Pripyat, located just ten minutes north of Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear plant, was heavily impacted by the radioactive accident in 1986. Today, nearly 40 years later, the city remains uninhabitable due to high radiation levels. Yet, despite this, Pripyat continues to inspire book covers and video games. It takes a two-hour journey from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, to reach Pripyat. Visitors are warned to dispose of their clothing, avoid entering abandoned buildings, not step on mossy areas, and use sunscreen due to mosquitoes.
On May 31st, El Comercio visited Pripyat after touring the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and viewing the sarcophagus of reactor number 4, which caused the nuclear catastrophe. The “bumper car” area in Pripyat is highly contaminated due to accumulated rainwater in the awning. The mechanical wheel of Pripyat has been featured on book covers and now stands motionless in the city. The abandoned buildings in Pripyat are marked with warning signs against entry.
Reactor 4, the site of the nuclear disaster, is now buried under a sarcophagus to prevent radiation contamination. A UN report states that humans will not be able to inhabit the Pripyat area for another 24,000 years. The city was built to house nuclear plant workers and their families and was once home to 60
