What happened to the people and towns near Chernobyl after the accident?
Posted on Feb 24, 2026 / Travel
After the disaster, the nearby town of Pripyat and other communities were evacuated because of dangerous radiation levels. About 350,000 people were relocated from contaminated areas in Ukraine and Belarus in the weeks and months after the accident. Some people later returned to live in small villages inside the exclusion zone by choice, though children aren’t allowed there because of health concerns. A new town called Slavutych was built nearby to house workers and families who were moved from the affected zone. Many residents had to leave homes, jobs and communities behind when they were forced to relocate. The accident’s psychological and social impacts were widespread, affecting families, cultures and livelihoods over generations. Resettlement and compensation efforts take decades and are still ongoing in many areas.
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