Chernobyl

It's 20 years today since the world's worst nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl power plant.

Official UN figures predicted up to 9,000 Chernobyl-related cancer deaths. A Greenpeace report estimated a figure of 93,000. Greenpeace said other illnesses could bring the toll up to 200,000.

The sarcophagus encasing Chernobyl was built in haste and is crumbling. Despite strengthening work there are fears it could collapse, leading to the release of tonnes of radioactive dust.

Work is due to begin on a £600m replacement shelter designed to last 100 years. This New Safe Confinement will be built on site and then slid over the sarcophagus. The radioactive fuel, however, is going to remain dangerous for thousands of years.

And Labour want to build new nuclear reactors in Britain?

There's some good articles about it on the BBC web site
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/europe/2006/chernobyl/default.stm

Pripyat was built as a town for workers at the Chernobyl power station. The town was abandoned 36 hours after the explosion.

(photo from BBC web site)

We're going over to Kiev in July and thinking about going to see Chernoyl, which would certainly be an experience.