Nuclear Event
Chernobyl Disaster
30K
estimated deaths
Period
1986–1986
Origin
Soviet Union (Ukraine)
Death range
4K–60K
Infected
600K
Overview
On April 26, 1986, Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Soviet Ukraine exploded during a safety test, releasing 400 times more radiation than the Hiroshima bomb. Immediate deaths were just 31, but estimates for long-term cancer deaths range from 4,000 (WHO) to 60,000+ (independent researchers). About 350,000 people were permanently evacuated. The disaster contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Historical Timeline
1986Immediate deaths — April 26
1987Acute Radiation Syndrome deaths
2006WHO/IARC long-term cancer estimate
Symptoms
Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS)
Severe burns
Thyroid cancer (iodine-131 exposure)
Leukemia
Psychological trauma
Affected Regions
Chernobyl Reactor
Kyiv (Ukraine)
Belarus
Scandinavia (fallout)
Sources & References
Compare Chernobyl Disaster with other events
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