Though nuclear power is one of the high potential energy sources, any accidents at the generation sites can cause severe damage to the nearby places. The vast amount of nuclear waste created by power plants can lead to high radiation and raise temperature levels. Any mishandling of radioactive material used in the nuclear power can pose potential risks to the environment and health of human beings.
Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Ukraine 1986:
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Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan 2011:
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Kyshtym nuclear disaster, Russia 1957: The Kyshtym nuclear disaster occurred as a result of a radioactive contamination accident that took place on 29 September 1957 at Mayak, a plutonium manufacturing facility Russia for nuclear fuel reprocessing plant of the Soviet Union. A failure of the cooling system used for one of the tanks containing about 70–80 tons of liquid radioactive waste had led to the accident. It is classified as a Level 6 disaster on INES, making it the worst nuclear disaster after the Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi disasters. The event resulted in hundreds of deaths of the people staying in nearby villages to the production site.
Windscale Fire, UK 1957:
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Three Mile Island accident, Pennsylvania US 1979:
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Goiania accident, Brazil 1987: The disaster was a radioactive contamination accident that took place on 13 September 1987, at Goiânia, in the Brazilian state of Goiás.A stolen old radiotherapy source from an abandoned hospital site in the city had caused the accident. Four people were reported to have died as a result of the disaster, while more than 100,000 people undergone diagnosis for radioactive contamination, according to a study by International Atomic Energy Agency. Of the total people examined for contamination, 249 were identified to have been affected with significant levels of radioactive material in or on their bodies.
SL-1 Experimental Power Station, Idaho US 1961:
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Saint-Laurent, France 1969: Considered as the worst civil nuclear power accident in France, the disaster took place as a result of meltdown of 50 kg of uranium in one of the gas cooled reactors began at the Saint-Laurent Nuclear Power Station on 17 October 1969. The power station is located in the commune of Saint-Laurent-Nouan in Loir-et-Cher on the Loire – 28km upstream from Blois and 30 km downstream from Orléans.The facility features two operating pressurized water reactors, with each having a capacity of 900MWe. The reactors are cooled by the water of the Loire River.
Read more at Top nuclear power disasters
