Okay, first a disclaimer. This may be considered the boring page filled with words, punctuation, and other such annoyances. If you would like to go straight to the picture gallery, click here and enjoy. Also go check out Dan Cronin's photos.
In May of 2011, I set off with my good friend (and professional photographer), Dan Cronin, to go see and photograph the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Our four day stay in the zone allowed for a behind-the-scenes view of the region that everyone has heard of but few have ever visited. It was a terrific experience that shed insight on life in Chernobyl before, during, and after the disaster.
In the mid 1980's the region around Chernobyl was considered a shining example of the Soviet model. Nestled near the northern border of Ukrainian SSR, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant complex stood as a testament to the USSR's ability to harness nuclear energy for good. The neighboring town of Pripyat, primarily used to house workers from the power plant, was constructed as a model Soviet city. Grand avenues, large plazas, modern schools, and a public celebration of the arts graced the city of fifty thousand residents. Visiting dignitaries were often brought specifically to see the Pripyat and the successful Soviet spirit that it embodied.
In the wee hours of April 26th, 1986, the nuclear engineers prepared for a test at the plant, just a few kilometers outside of Pripyat. Something went wrong. A combination of operator error and a flawed reactor design doomed Reactor #4 and led to a complete meltdown. A massive explosion sent tons of extremely radioactive material, usually buried below many feet of steel and reinforced concrete, into the night sky.
As the USSR slowly revealed the extent of the disaster, the evacuation and cleanup effort began. The citizens of Pripyat were taken away by bus, given only a few moments to collect a few critical belongings. The evacuations reached out to nearby towns and villages, counting over 90 in total, and the government eventually defined an exclusion zone around the reactor. Initially defined as a ring around the reactor with a radius of thirty kilometers, the region was eventually adjusted to encompass more areas with high radiation. Over 350,000 people have been evacuated from the area since 1986.
600,000 young men were drafted from across the Soviet Union to serve as "liquidators," charged with cleaning up the situation. They took on perilous duties and were typically lied to about the true extent of the danger. Their most identifiable contribution was the construction of the giant steel and concrete sarcophagus required to cover the damaged reactor.
Today, the nuclear power plant and its surroundings lie a rusty, tattered, toxic shell of their former self. Guarded by Ukrainian soldiers, the zone may never again support civilian life and activity. The once grand town of Pripyat is completely abandoned. With each year the surrounding forest encroaches to slowly retake the land. Some of the buildings have already begun to crumble.
In other parts of the zone, there are surprising signs of life. The reactor complex itself has a significant amount of people around. Nuclear workers are required to maintain the radioactive material still present in reactors #1 through #3. Construction workers are stabilizing the corroded sarcophagus and beginning construction of a new containment structure. Outside of the populated areas, the zone effectively serves as a wildlife preserve. The region is home to large number of wolves, deer, and wild boar.
Threats still remain. The aging sarcophagus is corroding and leaks like a sieve. A collapse would send plumes of radioactive dust into the air.
This trip was fascinating in many ways. It was a history lesson, a source of adventure, and at the same time sparked reflection on the destructive capability of man. The recent events at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant made it all the more relevant, and served as a poignant reminder of our responsibility as stewards of the planet.
If you stuck with it and read this whole thing, then wow, I am impressed. Thanks. Either way, please go ahead and check out the photo gallery. The zone is a place that can be hard to describe in words.