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The nuclear disaster hidden inside the Soviet Union: Why didn't anyone know about the Kyshtym accident at that time?
On September 29, 1957, a severe nuclear disaster broke out at the Mayak nuclear factory in the Soviet Union. The accident was called the Kyshtym disaster and became the second worst nuclear accident in history.Even so, few people knew the truth about this disaster at that time. Why is this?
The Kyshtym disaster is the nuclear incident that released the most radioactive material after the Chernobyl disaster.
Accident background
With the end of World War II, the Soviet Union lags behind the United States in the development of nuclear weapons, so the government quickly launched research and development plans to produce sufficient weapon-grade uranium and ginger.The Mayak nuclear factory was rushing to build between 1945 and 1948, when there were still many gaps in understanding nuclear physics, making many security decisions difficult to judge.
Environmental issues were secondary in the early stages of development, with Mayak once directly discharging highly radioactive waste into nearby rivers.
Catastrophe
One Sunday in 1957, a highly radioactive liquid waste storage tank at the Mayak factory exploded due to a failure in the cooling system.The explosion released a greater amount of radioactive pollution than the Chernobyl accident, forming the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT).After the explosion, the party and government authorities strictly blocked the entire picture and scope of the accident.
Within ten hours of the explosion, radioactive clouds extended to 300 to 350 kilometers, with 270,000 people within the range affected.
Failed to evacuate in time
After the accident, local residents did not receive a timely warning.It was not until a few days later that a large-scale evacuation operation began, but no specific explanation was given for the evacuation.Moreover, it was not until 1976 that Soviet dissidents made the facts of the disaster public.
Second effects
As time goes by, the truth of the facts gradually emerges.According to recent epidemiological studies, the number of disaster-related cancer deaths is estimated to be between 49 and 55.The government has blocked the affected areas and created the East Ural Nature Reserve, prohibiting any unauthorized entry.
According to the report, the person in charge of the accident was identified as a major mistake in technical operation, and the management measures after the accident were all blocked.
Today's situation
Ozyorsk's radiation level is now at about 0.1 millichfer per year, which is a harmless level.However, as early as 2002, the health of nuclear workers in Mayak and people on the banks of the Techa River continued to be affected.
Conclusion
Kyshtym's blockade and neglect not only reflects the dangers of nuclear energy, but also reveals how the government chooses to hide the truth when facing disasters.This makes people wonder whether there are similar hidden dangers in the current nuclear energy safety?
