April 26, 2011
Blog ArchivesRemembering Chernobyl: Pripyat Ghost Town 25 Years after Nuclear Disaster
Twenty five years ago today, the worst nuclear accident in history engulfed the cities of Chernobyl and nearby Pripyat. In this article we remember those affected by the tragedy, and examine the ghost cities quarter of a century later.
Underground Nuclear Submarine Base, Balaklava
(Image: Argenberg, cc-3.0) The former city of Balaklava was one of the most secret residential areas of the Soviet Union, on account of an underground nuclear submarine base deep within the surrounding hillside. The highly classified complex (entrance above), which operated until 1993, was said to be virtually indestructible and could withstand a direct atomic … Continue Reading
Isolated and Abandoned Military Airbase: Johnston Atoll
There are numerous isolated military bases around the world, but few as remote as Johnston Atoll. Located in the central Pacific and comprising little more than a vast runway, it’s not hard to imagine what sort of “under the radar” pursuits went on here over the years.
Nuclear Days: Abandoned Missile Silos in America and Lithuania
For decades after World War Two the superpowers stood poised on the edge of potential nuclear war. But have you ever wondered where the missiles would have come from, or what became of them? Here are two old missile silos from both sides of the divide.
Chernobyl Rescue Operation: The Vehicle Graveyard
The Chernobyl disaster is widely believed to be the worst of its kind in the history of nuclear power. The nearby city of Pripyat, which was built to house the plant’s workers, has become a well known ghost town in the wake of the catastrophe. But what became of the scores of military vehicles – helicopters, fire engines and tanks – that fought the burning nuclear fuel spewing out of the remains of the station’s fourth reactor?
The Abandoned City of Pripyat
As seen in this earlier post, there are numerous reasons why settlements become deserted and are reduced to ghost towns. Depletion of natural resources, surplus industry and lawlessness have all contributed to settlers uprooting themselves and their families and moving on. But sometimes disasters on an unprecedented scale can lead to larger urban areas – even whole cities – being abandoned.