The Chernobyl Legacy
Originally for today's update, I intended to post a couple of links to great photos
at photo blogs that I regularly visit. But then I stumbled across something different
- still concerning photography though - that left me...speechless really, in a
very sad way, and I have to share this today.
Over 20 years ago, a nuclear reactor in Chernobyl, Ukraine, then part of the former
Soviet Union, malfunctioned during an experiment, exploded and spread high doses
of radiation into the atmosphere. While I knew about the disaster in general,
I do not recall any reports later on that deal with the post-effects of the incident.
Magnum photographer Paul Fusco did a photographic
report on children in hospitals and elsewhere in the area. The report is available
as a photo show with audio commentary by Fusco himself. The images showing the
deformations of children exposed to the radiation are horrifying and his comments
add to this as well. Like I said, I do not know of any report in the media that
deals with the aftermath in this shocking and exposing way. Yet, I feel like this
has to be shown to the world, and thus, Fusco's report is a terrifying piece of
evidence.
Ironically, the Wikipedia
article on the Chernobyl accident states there have been encountered little
long term effects on health.
Another ironical piece of triviality is this: The Soviet government at first kept
the reactor failure a secret. One day after the accident, workers noticed a certain
level of radiation at a nuclear power plant in Forsmark, Sweden. After a check
of the plant, it was clear that the radiation did not originate in the Forsmark
plant, but in Chernobyl, which is over 1000 miles away. In July 2006, a serious
incident took place at Forsmark nuclear plant, which nearly resulted in a reactor
meltdown.
Comments
Speechless...I really don't rely in Wikipedia as a Online Enciclopedia and I am glad you pointed out. I said!
encyclopedia :-)
Back to the blog.