Chernobyl Disaster

The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. It involved the explosion of Reactor 4 during a safety test, leading to a massive release of radioactive material across Europe and causing significant loss of life, long-term health issues, and widespread environmental contamination. Rated as a Level 7 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale, it remains the most severe nuclear power plant accident in history.