Disaster Recovery: A need based on human experience

The Chernobyl disaster in April 1986 is considered one of the most severe environmental and human crises caused by human technology. This incident occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union) when a catastrophic explosion, triggered by human errors and reactor design flaws, released massive amounts of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. The resulting radiation not only caused direct deaths and severe illnesses such as cancer among workers and nearby residents but also contaminated vast areas of soil, water, and air, affecting large parts of Europe. The evacuation of the city of Pripyat and the establishment of the “exclusion zone” for decades after the disaster symbolize the long-term consequences of technological catastrophes. Notably, the Soviet government suppressed news of the disaster for several days, which led to extensive secondary casualties due to the spread of harmful radiation among the public.