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Pripyat

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51°24′20″N 30°03′25″E / 51.40556°N 30.05694°E / 51.40556; 30.05694

Prypiat c. 2001
For other uses see Pripyat

Prypiat (Template:Lang-uk; Template:Lang-ru; 51°24′20″N 30°03′25″E / 51.40556°N 30.05694°E / 51.40556; 30.05694) is an abandoned city in the Zone of alienation in northern Ukraine, Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. It was home to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant workers. The city was abandoned in 1986 following the Chernobyl disaster. Its population had been around 50,000.

Before the disaster

View of the Chernobyl power plant from Prypriat

Unlike cities of military importance, access to Prypriat was not restricted prior to the disaster. Before the Chernobyl accident, nuclear power stations were seen by the Soviets as safer than other types of power plants. Nuclear power stations were presented as being an achievement of Soviet engineering, where nuclear power was harnessed for peaceful projects. The slogan "peaceful atom" (Template:Lang-ru) was popular during those times. Initially the plant was intended to be built only 25 km from Kiev, but the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, among other bodies, expressed concern about the station being too close to the city, and so the station, together with Prypiat, were built in their current location — about 100 km from Kiev.

After Chernobyl

Until recently, the site was practically a museum, documenting the late Soviet era. Apartment buildings (four of which were recent constructions not yet occupied), swimming pools, hospitals and other buildings were all abandoned, and everything inside the buildings was left behind, including records, papers, TVs, children's toys, furniture, valuables, and clothing, etc. that any usual family would have with them. Residents were only allowed to take away a suitcase full of documents, books and clothes that were not contaminated.

The Prypiat Ferris Wheel, as seen from the City Center Gymnasium.

However, the apartment buildings were almost completely looted some time around the beginning of the 21st century. Nothing of value was left behind; even toilet seats were taken away. Some buildings have remained untouched. Many of the building interiors have been vandalized and ransacked over the years. Because the buildings are not maintained, the roofs leak, and in spring the rooms are flooded with water. It is not unusual to find trees growing on roofs and even inside buildings. This hastens deterioration, and due to this, a 4-storey school partially collapsed in July of 2005.[1] In a few decades the city will most likely lie in ruins.

Prypiat and the surrounding area will not be safe for human habitation for several centuries to come. The most deadly radioactive isotope (caesium-137) released by the accident (external gamma exposure has a short biological halflife in humans) will take 300 years to decay to one thousandth of its present level. The strontium-90 will decay over a similar time. Strontium is a beta emitter with a long biological halflife in humans, which can cause disease through internal exposure. After the caesium activity has decayed to this level, the area may be used for most human activities again. The graph below shows that caesium is responsible for almost the entire gamma dose rate due to the accident experienced in Prypiat. This has not prevented wildlife from entering the area; wild animal populations are actually quite large in the exclusion zone, capitalizing on the lack of human occupation. Statistics are not yet widely available to indicate changes in animal reproductive cycles nor mortality rates.

Safety

The contributions made by the different isotopes to the dose (in air) caused in the contaminated area in the time shortly after the accident. Note that this image was drawn using data from the OECD report, [1] and the second edition of 'The radiochemical manual'.

A natural concern is whether it is safe to visit Prypiat and the surrounding area. The Exclusion Zone is considered relatively safe to visit, and several Ukrainian companies offer guided tours of the area. The radiation levels have decreased from the high levels of April 1986 due to the decay of the shortlived isotopes released in the accident.

The city and the Exclusion Zone are now bordered with guards and police, but obtaining the necessary documents to enter the zone is not considered particularly difficult. A guide will accompany visitors to ensure nothing is vandalized or taken from the zone. The doors of most of the buildings are open to reduce the risk to visitors, and almost all of them can be visited when accompanied by your guide. The city of Chernobyl, located a few miles from Prypiat, has some accommodations including a hotel, many apartment buildings, and a local lodge, which are maintained as a permanent residence for watch-standing crew, and visitors.

In 1986, shortly after the disaster, the city of Slavutych was constructed to replace Prypiat. After the city of Chernobyl, this is the second largest city for accommodating plant workers and scientists.

File:DK Energetik Palace of Culture - Pripyat -.jpg
The DK Energetik City Centre as seen from the City Square.
Public swimming pool "Azure" in the center of Prypiat.

Cultural References

  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl takes place in the Zone of Alienation, and includes Prypiat in its game world. The city is rendered in great detail and accuracy, but also takes some liberties, such as adding radioactive mutants.
  • There is a mission in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that takes place within Prypiat located within the Zone of alienation succeeding the Chernobyl disaster. The game goes as far as creating The DK Energetik City Centre as well as the "Azure" a public swimming pool located in the center of Prypiat and The Prypiat Ferris Wheel. It also features the "Polissya" hotel

References

  1. ^ My Journey to Chernobyl: 20 Years After the Disaster – An article by Mark Resnicoff
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pripyat.

See also

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