In case of terrorist attack on Zaporizhzhia NPP, people will have to be evacuated within 50 kilometres radius

The chief sanitary doctor of Ukraine said that in the event of a terrorist attack perpetrated by Russians at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), people will have to be evacuated from the zone with a radius of 50 kilometres around the station.

Source: Ihor Kuzin, Chief State Sanitary Doctor and Deputy Minister of Health, in an interview with Ukrinform

Quote: "The worst case scenario is powering the reactor, and then committing a terrorist attack on an already operating reactor. Then, indeed, the release of radioactive iodine can occur.

Regardless of what specific isotopes will be within the limits of the likely release, they will lead to essentially the total exposure of a certain population that will be in the affected area...

As for ZNPP, we are talking about a 50-kilometre zone, since it is one of the most powerful nuclear power plants.

Therefore, we expect that the level of pollution in this area may be such that evacuation will most likely be necessary if this release and the accident itself are at the maximum possible level.

But I want to emphasise that more detailed forecasts can be provided when we have detailed information about the actual emergency that has already happened."

Details: Currently, a certain part of ZNPP power units has been on shutdown and is not in operation.

According to Kuzin, when a nuclear plant is not in operation, there is no radioactive iodine, the release of which can occur during a potential accident.

In the event of a terrorist attack, Kuzin advises "to go indoors, close windows and doors, remove dirty clothes, take a shower, stay inside and wait for information from official sources."

He stressed that modelling is ongoing in case of an accident, additional study of environmental factors, scale, and safe evacuation routes are formed: "Only then can the authorities give official information about the safety of evacuation routes."

Also, any radiation accident will always lead to radiation contamination of the area: "Depending on when, what the volume of emissions provoked by a terrorist attack will be, further actions will depend.

If the levels are high, then special measures are applied to clean the soil. This can be either the filling of an additional layer of soil, or, conversely, its digging up and removal, in order to bring this territory to a state suitable for living. And many other measures that would take place after the actual emergency itself."

Kuzin recalled that in case of an accident, it is recommended to prepare at least a week's supply of water, which should be in a sealed package: "To form reserves of water, food, clean things, especially if they live in a potential accident zone."

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