The city of Pripyat (Prypiat), Ukraine, was founded on February 4, 1970, a purpose-built, closed city for workers of the not-yet-completed Vladimir Ilyich Lenin Nuclear Power Plant, better known as Chernobyl (Chornobyl), named after the nearby historic town.
By January 1, 1986, it had a population of 49,400, far larger than Chornobyl itself.
The city was a showcase of Soviet planning. Residents had access to shopping centers, cafes, restaurants, gyms, shooting ranges, three indoor swimming pools, and two football stadiums. An amusement park was set to open on May 1, 1986.
Because the nuclear plant was so important, Pripyat received far more investment than most Soviet cities. Housing was standard Soviet style, but comfortable, reliable utilities, and most apartments had TVs, radios, and refrigerators. The city was modern and walkable, with wide sidewalks, green spaces, and public squares. There was a quiet sense of privilege. Not luxury, but stability, in comparison to life in other parts of the Soviet Union, life was comfortable, life was good.
On April 26, 1986, that ended.
Reactor No. 4 exploded, twice. Within 36 hours, the entire city was evacuated. No one had been warned the day before; many had already begun to feel symptoms, headaches, nausea, a metallic taste in their mouths.
In the early hours of April 27, residents heard the official announcement:
“Attention residents of Prypiat… due to the accident at the Chornobyl Power Station, the radioactive conditions in the vicinity are deteriorating… we need to temporarily evacuate citizens… Please remain calm and orderly.”
They were told to bring only essentials, and that they would be gone for three days. Thousands of buses arrived. Within hours, the city was empty. They never came back.
In the days that followed, the evacuation zone expanded again and again. More than 100,000 people were ultimately resettled. The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, roughly 2,600 square kilometers, still exists today.
If you’re interested, I cover the full story here:
by aid2000iscool