It’s like stepping into a time capsule.
Haunting images of the notorious Chernobyl nuclear site capture the abandoned Ukrainian power plant, eerily preserved in the past. Remarkably, a control panel remains illuminated as the 40th anniversary of this unprecedented catastrophe approaches.
Photographs taken on Friday reveal dusty papers still strewn across desks, left behind by frantic workers during the meltdown near Pripyat—then part of the Soviet Union—on April 26, 1986.
Within the control room, a reactor emits a haunting hum near a sign cautioning workers about “fire safety conditions,” according to Instar images.
The photos of the deserted plant, which was the site of the most severe radioactive disaster in history, also display rusting machinery scattered throughout the expansive, warehouse-like structure.
This Sunday commemorates the 40th anniversary of the nuclear reactor explosion that led to widespread radiation exposure, mass evacuations, and enduring environmental damage.
Earlier this week, a group of former firefighters, medics and other workers who lived through the devastating blast returned to tour the plant along with media.
“It’s incredibly sad to compare what this place was to what it is now,” said Volodymyr Vechirko, 62, a former cleaner at Chernobyl.
“Being back here now,” he said, “the emotions are overwhelming.”
