The Ghost Town of Pripyat

[Image by completecityguides.com]

Not many people know the story of the historically significant events that occurred in the year 1986 at the city of Pripyat, Ukraine. In this city, there existed the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and on April 26th of that year the power plant exploded causing a large wave of radiation emitting from the location. This large amount of radiation can be deadly to people, more specifically radiation can lead to a high chance of developing cancer.

Not many people died from the initial exposure of radiation; a little less than 50 people. However, the Ukraine government states that about 125,000 people died later due to the Chernobyl radiation.

Because of the nuclear fallout, the entire city of Pripyat was forced to evacuate its 50,000 residents out of the city the next day after this incident. At the time, the authorities told the residents to take only small things with them; their most valuable possessions. They thought they were going to be away for only a few days, but little did they know they weren’t returning to their houses ever again.

What happened to the city of Pripyat? Scientists estimate that the city will not be safe to live in until the year 22,000. So for now Pripyat is still a ghost town where no humans live there. However it’s been inhabited by many types of animals. Many photographers have gone inside the exclusion zone and taken pictures of the deserted city, and their shots are amazing. A few days ago urban explorer Adam Mark visited Pripyat and took plenty of pictures of the ghost town.

The green shrubbery has already taken over the structures around the city of Pripyat and its unattended structures.

A rusted ferris wheel, and a famous landmark that let people know that this place was once inhabited by people.

A rusty and abandoned room of one of the buildings inside Pripyat.

Half submerged and rusted boats sitting on the riverbed being taken over by the green environment.

Many children's toys and belongings left after the evacuation of the city.

Probably one of the most eerie photos taken shows a pile of gas masks and in the middle a children's picture book.

What do you think about the exclusion zone? Would you like to visit there someday? Or would you rather play the safe game and only admire it from the pictures taken?