30-03-2008


Prypiat is an abandoned city in the Zone. It was home to the Chernobyl NPP workers, that is less than 3 km from the town. The city was evacuated in 1986 following the Chernobyl disaster. Its population had been around 50,000.

During the night of 26-27 April, more than 24 hours after the explosion, the committee, faced with ample evidence of extremely high levels of radiation and a number of cases of radiation exposure, had to acknowledge the destruction of the reactor and order the evacuation of the nearby city of Prypiat. By 9 PM on 26 April, 1,350 buses, 2 railway trains and 3 motor ships were brought into the Chernobyl area. By standing idle for half a day 12-15 km from the source of the radioactive blow-out, the city buses became contaminated and contaminated the city of Kyiv after the return. The organized evacuation of the town of Prypiat and the Yanov railway station (49,360 and 254 people respectively), including about 17,000 children and 80 bed-bound patients, was carried out on 27 April, between 2 PM and 5 PM. In order to reduce baggage, the residents were told that the evacuation would be temporary, lasting about three days. As a result, Pripyat still contains personal belongings.

Subsequently on 2 May started the evacuation from the neighbouring zones and finished on 7 May. Altogether, about 116,000 people from 118 settlements in Ukraine and Belarus were evacuated by the end of August 1986. At the same time, 60,000 cattle and other farm animals were removed from the 30 km zone of the ChNPP. The town of Prypiat was abandoned, and everything inside the buildings was left behind and the town become practically a museum of the Soviet era. However, by the begininig of the 21st century, a lots of buildings were looted, many of the interiors have been vandalized over the years.

The buildings are deteriorating, the trees and grass grow on roofs and even inside the buildings. In a few decades the city will be ruined.