Saturday, April 16, 2005

Chernobyl 19 Years Later

Today the town that once hosted 47,000 citizens is a ghostly space of empty buildings and roads invaded by advancing flora.
The houses, libraries, schools, and sports and recreational centers in what was a model of socialist urbanization built in the seventies, have since the disaster seen only looters, scientists, and a few adventurous tourists.

Entering the local school presents the visitor with a spine-chilling scenery of desks, open books, rotten pianos and gas masks scattered over a floor that looks ready to give in. This school, like the buildings surrounding it, has remained untouched for almost two decades.
[Previously at Synaptic Junction:]
Ghost Town Toby Stone writes of this site: "this site is a photojournal of a young russian woman's motorcycle trip through what is left of the town & area surrounding chernobyl. it takes a while to read in it's entirety; but it is eloquent & moving in a way rarely encountered." Thanks to Mint Rahaman for the link.

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