On the night of April 25-26, 1986, a terrible technological disaster occurred in the history of mankind - the explosion of a nuclear power plant, which is comparable in scale to 20 explosions on Hiroshima in 1945. On the first day, the radiation dose was over 400 x-rays - this level of exposure is considered fatal. After a few days, the radiation dose exceeded 600, 000 times the maximum permissible value.
In order for radiation to not affect human health, it is necessary that this level does not exceed 2 x-rays per year. The level of radioactivity simply shocked the whole world. In the article, we will talk about the facts of the Chernobyl anomaly.
How did this happen
During the experiment with saving energy, emergency safety systems were turned off. For unknown reasons, the 4th power unit exploded: a powerful stream of radiation took off into the sky. The first firefighters arrived began to fight with a flame that for a very long time could not be extinguished. Fire fighters were not wearing special anti-radiation suits. All of them received lethal doses of radiation and died from radiation in the next day. It was thanks to these people that they managed to prevent a second explosion, which would simply wipe all European countries off the face of the earth.
After 30 hours, a hasty evacuation of the inhabitants of Chernobyl and the city of Pripyat, which is located 3 kilometers from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, began. Over 145, 000 residents left the exclusion zone during the first week. That is how the territory adjacent to the nuclear power plant began to be called.
The next few days after the disaster, radioactive clouds and dust reached neighboring states: Belarus, Russia, Sweden and the Baltic countries.
Tourism to the natural anomalies of Chernobyl
The Ukrainian authorities opened access for tourists to the city of Pripyat, which for many years was guarded by the military, it was impossible for an ordinary person to get into it without special access. Tourists dubbed it a ghost town, since the deserted streets, abandoned houses and infrastructure remained the same as on the day of the evacuation. When you get into any apartment or building in an empty city, you feel an involuntary alarm: everywhere there are signs of hasty gatherings and dilapidated furniture.
Tourists are attracted by the abnormality of Chernobyl in the natural and animal world, about which there are a wide variety of rumors. But there are confirmed facts.
The consequences of an ecosystem accident
Many who visited the exclusion zone say that they saw mutated animals with their own eyes. In soil, water, air - everywhere the level of radiation exceeds a safe value even 30 years after the accident.
The water level in the Pripyat River is constantly decreasing. Today it is only 20 centimeters. This is due to the fact that in this area there is almost no rain, and in winter there is no snow.
The pine forest, which first took the brunt of the disaster, now looks charred. Partially restored brown-red color served as a source for a new name. Today it is called the Red Forest.
In the 90s, roe deer was tested, during which it turned out that the level of cesium in their organs was exceeded 2000 times. In the current generation of animals, this figure has decreased to 10 times the value that exceeds the norm. Almost all animals are currently not very different from their counterparts in other places.
But Chernobyl anomalies can be found among fish: they differ in their unusual appearance and weight, reaching 80 kilograms. There are many albinos in the animal world, swallows have an unusual color, black cranes have appeared, which are quite rare in their population. All this indicates a change in the genotype of animals associated with radiation. The whole world spoke about the anomalies of Chernobyl. Photos of the terrible consequences of the accident will be presented later.
Independent expert Vyacheslav Konovalov managed to meet an octopus foal, a two-headed pig and animals with asymmetric body proportions during the Chernobyl expedition. Scientists have calculated: it is necessary that 8 centuries have passed, so that the ecosystem is completely rid of radiation.
The habitat of the Red Book animals in the exclusion zone
Along with the anomalies of Chernobyl and Pripyat, there are positive aspects in the fauna. Due to the fact that there is almost no human activity in the area, wild animals began to return to these places. Moose, deer, wild pigs, lynxes, brown bears, roe deer and many other animals began to meet much more often, as it was 100 years ago. Many Red Book animals live in this area: white-tailed eagle, black stork, otter, badger and others.
Vegetation has grown significantly, anthropogenic factor is absent. Perennial garden and cereal plants are food for animals. In addition, animals move freely throughout the protected area, including spending the night in abandoned houses and farms.
It is important for tourists to remember that being in the exclusion zone is an extreme trip that is associated with a health risk: wild animals and radiation levels are dangerous.
