Causes and Consequences of Chernobyl Incident Research Paper

Causes and Consequences of Chernobyl Incident - Research Paper Example As a fact the power supply was already lowered down almost 15 hours before the experimentation had resumed this time. Later on, this emerged in a news report that the said nuclear reactor was functioning at almost 7 per cent of its full capability. Records indicate that the test begun at 01:23 a.m. local time (The Telegraph 2011). It took not more then the next 60 seconds and a dreadful accident had occurred. The power supply had intensified which led to two disastrous explosions. As a result, highly intensified radioactive substance was also unleashed. The reactor was thoroughly destroyed, leaving behind an immense cloud of radioactive substance that rose to an estimated 3,300 feet straight to the skies. Due to the intense force of the blast, some of the released substance gradually scattered in the surrounding areas yet most of it was able to travel as far as Western Europe (Park 1986). International news agencies became active. The incoming reports strongly suggested that the over all design along with most of the operating functions of this High Power Reactor were outdated and poor. A lack of safety measures and other omissions on the part of reactor’s operating crew were being further added to the latest insights that may have led to this happening. More causes that actually lead to this disastrous accident were clarified after months when Soviet officials declared that the accident was a result of several failures (Park 1986). In the year 1992, a report was put together for the UN nuclear power watchdog, in which chief of the reactor’s statement was also quoted. It read: â€Å"01:24, serious shocks.† This statement that was obtained from the operator log clearly indicates that things were pretty much out of control right after the experimentation had begun. The report further elaborates as the engineer explains â€Å"the rods of Reactor Control & Protection System had actually stopped moving before they had touched the lower limit ene rgy switches.† Later on, it was clarified in a report that was published in the Soviet newspaper that the atomic station was under-staffed during the accident, adding that most of the workers had left due to the upcoming â€Å"May Day holiday† This news added a lot to the situation. Some of the key engineers were also among those that were not present that day (Hoffmann 1986). Few analysts said that it was rather good that a less amount of people were available when the blasts occurred whereas others raised the point that this was probably an additional cause of the explosion. Due to the instant explosion, one of the workers was killed right away. His body was never to be found while another operating member lost his life after few hours following the grieve accident. He was taken to the hospital but could not survive. Firefighting team arrived in a short bit. They started their efforts to somehow extinguish the fire and take over the chaotic situation. More teams were summoned. All these fire-fighters were a target of an abnormal dose of radiation. Thus a total of 28 rescue workers along with plant’s serving members that were present at the sight would die in the up coming weeks. They were more likely to get infected by Acute Radiation Syndrome, commonly known as (ARS). Even though the number of causalities that had taken place and those that were to follow the leakage clearly called for a state of emergency, the Soviet authorities remained silent for another three days. On April 28th, TASS, an official