Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Chernobyl Aftermath


The disaster began after a system test on April 26th, 1986. The aftermath of the disaster is horrifying. I cannot imagine the sheer horror these people must be going through, today...2013.


When the city of Pripyat felt the explosion of reactor number 4 it took officials 36 hours to evacuate the city of 50,000. By then it was to late.  The men, women and children had already been exposed to the deadly radiation. 25+ years later, reactor 4 is still spewing the deadly radioactive crap.  What kind of mutants are coming from this disaster? 
Many of the children born today from parents who survived have weak immune systems and thyroid problems. 

BUT...
What I find so amazing is a group of about 1200 "self settlers" moved back to the contaminated area only 3 months after the disaster mostly people over the age of 48.
Today about 230 of the "self settlers" remain. 
Nadejda Gorbachenko, 80, lives a few meters from the barbed wire fence of the exclusion Zone. She sneaks through a hole in the wire to collect mushrooms and berries for her own consumption. "When I see Police I hide in the bushes. Nobody will stop me."
This is just one of many women living in the area, all of them well into their 70's and 80's.
Maria Vitosh, 86.
Why have some thrived? Others...met their end. 

Inside of the entire "forbidden" zone, more than 10,000 people reside and the tourist arrive by the bus load.


The animal population in the area is thriving. There have been some mutations. 


 Plants and trees are thriving. Rare species such as the lynx and Przewalski's horses, eagles and owls thrive where humans fear to tread.
Bats live in the old houses and roe deer are abundant.

Would you visit Chernobyl today?


  

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