April 26, 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. At 1:23 am, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s reactor #4 blew up after operators botched a safety test, triggering an explosion and a fire that burned for 10 days. The radioactive fallout spread over tens of thousands of square kilometers, driving more than a quarter of a million people permanently from their homes. Twenty-five years later, the long shadow of Chernobyl continues to darken lives — socially, environmentally, and physically. As the world observed the recent catastrophe at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant following the earthquake in Japan, generations of victims in the areas surrounding Chernobyl still suffer from the aftermath of the disaster. These images remind us that accidents like Chernobyl are a possible outcome of nuclear power — anytime, anywhere.
April 26, 2011 marked the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. At 1:23 am, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s reactor #4 blew up after operators botched a safety test, triggering an explosion and a fire that burned for 10 days. The radioactive fallout spread over tens of thousands of square kilometers, driving more than a quarter of a million people permanently from their homes. Twenty-five years later, the long shadow of Chernobyl continues to darken lives — socially, environmentally, and physically. As the world observed the recent catastrophe at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant following the earthquake in Japan, generations of victims in the areas surrounding Chernobyl still suffer from the aftermath of the disaster. These images remind us that accidents like Chernobyl are a possible outcome of nuclear power — anytime, anywhere.