What is happening inside Chernobyl?
In 2016, a 110-m-high steel coffin was pushed to cover the Reactor 4, which is to be finally sealed against leaks in November 2017. At the centre of the reactor building, tonnes of highly radioactive nuclear fuel, control rods, and molten concrete still remain. Radioactive isotopes such as caesium-137 and europium-152 emit high concentrations of gamma radiation, making it lethal to stay nearby for more than one hour. Over many years, remote- controlled robots are to remove the radioactive material.
DAMAGED REACTOR SEALED IN STEEL COFFIN
26 April 1986: Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine explodes.
September 2010: The construction of the 36,000 t, 110mhigh, and 162mlong steel casing begins.
November 2017: The steel casing is in place, ensuring no new leaks for 100+ years.