1. Chernobyl disaster
April 26, 1986

2. • The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear reactor accident
in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine,
which used to be a part of the Soviet Union.
• It is considered to be the worst nuclear power plant
disaster in history and the only level 7 instance on the
International Nuclear Event Scale.

3. • What is nuclear power?
The energy produced by splitting atoms in a nuclear reactor.
• Why is it dangerous?
Nuclear power technology produces materials that are active
in emitting radiation and are therefore called “radioactive.” We
are all exposed daily to a little radiation but too much or in
mass quantities can destroy cells, cause organs to shut down
or after long and continuous exposure cause cancer.

4. • The Chernobyl Power Plant had a huge power
excursion that destroyed the reactor which
resulted in a severe release of radioactivity into
the environment.
• Two people died in the initial steam explosion,
but most deaths from the accident were
attributed to radiation.

5. • The Chernobyl Reactor after the explosion.

6. • People were evacuated
the day after the
explosion.
• A month later 116,000
people in an 18 mile
radius of the plant were
evacuated.
• Over 300,000 people
were moved from the
accident.
• Many still live in
contaminated areas and
the long term effect is not
yet known.
• The Soviet Union has not
been able to study effects
due to lack of funds and
secrecy.

7. Effects on the Environment around
the Chernobyl explosion.
• Fallout levels were very high right around explosion and
affected all wildlife.
• Red Forest- was a forest right by the plant was named
this because plants had a red hue after the explosion.
These trees also died from the amount of radiation they
received.
• The Red Forest is still one of the most contaminated
areas in the world but is becoming the most fertile to
endangered species because of the lack of human
influence in this area.

8. Effects on the Environment around
the Chernobyl explosion.
• Eagles, storks, beavers, wolves and bears have
been spotted in this area.
• Some weird things have been spotted; birds with
shorter tails, trees with strangely bent branches,
other mutated plants.
• A report written in 2005 by the Chernobyl Forum
stated that, apart from a 15 mile area around the
site and a few restricted lakes and forests,
radiation levels had returned to acceptable
levels.

9. Effects on People around the
Chernobyl explosion.
• Over 300,000 people were moved because of the
accident.
• An increase of thyroid cancer has been diagnosed
among children in areas of Belarus, Ukraine and
Russia.
• Some believe the stress of the accident has been
worse on people than the radiation.

10. Effects on Economy around the
Chernobyl explosion.
• Between 300,000 and 600,000 people were brought in to
clean-up.
• Crops were destroyed, livestock was killed, everywhere
there was radiation.
• Over 235 billion dollars has been spent to clean up the
disaster.
• Belarus lost 1/5 of its farming lands(700 million dollars a
year loss.)
• 350 industries were lost due to the disaster.

11. Some pictures of the disaster.

12. Chernobyl Video:
• http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm