Chernobyl disaster 1986

Introduction

The Chernobyl disaster was the worst nuclear power plant accident of the 20th century. The Chernobyl disaster began on 26 April 1986 with the explosion of the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the city of Pripyat in the north of the Ukrainian SSR, close to the border with the Byelorussian SSR, in the Soviet Union.

The disaster exposed the far-reaching consequences of low-probability, high-impact technological hazards, including large-scale radioactive contamination, long-term environmental damage, mass displacement, and enduring public health and psychosocial impacts across multiple countries. The event also highlighted challenges in early warning, risk communication, and cross-border coordination during complex emergencies.

This page brings together diverse knowledge products, including research reports, policy analyses, historical assessments, and case studies that examine both the immediate response and decades-long recovery process following the disaster.