Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant fire raises spectre of another Chernobyl

A fire at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – Europe’s largest – has sparked fears of a potential man-made disaster and revived memories of the Chernobyl meltdown, the world’s worst nuclear catastrophe 38 years ago.

Though the fire has been largely contained, the incident has exacerbated global fears of a disaster amid the Russia-Ukraine war, with experts pointing to the potential fall-out that could affect millions of people, even hundreds of kilometres away.

Russia took control of the plant in March 2022, less than a month after its tanks and soldiers attacked Ukraine.

According to Rosatom, the Russian nuclear energy corporation, the fire originated in the plant's cooling system and has been significantly extinguished.

The fire also triggered claims and counter-claims between Moscow and Kiev.

Yevgeniy Balitskiy, the regional governor of the Russian-annexed Zaporizhzhia province, attributed the fire to an artillery strike by Ukrainian forces targeting Enerhodar, the town adjacent to the power plant.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, blamed Russian actions for the fire. Zelenskyy also sought to reassure the public that radiation levels at the plant and in the surrounding city remain within safe limits.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also ruled out immediate safety threats.

What happens if disaster strikes?

Experts say that the potential fallout of a nuclear meltdown can be catastrophic for all living beings, including plants.

“Ionising radiation, characterised by high energy levels capable of ionising atoms, can directly damage cell structures and DNA,” says Professor Sevda Sahinbay from the Istanbul Technical University’s Physics Engineering Department.

“The release of radioactive particles poses an immediate risk to human health, potentially leading to severe outcomes such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and birth defects,” Sahinbay tells TRT World.

Radiation from the Chernobyl disaster of April 1986 – caused by an explosion in the fourth reactor of the plant – continues to affect large areas in Ukraine and elsewhere, nearly 40 years after the incident in what was then the USSR.

The explosion released radiation equivalent to 50 to 400 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, impacting vast areas across Europe, including Türkiye.

Chernobyl is just over 500 kilometres from Zaporizhzhia.

The long-term consequences of the Chernobyl disaster are still under study. Estimates suggest that the incident caused approximately 200,000 fatalities, with increases in cancer cases and birth defects reported among affected populations.

Environmental engineer Malhun Fakioglu Kutlu of Istanbul Technical University explains the consequences of a nuclear disaster in plain terms.

“A possible nuclear explosion might cause irreversible damage to the environment by affecting natural resources. Forests and freshwater bodies such as rivers and lakes have been among the most affected ecosystems after the Chernobyl explosion,” Kutlu tells TRT World.

“Radioactive contaminants were absorbed by plants and later by animals, which was subsequently found in milk, meat, forest food products, freshwater fish and wood as an inevitable consequence.”

What happened in Türkiye

The radioactive cloud from Chernobyl contaminated air, water, and land across a vast swathe of the world, severely impacting a large population in the eastern Black Sea region of Türkiye.

The region’s tea fields, crucial both economically and culturally, were heavily contaminated by radioactive clouds. The tainted tea led to widespread health issues among farmers and consumers, including elevated rates of thyroid disorders and other radiation-related illnesses.

The situation at Zaporizhzhia underscores the critical need for stringent nuclear safety protocols and robust international oversight.

Experts say upholding rigorous safety standards and transparent communication is essential to preventing future nuclear incidents and safeguarding public health.