When you think of nuclear energy, you definitely think of Chernobyl. However, this was neither the first nuclear disaster nor the last. Here are some of the deadliest accidents in history.
Chalk River Laboratories. There was a nuclear disaster at this place in the 1950s. These laboratories are located 160 km northwest of Ottawa, Canada. In the 1950s, scientists worked there to develop future nuclear technologies. However, all new technologies carry some risks. In December 1952, a problem arose at the National Research Experimental Reactor in Laboratories. It led to an uncontrolled fission reaction. As a result, 1.2 million gallons of radioactive waste spilled into the basement of the Chalk River factory. Some of the waste also ended up in the Ottawa River system and surrounding areas. The radiation eventually spread through the area and rushed towards the United States. It is unknown how many people were actually harmed by this disaster. Then in 1958 there was another accident at the Chalk River Laboratory. He also took lives, but exactly how many are unknown.
In the 1950s, the USSR suffered an even more serious nuclear disaster – Kyshtymskaya. On September 29, 1957, the cooling system of a nuclear plant in the city of Ozersk failed. The reactor exploded and radioactive particles were scattered in the air. These particles spread over 300 square miles (780 square kilometers) across Russia and polluted entire cities. It is believed that 200 people died of cancer due to radiation. Most likely, more than 1,000 people were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation and also suffered from diseases.
In 1957, a nuclear accident occurred in England. October 10, 1957 in a nuclear reactor wind scale The graphite core filled with uranium caught fire. Because of this, radioactive substances were released into the air. The problem was solved, but took a few days. On October 12, 1957, a radioactive cloud began to spread over the UK and Europe. One of the measures taken to reduce the radiation level was the withdrawal of all milk from the warehouses for a month. But this disaster is believed to have caused about 250 cancer cases.
As a result of one of the nuclear accidents, the submarine almost sank. It was a Soviet submarine. K-19. In 1961, the submarine traveled in the waters of the North Atlantic. But at some point his nuclear engine started to overheat. The crew had to work to eliminate the accident as the radiation pierced their bodies. Had they not been able to destroy everything, the submarine would have exploded and released enormous doses of radiation. All the men aboard the submarine later died of illness. In addition, the submarine, delivered on the basis of the K-19, was also exposed to radioactive pollution. For this reason, many people on the rescue submarine also fell ill due to radiation. And we will never know exactly how many people died because of this disaster.
In 1979, a nuclear disaster occurred in the United States. This is one of the worst accidents at a nuclear power plant in the world. Three Mile Island accident shaken the public’s confidence in nuclear energy. This accident occurred due to the failure and failure of the pressure valve in the nuclear power plant. After just a few days everything was fine.
Defective parts have also caused several nuclear accidents. Some disasters occurred due to the negligence of the experts working at the facility. So, for example, 1987 in Goiania (Brazil). On September 13, 1987, two scavengers broke into one of the abandoned buildings and retrieved the teletherapy machine that still contained highly radioactive cesium chloride. They later sold it to the landfill owner, but the problem was that the device radiated from the building to the landfill. It is believed that 245 people were exposed to radiation at that time.
Finally, the worst nuclear disaster ever – Chernobyl. It all happened on April 26, 1986. The emission level in the polluted area only started to decrease on 6 May. According to official reports, 31 people died as a result of this accident. However, this number is probably much higher due to the number of workers involved and the amount of radiation they all were exposed to.
Source: Ferra
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