Chernobyl marks 30th anniversary of deadly nuclear accident

Thirty years have passed since the deadly Chernobyl nuclear accident of April 1986, and life has not yet returned to normal in the disaster-affected area, according to a report by an epa journalist on the scene.

Levels of radiation remain high in the surroundings of the now-defunct plant which was the scene of the biggest accident in the history of nuclear power generation, with very few people choosing to live in the virtually-abandoned villages near the nuclear site.

However the flora and fauna in the area seem to be slowly recovering, with much of the land being gradually turned into farmers' fields, while a farm is operating just 37 kilometers away from the reactor site.

The farm is located near a radiation ecology reserve and has more than 260 horses and 55 cows being raised for sale. Reserve workers claim that the content of radionuclides is monitored during all activities.

On Apr. 26, 1986, an explosion occurred at Unit 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukrainian SSR, now Ukraine, sparking a fire that raged through the building.

Large quantities of radioactive contamination were released into the atmosphere and spread over much of Western Russia and Europe, and nearby villages. A 30-kilometer zone around the damaged plant had to be evacuated as radiation levels reached lethal levels.

Although only two workers died at the scene from the initial explosion, four military personnel died in a single helicopter accident, 32 firemen and emergency clean-up workers lost their lives due to acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and three more died later of medical complications in the three months that followed the disaster.

While it has been difficult to accurately determine the longer-term impact of the nuclear radiation, a 2006 study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France predicts that by 2065 the disaster will have caused a total of 16,000 cases of thyroid cancer and 25,000 cases of other cancers.

Construction work is currently underway on a new protective shelter which will be mounted over the remains of the nuclear power plant. EFE

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