10 Nuclear Disasters That Made the World Stand Still
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VOICE OVER: Peter DeGiglio
WRITTEN BY: Arianna Wechter
Nuclear power has a dark history of catastrophic accidents. Join us as we explore the most devastating nuclear incidents that shocked the world, revealing the terrifying consequences of technological mishaps and human error. Our countdown includes infamous disasters like Chernobyl, Fukushima, Three Mile Island, and the Kyshtym Disaster, highlighting the profound impact these events had on human lives and the environment. Which of these moments do you think was the most terrifying?
10 Nuclear Disasters That Made the World Stand Still
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the most disastrous and deadliest radioactive accidents across history.
Even top-of-the-line equipment can still unexpectedly malfunction. When it was first launched, the National Research Experimental reactor in Canada was the strongest in the world. That power wasn’t without risks, and in 1952, it caused the planet’s first big reactor-based accident. A combination of human error and technical difficulties created the perfect storm, resulting in a surge of radioactive energy that spilled into the air and nearby waterways. Luckily, it was caught early enough that it didn’t become deadly, but the subsequent clean-up ended up taking months. They even required the help of the U.S. Navy– including future president Jimmy Carter. While it could’ve ended much worse, in a way it served as a warning of the potential danger such research posed.
In the nuclear field, precision is everything. One wrong move can result in deadly consequences. The citizens of Tōkai, Japan are no stranger to this, having experienced multiple incidents caused by the JCO Tokaimura facility. Throughout the late 1990s, employees there were tasked with converting uranium into fuel– a highly complicated process that requires near-perfect skill. However, in an attempt to save time, the higher-ups made workers cut corners– without telling them this was unauthorized. On September 30th 1999, their erroneous practices triggered a massive nuclear fission reaction, which made two operators fall ill immediately and die several months later. The exposure lasted nearly a full day, affecting hundreds of civilians and costing the company over $120 million in compensation payments.
Some facilities have tried their hands at nuclear power for decades, with varying levels of success. The Jaslovskè Bohunice plant is a prime example, where early reactors proved so dangerous they were eventually shut down. Unlike standard reactors though, those at the Bohunice power plant were refueled while in operation. If that sounds like a recipe for disaster, well, you’d be right– it was problematic from the very beginning. During one of these precarious fuel changes in 1977, blockage caused heavy water to enter the reactor and corrupt it, destroying a quarter of the elements needed. The events were ultimately kept secret, and the problematic A1 reactor was decommissioned. It wasn’t until 1984 that a fully functional replacement finally went online.
While several nuclear incidents have been caused by poor working conditions, this one was the result of human malice. In 1987, a capsule containing about 93 grams of highly radioactive caesium chloride was stolen, with the intent of being sold as scrap metal. Within hours of disassembling it, the thieves started to experience classic side effects of radiation poisoning, including vomiting. Despite these symptoms, one of them kept tinkering with it, eventually puncturing the glass to reveal a glowing blue substance. Afterwards, the capsule was sold and passed around, with hundreds being infected and multiple people dying. It took about two weeks for the source to be confirmed. By then, just under 250 people had been contaminated.
Despite its history with nuclear weapons, the U.S. is no stranger to incidents on its own soil. The SL-1 nuclear reactor accident was one of the worst the country has ever seen. On January 3rd 1961, after being shut down for nearly two weeks for the holidays, the reactor was restarted, a process that required partially extracting several control rods. However, one of the rods was pulled out too far, which rapidly increased the heat, causing the reactor to expand and explode. All three operators were killed in the accident. As most of the radiation was contained within the facility, it was the clean-up crews that received the brunt of exposure. This incident intensified fears about nuclear power, foreshadowing future emergencies.
While SL-1 was a disaster, it unfortunately wasn’t the only one in U.S. history. In 1979, the reactor at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania experienced a malfunction in its cooling system. This, combined with a series of human errors, ultimately led to a partial meltdown. Once discovered, it caused an immediate panic, with the 1961 disaster immediately coming to mind. Not wanting a repeat incident, authorities quickly sent out evacuation advisories. The local government corroborated these warnings, prompting over 100,000 people to flee. Luckily, the amount of radiation released was negligible, proving the cautious response to be overblown. While no one was hurt, it had a huge impact on the field, causing widespread distrust and significantly stalling progress.
Throughout the 1950s, several countries created their own nuclear research facilities. For the United Kingdom, this was Windscale, initially dedicated to producing plutonium for nuclear weapons. However, the British government also wanted to create tritium for hydrogen bombs, but as they lacked the time to build a new reactor, they simply modified the existing ones. This caused the reactor to overheat, and on October 10th 1957, one of the cartridges caught fire. Once this blaze started, the cooling fans in the reactor only spread it further, and attempts to extinguish it proved counterproductive. The fire lasted for hours, releasing radioactive materials into the atmosphere, which contaminated milk produced in the area. This led to a localized ban on milk sales and consumption.
1957 wasn’t just a rough year for the United Kingdom. Another country suffered an even more horrific nuclear event– the long term effects of which are still being fully realized today. In what was once the Soviet Union, Kyshtym was built in an attempt to match the work already carried out by American researchers. It was done improperly from the beginning, with contaminated water being released into the local lake. Their lack of safety regulations came back to bite them when an underground tank containing liquid nuclear waste blew up, releasing toxic material into the air and devastating a nearby town. Despite being the worst nuclear disaster up until Chernobyl, the incident was largely covered up, leading to thousands being displaced without an explanation.
Although it’s the most recent incident on this list, it remains one of the worst. In 2011, an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the seismic scale ripped through Japan, which then triggered a massive tsunami directly afterwards. Both cataclysmic natural events caused extreme damage to the Fukushima Daiichi plant, by causing a complete power failure and ruining their back-up energy sources. The reactor’s inability to cool down caused it to weaken and release radiation into the air. Two operators were badly burned and had to be hospitalized, while thousands of residents were forced to evacuate– with many losing their lives in the process. In the aftermath, several people were charged and fired– but while some have pleaded guilty, no official consequences have been announced.
Considered the worst nuclear disaster in history, the Chernobyl incident claimed several lives and devastated local ecosystems. An accidental meltdown in the number four reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine caused a spread of radioactive chemicals across Europe. Ironically enough, it was caused by a poorly-executed safety check, and its consequences are still being felt today. It’s been estimated that it released more radioactive material than both atomic bombs dropped during World War II. The long-term health effects have continued to emerge, particularly an uptick in childhood diagnoses and deaths from thyroid cancer. With the clean-up spanning decades and costing billions, it’s clear that people will continue to be affected for generations to come.
Which of these disasters do you think will have the largest long-term impact on Earth? Let us know in the comments below.
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the most disastrous and deadliest radioactive accidents across history.
National Research Experimental Accident (1952)
Ontario, CanadaEven top-of-the-line equipment can still unexpectedly malfunction. When it was first launched, the National Research Experimental reactor in Canada was the strongest in the world. That power wasn’t without risks, and in 1952, it caused the planet’s first big reactor-based accident. A combination of human error and technical difficulties created the perfect storm, resulting in a surge of radioactive energy that spilled into the air and nearby waterways. Luckily, it was caught early enough that it didn’t become deadly, but the subsequent clean-up ended up taking months. They even required the help of the U.S. Navy– including future president Jimmy Carter. While it could’ve ended much worse, in a way it served as a warning of the potential danger such research posed.
JCO Tokaimura Nuclear Accident (1999)
Tōkai, JapanIn the nuclear field, precision is everything. One wrong move can result in deadly consequences. The citizens of Tōkai, Japan are no stranger to this, having experienced multiple incidents caused by the JCO Tokaimura facility. Throughout the late 1990s, employees there were tasked with converting uranium into fuel– a highly complicated process that requires near-perfect skill. However, in an attempt to save time, the higher-ups made workers cut corners– without telling them this was unauthorized. On September 30th 1999, their erroneous practices triggered a massive nuclear fission reaction, which made two operators fall ill immediately and die several months later. The exposure lasted nearly a full day, affecting hundreds of civilians and costing the company over $120 million in compensation payments.
Bohunice A1 Accident (1977)
Jaslovskè Bohunice, SlovakiaSome facilities have tried their hands at nuclear power for decades, with varying levels of success. The Jaslovskè Bohunice plant is a prime example, where early reactors proved so dangerous they were eventually shut down. Unlike standard reactors though, those at the Bohunice power plant were refueled while in operation. If that sounds like a recipe for disaster, well, you’d be right– it was problematic from the very beginning. During one of these precarious fuel changes in 1977, blockage caused heavy water to enter the reactor and corrupt it, destroying a quarter of the elements needed. The events were ultimately kept secret, and the problematic A1 reactor was decommissioned. It wasn’t until 1984 that a fully functional replacement finally went online.
Goiânia Accident (1987)
Goiânia, BrazilWhile several nuclear incidents have been caused by poor working conditions, this one was the result of human malice. In 1987, a capsule containing about 93 grams of highly radioactive caesium chloride was stolen, with the intent of being sold as scrap metal. Within hours of disassembling it, the thieves started to experience classic side effects of radiation poisoning, including vomiting. Despite these symptoms, one of them kept tinkering with it, eventually puncturing the glass to reveal a glowing blue substance. Afterwards, the capsule was sold and passed around, with hundreds being infected and multiple people dying. It took about two weeks for the source to be confirmed. By then, just under 250 people had been contaminated.
SL-1 (1961)
Idaho, United States of AmericaDespite its history with nuclear weapons, the U.S. is no stranger to incidents on its own soil. The SL-1 nuclear reactor accident was one of the worst the country has ever seen. On January 3rd 1961, after being shut down for nearly two weeks for the holidays, the reactor was restarted, a process that required partially extracting several control rods. However, one of the rods was pulled out too far, which rapidly increased the heat, causing the reactor to expand and explode. All three operators were killed in the accident. As most of the radiation was contained within the facility, it was the clean-up crews that received the brunt of exposure. This incident intensified fears about nuclear power, foreshadowing future emergencies.
Three Mile Island Accident (1979)
Pennsylvania, United States of AmericaWhile SL-1 was a disaster, it unfortunately wasn’t the only one in U.S. history. In 1979, the reactor at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania experienced a malfunction in its cooling system. This, combined with a series of human errors, ultimately led to a partial meltdown. Once discovered, it caused an immediate panic, with the 1961 disaster immediately coming to mind. Not wanting a repeat incident, authorities quickly sent out evacuation advisories. The local government corroborated these warnings, prompting over 100,000 people to flee. Luckily, the amount of radiation released was negligible, proving the cautious response to be overblown. While no one was hurt, it had a huge impact on the field, causing widespread distrust and significantly stalling progress.
Windscale Fire (1957)
Windscale, United KingdomThroughout the 1950s, several countries created their own nuclear research facilities. For the United Kingdom, this was Windscale, initially dedicated to producing plutonium for nuclear weapons. However, the British government also wanted to create tritium for hydrogen bombs, but as they lacked the time to build a new reactor, they simply modified the existing ones. This caused the reactor to overheat, and on October 10th 1957, one of the cartridges caught fire. Once this blaze started, the cooling fans in the reactor only spread it further, and attempts to extinguish it proved counterproductive. The fire lasted for hours, releasing radioactive materials into the atmosphere, which contaminated milk produced in the area. This led to a localized ban on milk sales and consumption.
Kyshtym Disaster (1957)
Chelyabinsk Oblast, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics1957 wasn’t just a rough year for the United Kingdom. Another country suffered an even more horrific nuclear event– the long term effects of which are still being fully realized today. In what was once the Soviet Union, Kyshtym was built in an attempt to match the work already carried out by American researchers. It was done improperly from the beginning, with contaminated water being released into the local lake. Their lack of safety regulations came back to bite them when an underground tank containing liquid nuclear waste blew up, releasing toxic material into the air and devastating a nearby town. Despite being the worst nuclear disaster up until Chernobyl, the incident was largely covered up, leading to thousands being displaced without an explanation.
Fukushima Nuclear Accident (2011)
Fukushima, JapanAlthough it’s the most recent incident on this list, it remains one of the worst. In 2011, an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the seismic scale ripped through Japan, which then triggered a massive tsunami directly afterwards. Both cataclysmic natural events caused extreme damage to the Fukushima Daiichi plant, by causing a complete power failure and ruining their back-up energy sources. The reactor’s inability to cool down caused it to weaken and release radiation into the air. Two operators were badly burned and had to be hospitalized, while thousands of residents were forced to evacuate– with many losing their lives in the process. In the aftermath, several people were charged and fired– but while some have pleaded guilty, no official consequences have been announced.
Chernobyl Disaster (1986)
Pripyat, UkraineConsidered the worst nuclear disaster in history, the Chernobyl incident claimed several lives and devastated local ecosystems. An accidental meltdown in the number four reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine caused a spread of radioactive chemicals across Europe. Ironically enough, it was caused by a poorly-executed safety check, and its consequences are still being felt today. It’s been estimated that it released more radioactive material than both atomic bombs dropped during World War II. The long-term health effects have continued to emerge, particularly an uptick in childhood diagnoses and deaths from thyroid cancer. With the clean-up spanning decades and costing billions, it’s clear that people will continue to be affected for generations to come.
Which of these disasters do you think will have the largest long-term impact on Earth? Let us know in the comments below.
