Chernobyl nuclear power station workers

FILE Employees of the 4th energy bloc of the Chernobyl NPP in Pripyat, on Wednesday, April 1, 1987. On April 26, 2009 there will 23 years from the day of accident in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The most scaled anthropogenic catastrophe – an accident in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant took place on April 26, 1986. The reactor in the 4th energy unit of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was completely destroyed as a result of string of heat explosions at 1:23 pm. Much radioactive elements got into atmosphere. This accident is considered to be as the biggest one during the whole history of nuclear energy both by supposed number of perished people and economic damage. 116 thousand people were evacuated from the injured regions after the accident in the Chernobyl NPP. More 230 thousands people were resettled from the polluted zone. Photo by Solovyov Valery /UNIAN