Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 9.4
The destroyed Chernobyl reactor after the accident [
8
]
was fear that the core could melt through the concrete structures. But finally the
core mixed with sand, lead etc. and remained within the reactor building.
9.2.1 Radiation Exposure of the Operators, Rescue
Personnel, and the Population
Very high, lethal radiation doses and burns in the first phase of the accident were
suffered by the firemen, some members of the operating crew, and helicopter pilots
dropping, among other things, sand, lead, and boron carbide (31 casualties). Some
1,400 members of the operating crew, scientists, and members of the emergency
team (some 200,000 liquidators) were exposed to varying high radiation doses
resulting in radiation sickness and radiation injuries.
Different figures are quoted in the literature of up to several thousand additional
deaths to be expected in future [
6
,
7
,
9
]. According to IAEA data 2011 [
6
,
7
],
another 20 persons died afterwards from excessive radiation doses. This number
includes roughly five children who died from cancer of the thyroid.
The inhabitants of the nearby cities of Prypjat and Chernobyl were evacuated as
late as 30 h after the accident. Their radiation exposure was estimated to be 0.25-
