A Day That Shook The World: Chernobyl disaster

Tuesday 26 April 2011 00:07 BST

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On 27 April 1986, the Chernobyl atomic power plant near Kiev in the USSR exploded in the world's worst ever nuclear disaster.

The ensuing crisis was totally mismanaged by Soviet authorities, and spread radioactive material halfway around the world, causing untold harm - and the deaths of many of the workers battling to contain the meltdown.

The disaster would put the whole future of nuclear power in doubt across the world.

Watch original British Pathe footage from the disaster above.

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