Published On 4/27/2026
At dawn on April 26, 1986, a massive explosion occurred in the fourth reactor at the Chernobyl plant, making the world record one of the worst nuclear disasters in its history. Within moments, large areas turned into contaminated areas, while winds carried nuclear dust to distant European countries such as France and Italy, in a disaster that transcended the limits of geography and politics.
The report prepared by Al Jazeera Network correspondent Asad Allah Al-Sawy paints a comprehensive picture of the tragedy whose chapters have not yet ended. After the explosion, efforts to contain the stricken reactor continued for about 200 days, ending with the construction of a huge structure of iron and concrete known as the “sarcophagus” or “coffin”, to isolate the radiation from the world.
But the scene today is no less dangerous. That coffin, which was supposed to be replaced in 2006, was reinforced to extend its life for an additional two decades, before an insulating iron dome was built over it in 2016, in an attempt to contain the danger in preparation for dismantling the reactor. However, the site’s alarms still recorded radiation levels about 160 times higher than normal.
From the heart of the site, Al-Sawy conveys a darker picture, as officials confirm that the fourth reactor is still the most dangerous point in the station, and perhaps in the world, as radiation levels near it reach more than 200,000 times the normal rate, which makes it risky for a person to stay there for more than five minutes.
The threats did not stop at the legacy of the disaster, but were extended by the ongoing war. The Iron Dome, which cost about 1.5 billion euros to build, was damaged as a result of a Russian drone hit, which required repair work estimated at about a third of its original cost, and temporarily halted plans to dismantle the reactor.
Experts confirm that the safety of the dome has been violated, which raises the concern of the International Atomic Energy Agency, although no radiation leakage has been recorded so far, noting additional risks related to unstable metal structures inside it.
Zaporizhya station
The effects of the explosion are also still present in the control room, where the alarms do not subside, a constant reminder that the disaster is not yet over. In light of the war, risks are exacerbated at other nuclear sites, most notably the Zaporizhya plant, which is controlled by Russia while relying on electrical supplies controlled by Ukraine.
Although its reactors have been shut down since September 2022, which reduces their need for cooling, the continued power outage for long periods may bring back the specter of disaster, especially with the Ukrainian energy network being targeted.
As for other nuclear plants operating in the country, they face a greater danger, as any power outage may threaten their vital cooling systems, making them vulnerable to serious accidents.
In the vicinity of the capital, Kiev, the anniversary is renewed every year, as the displaced people of the city of Pripyat, the closest to the stricken reactor, gather to commemorate a tragedy that forced them to leave their homes four decades ago, as part of a wave of displacement that included more than a hundred thousand people from dozens of cities and towns, leaving behind places that turned into silent evidence of a disaster that changed their lives forever.
Between a past that has not disappeared and a present burdened with dangers, Chernobyl remains an open wound in the world’s memory, and evidence that nuclear disasters do not end with the extinction of the explosion, but rather their effects extend for decades, being passed down through generations and reminding humanity of the price of major mistakes.
