded and
released enormous
amounts of toxic chemicals
into the atmosphere. Two
people died immediately as
a result of the explosions,
but twenty-eight people
died weeks afterwards due
to toxic chemical exposure.

3. Why?
• The reactor malfunction was caused
by a number of factors. Some of these
said factors are faulty reactor design,
poorly trained nuclear officers, and
lack of safety precautions. The reactor
was in a severely unstable condition,
and the unique design of control rods
caused a large power surge. The fuel
reacting with the steaming water
caused a fraction, and this escalated
into the two explosions.

4. Pripyat, Ukraine.
Pripyat was a city of around 54,000 residents
during the Chernobyl accident. In mere days, all
54,000 residents were evacuated from the area
and were able to avoid harm. The city was
founded in 1970 to accommodate the workers for
the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The city has
been abandoned ever since the disaster in
Chernobyl in 1986, and is now considered a ghost
town. The famous ferris wheel in the town
amusement park has long since become an icon
for the disaster.

5. Usage in
Modern Media
• The Chernobyl incident has been a
popular draw for the media ever
since it occurred in 1986. It has
appeared in such video games such
as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl
and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat.
There is also a movie set to come
out in 2012 named Chernobyl
Diaries about a group of tourists
who encounter mutated horrors in
the Zone.

6. • Only 30 people died due to the accident at Chernobyl,
with 2 of those 30 dying because of the foremost
explosions. The incident released tons of toxic
chemicals into the environment, which spread all over
Europe. The event gained much negative media
attention and was much dramatized to represent
countless mutations due to the accident, although this
is far from the truth.
Aftermath

7. Cleanup
• In the beginning, there were around 350,000 cleanup
workers, or “liquidators” working on cleaning up the
Chernobyl area from 1986-1987. The number
eventually rose to about 600,000 liquidators, mainly
from the army. Around 240,000 of these liquidators
acquired Acute Radiation Sickness.

8. Impact
• Chernobyl rocked the world (figuratively, of course.)
The accident at Chernobyl was completely unique,
although nuclear energy afterwards was never
looked upon the same, and has become a
controversial subject. Apart from this, the expenses
used to clean up the area crippled the Soviet
Union’s economy, and was a major factor in its
downfall.

9. Pripyat
Today
• Today Pripyat is still considered abandoned, even
though it is open to the public, and is now a tourist
destination. The radiation affects in the area are
almost gone presently, after nigh on 30 years of
cleanup.

10. Bibliography
• http://www.world-
nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prypiat