THE cloud of radiation spewed out by the world’s worst nuclear accident at Chernobyl 20 years ago could kill up to 60,000 people – 15 times as many as officially estimated. So say scientists who are accusing two UN organisations, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), of downplaying the impact of the accident.
Chernobyl reactor number 4 in Ukraine was ripped apart by an explosion on 26 April 1986, and burned for 10 days. It disgorged a massive amount of radioactivity – up to 14 exabecquerels (14 × 1018 becquerels) – over Europe and…
