KATHMANDU: Today marks International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. The United Nations General Assembly declared April 26 as an annual observance through a resolution passed on December 8, 2016.
The day has been observed globally since 2017 and this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
The explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant released a massive radioactive cloud that spread across large parts of the former Soviet Union, affecting areas that are now within Belarus, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation. An estimated 8.4 million people were exposed to radiation.
According to the United Nations, the disaster continues to have serious long-term consequences, with affected communities still requiring sustained support even decades later.
In the aftermath of the accident, the United Nations, along with the governments of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, has led recovery and development efforts in the affected regions.
These have included humanitarian aid, measures to reduce radiation exposure, healthcare support for affected populations, and ongoing research into the long-term health impacts.
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