Head to head: Fukushima vs Chernobyl
Two of the worst nuclear disasters ever to have happened had devastating effects on the world around them, but which was worse?
FUKUSHIMA
V
CHERNOBYL
800
RADIATION RELEASED (petabecquerels*)
5,200
3,200
SPREAD OF RADIATION (km2)
200,000
300,000
POPULATION EVACUATED
335,000
0
PREDICTED CANCER DEATHS
up to 57,000
£70bn
COST
£185m
Only two events have ever reached the maximum level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale: the Chernobyl meltdown in 1986 and the Fukushima disaster of 2011. But the causes and effects of the two were quite different. Chernobyl released more radioactive material but cost much less to clean up, principally because almost no compensation was paid to the people affected by the fallout. LV
*One becquerel is a unit of radiation equivalent to one nucleus decay per second. One petabecquerel is 1015 becquerels.
Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.
Sponsored Deals
May Half Price Sale
- Save up to 52% when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine.
- Risk - free offer! Cancel at any time when you subscribe via Direct Debit.
- FREE UK delivery.
- Stay up to date with the latest developments in the worlds of science and technology.
