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Residents near Europe's largest nuclear plant evacuated as experts 'extremely concerned'
The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant was captured by Russia early on into the never-ending war in Ukraine, and an evacuation order has now been given to locals living in the surrounding area
Ukrainians living near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant have been ordered to evacuate the area by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The worrying announcement comes just a few days after it was revealed that President Vladimir Putin's troops had seemingly rigged the interior of the plant with “defensive” explosives.
Despite the six reactors being placed into shutdown mode, the site is still highly dangerous and only has a skeleton staff worth of experts running it.
And with fighting still going on pretty much outside its front door in Ukraine, officials from the IAEA have demanded that locals leave the area.
Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today (May 6): “The general situation in the area near the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is becoming increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous.
“I’m extremely concerned about the very real nuclear safety and security risks facing the plant.
“We must act now to prevent the threat of a severe nuclear accident and its associated consequences for the population and the environment.
“This major nuclear facility must be protected.
“I will continue to press for a commitment by all sides to achieve this vital objective, and the IAEA will continue to do everything it can to help ensure nuclear safety and security at the plant.”
The organisation also said that its own experts have been unbale to visit Enerhodar, where the plant is located, in recent days, but that they have been able to get information about the situation regarding the evacuation to locals in the town surrounding the plant.
The site's director Yuri Chernichuk has publicly stated that operating staff are not being evacuated and that they are doing “everything necessary to ensure nuclear safety and security at the plant”.
He also said that plant equipment is maintained “in accordance with all necessary nuclear safety and security regulations”.
Daily Star Sunday
The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant was captured by Russia early on into the never-ending war in Ukraine, and an evacuation order has now been given to locals living in the surrounding area
Ukrainians living near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant have been ordered to evacuate the area by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The worrying announcement comes just a few days after it was revealed that President Vladimir Putin's troops had seemingly rigged the interior of the plant with “defensive” explosives.
Despite the six reactors being placed into shutdown mode, the site is still highly dangerous and only has a skeleton staff worth of experts running it.
And with fighting still going on pretty much outside its front door in Ukraine, officials from the IAEA have demanded that locals leave the area.
Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today (May 6): “The general situation in the area near the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is becoming increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous.
“I’m extremely concerned about the very real nuclear safety and security risks facing the plant.
“We must act now to prevent the threat of a severe nuclear accident and its associated consequences for the population and the environment.
“This major nuclear facility must be protected.
“I will continue to press for a commitment by all sides to achieve this vital objective, and the IAEA will continue to do everything it can to help ensure nuclear safety and security at the plant.”
The organisation also said that its own experts have been unbale to visit Enerhodar, where the plant is located, in recent days, but that they have been able to get information about the situation regarding the evacuation to locals in the town surrounding the plant.
The site's director Yuri Chernichuk has publicly stated that operating staff are not being evacuated and that they are doing “everything necessary to ensure nuclear safety and security at the plant”.
He also said that plant equipment is maintained “in accordance with all necessary nuclear safety and security regulations”.
Daily Star Sunday