April, 26 marks the 31st anniversary of the largest man-made catastrophe in history

April 26, 2017 (112UA) A handful of Kyiv residents came to pay tribute to those who deceased during the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, which occurred on April 26, 1986. Among the present were liquidators of the disaster and their relatives. At 1.23 a.m., the exact time when the explosion on the 4th unit of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant thundered, the church bell rang 31 times, as in 31 years since the catastrophe took place. 

Chernobyl's official photographer Anatoly Rasskazov took this photograph in the first hours after the deadly explosion. A highly radioactive vapour trail is seen coming from the heart of the destroyed reactor. Rasskazov dot 300 Roentgen (fatal is 500 Roentgen) while taking photos of the plant. He died of cancer in 2010.

People laid flowers to the memorial of the liquidators of the Chornobyl disaster. Leaders of Ukraine and Belarus will jointly participate in the events dedicated to the anniversary of the tragedy. On April, 26, Ukrainians, Belorussians, Russians and several other nations remember those who gave their lives due to the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. It is known and widely referred to as the largest man-made catastrophe in the entire history. The tragedy took place at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, near Prypiat’ city, Kyiv region on April 26, 1986.

The nearby town of Priryat is still abandoned throgh, due to high level of radiation. Some parts of Chernobyl will not be radiation-free for at least 24000 years because of substances such as Plutonium 139.

See video at

http://abcnews.go.com/Archives/video/chernobyl-disaster-nuclear-plant-soviet-1986-9843882