MINSK, 24 April (BelTA) – Fires around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine are unlikely to worsen radiation levels in Belarus, BelTA learned from Mikhail Kovalenko, Head of the Radiation Monitoring Service of the National Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Contamination Control, and Environmental Monitoring of Belarus, on 24 April.
Mikhail Kovalenko said: “Since northwestern and western transitions of air masses are expected to happen in the next few days, we don't expect the radiation situation to worsen.”
Apart from that, the weather service expects small to moderate rains to happen in Belarus' south on Saturday, 25 April. “There is hope that precipitation will help firefighters extinguish fires,” the official noted.
Radiation levels in Belarus remain stable. No spikes have been registered. According to the data sent by stationary atmospheric air radiation monitoring stations and automated background radiation measuring stations located in the influence zones of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the Rovno nuclear power plant, gamma radiation measurements have not exceeded those registered over the course of many years. Current radiation readings, levels of cumulative beta-particle activities, the content of cesium-137 in atmospheric air samples match the standard readings recorded over the course of many years.
Fires in the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant were reported on 4 April and later on. Western and northwestern winds prevailed in this period. It helped prevent the spread of fires and the spread of smoke onto Belarus' territory. The National Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Contamination Control, and Environmental Monitoring of Belarus receives data from automated measuring stations in real time 24/7. The stations are located in the influence zones of nuclear power plants of the neighboring countries (22 stations to watch the nuclear power plants in Chernobyl, Rovno, Smolensk, and Ignalina) and ten stations around the Belarusian nuclear power plant.
According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the situation in the Chernobyl exclusion zone is gradually getting back to normal. Fires are being localized and extinguished.
Mikhail Kovalenko reminded about fires in Belarus and Ukraine in 2015, including in areas with high pollution levels. The weather situation back then was not so favorable for Belarus in comparison with today's situation. The national weather service registered a radiation spike back then. “Although radiation readings were above the standard ones, which had been registered over the course of many years, they were still dozens of thousands of times below the levels that require radiation response measures. In other words, the environmental situation was unfavorable but there was no radiation danger for the population,” Mikhail Kovalenko concluded.
