THE RADIATION

In the first days after explosion, some places around the reactor were emitting 3,000-30,000 roentgens per hour. The firemen who were sent to put out the reactor fire were fried on the spot by gamma radiation. The remains of the reactor were entombed within an enormous steel and concrete sarcophagus, so it is now relatively safe to travel to the area - as long as we do not step off of the roadway Some 200 tonnes of highly radioactive material remains deep within it, and this poses and environmental hazard until it is better contained
The Chernobyl unit 4 is now enclosed in a large concrete shelter which was erected quickly to allow continuing operation of the other reactors at the plant.

A New Safe Confinement structure will be built by the end of 2011, and then will be moved into place on rails

It is to be a metal arch 105 metres high and spanning 257 metres, to cover both unit 4 and the hastily-built 1986 structure