Chernobyl Disaster

Presentation By;

Ashwin KAM.EN.U4CSE12010

Navaneeth AAM.EN.U4CSE12029

Nithin RajAM.EN.U4CSE12031

Praveen KarolAM.EN.U4CSE12035

The Greatest Man-made Nuclear Disaster

Chernobyl ?

• LOCATED IN UKRAINE

• 20KM SOUTH OF BELARUS

Disaster overview

• ACCIDENT OCCURED ON SATURDAY, 26 APRIL 1986

• STARTED AT REACTOR NUMBER 4

• UNEXPECTED POWER SURGE LEAD TO VESSEL RUPTURE AND EXPLOSIONS

• GRAPHITE MODERATOR BEGAN REACTING, IGNITED

• RESULTING FIRE THROW OUT HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT IN ATMOSPHERE

Reactor 4 – Chernobyl plant

Radiation from Chernobyl

UKRAINE, BELARUS, RUSSIA, SWEDEN AND MANY OTHERS WERE CONTAMINATED BY RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT

Extent of Chernobyl accident

• LEAD TO THE RELEASE OF HUGE AMOUNT OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

• 400 TIMES STRONGER THAN HIROSHIMA ATOMIC BOMB EXPLOSION

• 600,000 PEOPLE INVOLVED IN EMERGENCY CONTAINMENT, CLEANING AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS

• LAKHS OF PEOPLE EVACUATED FROM REACTOR SITE

• AT PRESENT, MORE THAN 5 MILLION PEOPLE SAID TO BE CONTAMINATED

Chernobyl before and after

Effects on human

• PEOPLE EXPOSED TO RADIATION DIRECTLY (RADIOACTIVE CLOUD) AND INDIRECTLY (FOOD)

• THYROIDS OF CHILDREN HEAVILY EXPOSED TO RADIOACTIVE IODINE THROUGH MILK

• THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAD THYROID CANCER DUE TO EXPOSURE

• CERTAIN TYPES OF LEUKAEMIA AND SOLID CANCER REPORTED

• CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES AND CATARACTS WERE ALSO STATED

• HAD DEFORMITIES IN NEW-BORN BABIES AND MUTATION IN ANIMALS

Media of exposure to radiation – direct (external) and indirect (internal)

Chernobyl disaster victims

EFFECT ON ENVIRONMENT

• URBAN AREAS ARE HEAVILY CONTAMINATED

• AGRICULTURAL FIELDS ARE HEAVILY CONTAMINATED BY RADIO-ACTIVE WASTE

• INCREASE IN MORTALITY WITH DECREASE IN REPRODUCTION AND GENETIC ANOMALIES ARE STILL SEEN IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

Socio Economic Cost of the Disaster

• UKRAINE IS YET TO BECOME AGRICULTURALLY

• SELF-SUFFICIENT

• NEW SETTLEMENT FOR 3,30,000 PEOPLE

• POOR DIETS, UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLES, POVERTY, AND LIMITED ACCESS TO PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

Current Concerns

• MISCONCEPTS AND MYTHS REGARDING RADIATION AND DISASTER ARE STILL SPREADING AMONG THE SURVIVORS.

• GOVERNMENT IS NOT KEEN IN GIVING PROPER DETAILS.

• LOW INCOME AND VERY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT

Needs of the People

• IMMEDIATE ACTION PLAN TO COPE UP WITH POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT AND ISOLATION.

• GOVERNMENT POLICY IS NEEDED TO NORMALISE THE LIFE OF ENTIRE AFFECTED POPULATION.

• ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON THE EFFECTS OF THE ACCIDENT, GOOD QUALITY HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND EMPLOYMENT IS NEEDED BY THE SEVERAL MILLION PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED ONLY MILDLY BY THE ACCIDENT.

Thank You