April 26th marks the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. With the ever growing concern of the reactors in Fukushima, Japan, attention has risen on the eve of the Chernobyl anniversary.
Last week I visited the power plant and the surrounding area known as the exclusion zone, a 30km circle around the Chernobyl plant. I met with “re-settlers” who moved back a few months after they were evacuated in 1986. Mostly consisting of the elderly, these re-settlers returned because they had no where else to go. They have lived in the area all their lives.
(*please click on thumbnails to see un-cropped version of the image*)
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- People in different shades of pink. On the way to Chernobyl exclusion zone.
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- First checkpoint before entering the exclusion zone
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- Stray dog in Chernobyl
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- Radiation levels (mR/h) were about 10 times the normal levels near the now defunct Chernobyl plant
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- Chernobyl Reactor #4
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- The construction of this reactor near Chernobyl was terminated shortly after the nuclear disaster in 1986
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- Inside the unfinished reactor.
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- On my way to the ghost town of Pripyat.
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- Reading of the ground in this part of Pripyat was 15 times higher than normal background radiation levels.
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- Jars of preserved fish
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- open air view of Pripyat
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- Chernobyl power plant seen in the distance
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- Trees growing in this abandoned penthouse apartment in Pripyat
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- Auditorium
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- gymnasium
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- swimming pool
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- At a Pripyat kindergarden
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- animal footprints incased into cement
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- a basketball court over run with vegetation
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- book on posture
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- bare road on our way to see “re-settlers”
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- pictures of Vasil and Motia’s grandchildren
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- Vasil and his white horse
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- Motia frying up some fish
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- Motia prepared lunch for us
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- Motia pouring some homemade distilled strawberry drink.
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- Vasil and hit gold teeth
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- “It is my home. I was born here, I will die here.”
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- Motia and Vasil
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- Meter reads close to normal background radiation levels
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- Maria
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- Ivan
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- cat and rooster sharing a bed
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- Some shacks belonging to Ivan and Maria
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- Maria petting one of her many kittens
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- Maria
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- Ivan and Maria
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- Ivan saying goodbye
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- Tanks in the exclusion zone.
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- Checkpoint guard reading radiation levels off the van.