YEREVAN. – The Government of Armenia will allocate 1 million 940 thousand drams (approx. US$4,054) to organize remembrance events devoted to the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The respective decision was taken at Thursday’s Cabinet session.

To note, however, additional payments are not envisioned for Armenia’s rescue workers who had participated in eliminating the consequences of this tragedy.

The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on April 26, 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Pripyat, then located in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union (USSR). An explosion and fire released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, which spread over much of the western USSR and Europe.

The Chernobyl disaster was the worst nuclear power plant accident in history in terms of cost and casualties.

The struggle to contain the contamination and avert a greater catastrophe ultimately involved over 500,000 workers.

During the accident itself, 31 people died, and long-term effects—such as cancers—are still being investigated.