Islamabad, April 26 is the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. On this day, people all over the world recall Chernobyl, a sacrifice of those who without sparing their lives and health stopped the radiation disaster and prevented a larger disaster.

The proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly of April 26 as the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is an important contribution to preserving the memory of the terrible tragedy and fearless feats.

As a result of explosions at Unit 4, the reactor was completely destroyed. The accident was accompanied by fires and releases of radioactive substances. The radioactive cloud passed over the USSR, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and affected more than 20 countries. The contamination of the territory of Belarus amounted to 23 per cent of the total area. About 35 per cent of the Chernobyl fallout of caesium-137, the main radionuclide that forms the radiation dose to the population, fell on the territory of Belarus.

The Belarusian state, with the support of international partners, has done a tremendous amount of work to overcome the consequences of the man-made disaster. Since 1996, Belarus has allocated more than $19.5 billion for this purpose.

A significant progress has been made from urgent protective measures and rehabilitation of the affected territories to the implementation of measures for their revival.

Over 38 years the area of contamination of the territory of Belarus with caesium-137 has almost been reduced by half. According to scientists, the last settlement of the country will become free from the radioactive contamination by 2090. However, most Belarusian villages and towns will cease to be in the zone of radioactive contamination by 2030-2040.