Chernobyl Nucleur Power Plant 1986

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What Happened? On 26th April 1986, a test was scheduled at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to test a method of keeping the reactors properly cooled in the event of a power failure. If the test had gone as planned, the risk to the plant was very small. Unfortunately, they risked Chernobyl for a disaster because of miscalculations. Even so, the test was continued even as the serious problems arose. Meltdown occurred at 1:23 AM, starting a fire that dispersed large quantities of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. The amount of radioactive material released was 400 times more than the amount the atomic bombing of Hiroshima released. Effects Environmental Effect The nucleur power plant is located next to the Pripyat River, which flows into the Dnieper reservoir which is one of the largest surface water systems in Europe. At the same time, supplies water to Kiev's 2.4 million residents. This caused a major problem to the people as now; their drinking water is contaminated with radioactive materials. Other than that, the radioactivity in the seas, lakes and rivers became a threat to aquatic life. Thankfully, the groundwater was slightly affected because the radioactive material fortunately decayed before it could reach the groundwater supplies. Four kilometers of pine trees turned reddish-brown after the accident. This is where the name “Red Forest” was earned. Animals near the badly affected areas either died or stopped reproducing. The radiation caused numerous problems to humans as well, including Down's Syndrome, chromosomal aberrations, mutations, leukemia, thyroid cancer, and birth defects. Social & Economic Effect The tragic accident cost a huge sum of money. According to Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union spent US$18 on containment and decontamination, causing them into major bankruptcy. A significant economic impact at the time was the

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