Today, April 26, 2015, marks the 29th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
A sober occasion for those of us who pay attention to such things, who know that serious nuclear accidents (far too understated a term, really) are occurring somewhere in the world about every 10 years.
(Accidents compilation list here; important to note that the Chalk River accidents are not even included in that accident compilation, which is not 100% complete!)
There is such a great deal one could say – but I’m just going to provide a list of items I’ve run across recently about the Chernobyl disaster (or been reminded of, as the anniversary approached), and suggest that you peruse/pursue the links if you feel so inclined.
Chornobyl: posting collection from Ukraine source
Chernobyl: A human perspective (several links here, all on the Fairewinds site)
Chernobyl, 29 years on: A race against time
Chernobyl to Fukushima – a variety of items, including food security post-accident
Containing Chernobyl’s Deadly Legacy As the 29th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster approaches, work continues to safely confine radioactive waste remaining at the site with the construction of the largest moveable structure ever created on land
Forest fires threaten new fallout from Chernobyl
Haunting short YouTube of footage captured by a drone
Health Effects of Chernobyl 25 years after the reactor catastrophe (April 2011)
Interview with Chernobyl Cleanup Survivor, Natalia Manzurova
Voices of Chernobyl author wins 2015 Nobel Prize for Literature
Finally, it’s important to remember/be aware that there remains a 30-kilometre exclusion zone surrounding the site. To put things in perspective, the city of Toronto is located within 30 kilometres of a major nuclear generating station (the Pickering NGS).
Direction sign to Nukes
Parting thought: “Chernobyl is a word we would all like to erase from our memory. But more than seven million of our fellow human beings do not have the luxury of forgetting. They are still suffering, every day, as a result of what happened…The exact number of victims can never be known.” – former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
p.s. if you are open to having your heart break, & almost certainly shed some tears, I highly recommend the documentary Chernobyl Heart, about the children of Chernobyl & area, whose hearts are not merely emotionally scarred, but literally physically damaged (to this day children are being born with damaged hearts). Tears, as I say, highly likely (just as true for the short YouTube ‘Eternal Tears.’)
Eternal Tears (12 minute YouTube)
Fallout is forever…
Weird to think about, how many years have already passed since the nuclear disaster. Insane to think that its estimated not to be safe to live in the area for the next 25 000 years.