Chernobyl Disaster: A Tragedy Remembered and Lessons Learned

A Look Back at the Devastating Nuclear Explosion

Thirty-five years ago, the world witnessed one of its darkest chapters: the Chernobyl disaster. An explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine sent a plume of radioactive particles across Europe, leaving a lasting scar on the region and the history of nuclear power.

The Catastrophic Explosion

On April 26, 1986, during a safety test at the plant, a surge of power caused an explosion in the No. 4 reactor. The resulting fire and radiation leak released massive amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere, affecting an area of over 4,000 square miles.