On this day - 26 April
Historical items of interest as featured in the papers of the day.
Chernobyl disaster begins
An explosion of one of the reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power station triggered the start of the Chernobyl disaster which is widely considered the worst nuclear disaster in history. The accident took place during a planned steam turbine test. Contaminants and radiation were spread throughout the local area.
The Chernobyl power plant was located near to Pripyat in northern Ukraine, close to the Belarussian border. Both Chernobyl and Pripyat remain abandoned cities.
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