Chernobyl Heart
Michael V. Lipenko
Introduction: In April 26, 1986, a nuclear disaster occurred due to a flawed reactor design
affected the lives of close to 116, 000 that were highly contaminated after the explosion and 5,000,000
today that live in the area that are contaminated.
Describe: The current site is very dangerous as it was weeks after the explosion today. The
reactors are kept incased inside a cement tomb where it prevents any of the radioactive waste from
spewing. Though, this is not the case some experts consider. As observed, some analysists say that the
tomb is very fragile and is filling up with liquid incased in the tomb. If these proceeds, scientists say that
this can cause the tomb to erupt and leak radioactive waste, and worst case scenario, make the tomb
collapse.
Nearly five million people live near the site today. The people who live close are babushkas, as
they say the radiation does not affect them as what people say. Some people live near the explosion
because they do not believe in the radiation. There are some people unfortunately that can’t or will not
leave the contaminated area due to financial issues or the struggles to relocate to a new area.
Effect on people: The radiation in the contaminated area has affected more children than adults with
radiation in some places 1000x greater than regular backround radiation. This radiation has effected
victims emotionally, physically, and mentally. Patients exposed to these dosages of radiation experience
thyroid cancer, making it difficult for them to speak or even to breathe.
Some children today are born mentally ill. According to statistics, 20 percent of children born in
Belarus’s hospitals are born healthy. With the infant mortality rate increased by 300% in Belarus, it is an
obvious reason the radiation has affected the children’s health there and their body structure. With
some kids certain to die before the age of 13, the accident is something people should highly take into
consideration of the risks it provides with living near the site.