>> Kevin: IT WAS ONCE A
THRIVING CITY, FILLED WITH
FAMILIES AND BIRDS, AND INSECTS.
IT HAS NONE OF THOSE TODAY.
IT REMAINS A RADIOACTIVE HOT
ZONE, WHERE VISITORS RISKED
CONTAMINATION FROM THE DUST, THE
BUSHES, AND THE AIR.
30 YEARS AGO TODAY THE THE
CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR REACTOR IN THE
NOW ABANDONED CITY OF PRIPY AT
IN THE OLD SOVIET UNION.
EVEN IN CANADA WE WERE TOLD TO
AVOID DRINKING MILK OUT OF FEARS
THE FALLOUT COULD REACH HERE.
THE CONSEQUENCES IN THAT HOT
ZONE CONTINUE TO BE MUCH MORE
SEVERE.
>> Reporter: IN A UKRAINIAN
TOWN THEY MOURN TO THE SOUND OF
THE SIREN THAT FORCED THEM FROM
THEIR HOMES 30 YEARS AGO,
COMMEMORATING THE DISASTER STILL
KILLING NOW.
FEW OF US ARE STILL ALIVE SAYS S
THIS POWER PLANT WORKER, AND
MORE DYING YEAR TO YEAR.
IT WAS A BOTCHED TEST AT
CHERNOBYL THAT SET OFF AN
UNCONTROLLED REACTION.
A MELTDOWN, EXPLOSIONS AND
NUCLEAR FIRE SPEWED OUT
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL OVER
THOUSANDS OF KILOMETRES.
>> SATELLITE PICTURES...
>> Reporter: IT TOOK DAYS FOR
THE WORLD TO KNOW.
31 PEOPLE DIED OF ACUTE
RADIATION SICKNESS.
NIKOLAI WAS A SENIOR SCIENTIST
AT CHERNOBYL.
FIREFIGHTERS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
THE DANGERS, MANY DIED WITHIN A
WEEK, HE SAYS.
OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, 600,000
OTHERS, SO-CALLED LIQUIDATORS
WERE SENT IN TO CONTAIN THE
CONTAMINATION.
THIS WOMAN'S SON WAS AMONG THEM.
MY SON WENT IN TO HELP BUT HE
DIED SHORTLY AFTER.
SOME DEFIED THE ODDS AND JOINED
CEREMONIES INCLUDING A MASS HERE
IN MONTREAL.
LEV MOLOVHOV SHOWS THE MEDAL HE
EARNED.
ALMOST ALL THE MEN I WORKED WITH
ARE DEAD, EXCEPT ME, AND
GENERATIONS ARE DEALING WITH THE
AFTERMATH.
THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN HAD THEIR
THYROIDS REMOVED.
MANY ARE BELIEVED TO BE DRINKING
CONTAMINATED MILK, AND IN AREAS
FAR REMOVED FROM THE EXCLUSION
ZONE.
NATURE HAS SLOWLY TAKEN OVER,
THIS WAS THE MAIN STREET OF
CHERNOBYL, NOW IT'S A RADIATION
HOT SPOT.
THE SITE TELLS THE STORY OF HOW
MANY WERE AFFECTED, AN ABANDONED
KINDERGARTEN, AND AMUSEMENT
PARK.
>> 90% MELTED DOWN INTO THE
GROUND.
>> Reporter: EXPERTS SAY AN
INTERNATIONAL $3 BILLION PROJECT
IS UNDERWAY TO BUILD A SHIELD TO
COVER THE REACTOR AND PREVENT
FURTHER LEAKS.
THE SHIELD WILL LAST A CENTURY,
BUT IT'S ONLY A TEMPORARY
