13 Places On Earth So Radioactive, They're Off-Limits To Humans

Amid rising global conflict like the Russia-Ukraine war, concerns about nuclear weapons and radioactivity have intensified. While radioactivity occurs naturally, human actions-nuclear tests, power generation, and accidents-have created dangerously radioactive hotspots. These areas pose severe health risks. Though everyday life includes minor radiation exposure, it’s nothing compared to the deadly levels found in the world’s most radioactive places-where no one should live or linger.

According to a report by The Metro, here are some of the most radioactive places on Earth – though the list is not exhaustive or ranked in any particular order.

1. Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant(Location: Pripyat, Ukraine): A 1986 accident released radioactive materials, exposing millions to fallout and causing health issues.

2. Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant (Location: Fukushima, Japan): A 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused radioactive leaks and waste spills into the Pacific Ocean.

3. The Hanford Site (Location: Washington, USA): A US nuclear facility produced plutonium for nuclear weapons, leaving behind massive amounts of radioactive waste.

4. The Polygon (Location: Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan): A Soviet nuclear test site in Kazakhstan, where 456 bombs were dropped, affecting local residents with cancer and genetic defects.

5. Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan: Soviet uranium mining contaminated the area, leaving behind radioactive waste and health issues for locals.

6. Siberian Chemical Combine (Location: Seversk, Russia): A Russian nuclear facility had a 1993 accident, releasing radioactive materials and affecting 177,000 people.

7. Sellafield (Location: Cumbria, UK): A UK nuclear facility produces nuclear materials and releases contaminated waste into the Irish Sea.

8. The Somali Coast (Somalia): A dumping ground for nuclear and hazardous waste, posing environmental and health risks.

9. Karunagappalli, India: High background radiation from thorium in the soil, but no increased cancer rates found.

10. BOMARC Site RW-01: A US Air Force base with a 1960 nuclear accident, contaminating the area with plutonium.

11. Church Rock Uranium Mill(Location: New Jersey, USA): A 1979 spill released radioactive waste into the Puerco River, affecting locals and livestock.

12. Kyshtym Disaster (Location: Mayak, Russia): A 1957 nuclear accident in Russia released radioactive waste, contaminating a large area.

13. The Goiânia Incident (Location: Goias, Brazil) : A 1987 theft of a radioactive source in Brazil caused four deaths and widespread contamination.