The Chernobyl disaster is remembered as the worst nuclear disaster in human history. But the traces of the disaster still remain, and the "Elephant's Foot", a deadly souvenir, is one of them.
Frightening in name alone, the Elephant's Foot is a 2 meter wide lava mass formed from the molten core of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor.
In April 1986, Ukraine was the scene of a major disaster that resulted in the largest release of nuclear radiation in history. The accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant resulted in the accumulation of large quantities of radioactive material in and around Ukraine. The Chernobyl disaster is remembered as the worst nuclear disaster in human history. But the traces of the disaster still remain, and the "Elephant's Foot", a deadly souvenir, is one of them.
On April 26, 1986, the disaster began with an unexpected power surge in the reactor.
When emergency shutdown procedures failed, core temperatures rose even higher and the reactor revealed itself in an explosion.
Then, teams struggling with the effects of the disaster discovered a region under the reactor that could be described as "one of the most dangerous places in the world".
The concentration of radiation in this area limits the number of photographs taken.
Even today, radiation levels around Elephant's Foot pose a serious threat to human health.
Measures include a New Safe Confined Space built to enclose the reactor and a concrete bunker supported by steel structures.
However, experts cannot predict exactly how Elephant's Foot will react in the long term and warn that the deadly object could continue to pose a danger in the future.
