Chernobyl Radiation Zone - 40 Years Later

This past Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. Radiation was scattered across Europe but the worst of it was concentrated in the 2,600 square mile exclusion zone around Pripyat, the plant’s location. This area will be uninhabitable by humans for a very long time. Informal estimates range from 300 to tens of thousands of years. 

-Map via Reddit

Though a few people have returned to this area, it has mostly reverted to forest with a large wildlife population. This map via Wikipedia, from ten years after the disaster shows radiation accumulation across Ukraine, Belarus and parts of Russia.

Current radiation conditions are shown at SaveEcobot, a project that combines data about the state of the environment, pollution, and environmental protection tools.

These site indicators are published on the map without additional verification, so they are approximate. The average natural level in Ukraine is usually 0.08–0.30 μSv/h. The dark blue and purple locations have significantly elevated radiation levels. Here is a zoomed in version around Pripyat, with the exclusion zone shaded.

A click on the reading will give you a chart of measurements over the past week. This one is from the grounds of the power plant.

This site also monitors fires, water and air quality. I don’t think radiation is factored into the air quality measurements. 

You may also find a few hidden messages in these maps. I’d translate this one, but you might find it rude.