Destinations / The most sinister places in the world / Prypiat, Ukraine

  

   Prypiat is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, Kiev region, close to the border with Belarus. The city was founded in the early 70s, being built for the employees of the Chernobyl nuclear plant. The communists have developed a modern city, to attract more people from Chernobyl. The city was abandoned in 1986 because of the calamity at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant , which is located 14.5 km north-west from the village. Although the city had 50,000 inhabitants before the disaster, it is now totally deserted.

   In 1986, on 26 April, an explosion occurred at the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, at 1.28 am. Chernobyl disaster is considered today the most terrible event in the history of nuclear energy. 336,000 people were evacuated after the explosion on April 26, 1986. 56 people were killed directly because of the explosion; the total number of victims is estimated to exceed 10,000 people, who died after developing cancer due to high level of radiation.

   Prypiat city began to be evacuated the next day. Locals were told it was a fire, while several units of soldiers occupied the town and forced people to evacuate the city immediately. Domestic animals and pets have been shot by soldiers and then incinerated. In just a few hours, all the 50,000 inhabitants have left.

   Prypiat city had only 16 years of existence. Formed in 1970, the town found its end after the nightmare of 1986. Prypiat can be considered, until recently, a museum. Everything was exactly as it was left, and in homes one could find books, newspapers, televisions, vinyl records, children's toys, even furniture and precious objects. That is because each was allowed to take only one suitcase with documents, books and clothes that were not contaminated. But at the beginning of XXI century, the houses began to be robbed by thieves, taking even the sinks or toilets. Few houses have remained untouched. Since buildings are not maintained, the roofs have holes, and during spring, when it rains, houses are flooded. It is not uncommon to see a tree growing inside a house.

   Even if the city is largely uninhabited, a few people still living there. A small part of the town has been restored, and now there lives a population of about 2,000 people, including visitors and tourists. Occupied houses are not different from those inhabited, but they have writings which state that “the owner of this house lives here ".

   In 2011, 25 years after the disaster, the authorities intend to transform the park into a museum for tourists who want to come in the area. Prypiat has now become a kind of tourist destination. Helicopter tours and mini city walks through areas with very low or no radiation are available.

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