Chernobyl disaster's Reactor 4 control room thrown open to tourists

After making Chernobyl an official Tourist attraction, Ukraine has now thrown open the infamous Reactor Four to tourists, as per International reports. This move is reportedly a part of a wider project to turn Chernobyl into an official tourist attraction. Reports state that visitors will need to don protective clothing before entering the control room. Tourists will reportedly be allowed to spend only a few minutes to prevent overexposure to radiation.

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Zelensky announces Chernobyl as official tourist site

Earlier on July 11, in an attempt to put a positive spin on the world's worst nuclear disaster site - Chernobyl, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to turn it into an official tourist site, as per international reports. Announcing his plans for the makeover of the nuclear site, Zelensky said that his administration will launch plans for walking trails and better cell phone reception for thrill-seekers seeking selfies, according to international reports. Previously only the  'Exclusion Zone' surrounding Chernobyl was open to visitors since 2011. Also, tourists could only view the exterior of the Control room, until now.

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Chernobyl the series

Chernobyl has become a tourist attraction since May when the HBO miniseries was released. The series has been acclaimed worldwide for authentically portraying Soviet life in that era, depicting the gripping sketch of events that resulted in the catastrophe and its immediate aftermath. Chernobyl also won a total of three awards in the Emmys in September. These included Best Directing, Best Writing and Best Series in the Limited Series category.

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What is the Chernobyl disaster?

According to World nuclear Organisation, the April 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine was the product of a flawed Soviet reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel. It was a direct consequence of Cold War isolation and the resulting lack of any safety culture. The accident destroyed the Chernobyl 4 reactor, killing 30 operators and firemen within three months and several further deaths later. While nobody offsite suffered from acute radiation effects, a significant fraction of the thyroid cancers have been diagnosed since the accident in patients who were children at the time - likely to be due to intake of radioactive iodine fallout. The resettlement of areas from which people were relocated is ongoing.

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