The Town of the XXI Century
Series of reports on ecological situation in Central Asia

THE PLANET'S NUCLEAR EPOCH

"THE DESEASED LAND"

This is the name of one of the chapters of Mr. Chasnikov's book "The echo of nuclear explosions". He declares that "It is difficult to find an ecologically clean zone on the map of Kazakhstan.

In Kazakhstan within last several decades radioecological situation has deteriorated because of the influence of the following factors:
 

• tests of nuclear weapons executed at Semipalatinsk and other ranges;
• peaceful nuclear explosions;
• tests of missiles with nuclear war heads at the ranges in Western Kazakhstan;
• extraction of the uranium ore and other minerals, containing radioactive substances; transportation and processing of the minerals;
• accumulation of used sources of ionizing radiation and absence of regional storage places for radioactive wastes;
• geographic location of Kazakhstan - close to 45 degrees of northern latitude, where the maximum of nuclear rains has been detected and elements from all nuclear explosions carried in the northern hemisphere are accumulated.

Significant parts of the territory of Kazakhstan are polluted by radioactive substances from nuclear explosions executed on the territory of the Republic; as well as from explosions carried out at other ranges, particles of which were moved into the stratosphere and fell on the territory of Kazakhstan because of the global fall of radio nuclides and also from Kyshtym and Chernobyl catastrophes.

There is no other country in the world having as high level of density of nuclear explosions as Kazakhstan.

In total more than 2000 tests of nuclear weapons were executed on the planet, including about 500 atmospheric explosions, one quarter of the total was executed in Kazakhstan, which significantly damaged the health of the people.

Military specialists and politicians say that underground explosions do not affect the health of the people. In reality, this is not true. For example, in Karaganda after an explosion executed on February 12, 1989 the total number of calls for emergency medical assistance grew above the results of the previous day by 132 cases.

The number of suicide cases and mental disorders depend on how far the place is located from the range and what the level of radiation is. The closer the place is to the range the higher is the level of suicide coefficient (the number of suicide cases per 100 thousand of population). For example, from 1976 till 1989 in Abai district of Semipalatinsk region the coefficient was equal to 20,5. The maximum level reached by the coefficient was detected in 1983 and 1984 - 5 years after the intensive series of nuclear tests were executed. Correlation of the number of nuclear explosions and the number of suicide cases is very similar, but has a time lag of five years. Until nuclear explosions were executed in Kazakhstan, suicide cases among indigenous Kazakh people were almost unknown.

The Chernobyl catastrophe has also had its effect on Kazakhstan. After the Chernobyl catastrophe the characteristics of cancer-related diseases among children (up to 14 years of age) have changed in the regions of Kazakhstan, especially in the southern regions.

In Almaty region The number of cases of cancer-related diseases among children grew up 30 times after the Chernobyl catastrophe and execution of nuclear explosions at Lobnor testing range.

In Northern regions of Kazakhstan the level of cancer-related diseases is also quite higher. Possibly, this is related to the Kyshtym catastrophe, which took place in 1950s.

Health conditions of the people are among the worst in western regions of Kazakhstan, where 11 atmospheric, 17 underground and other nuclear explosions were carried out at the Azgir testing range, which resulted in the appearance of radioactive gases in the atmosphere with the total activity of more than 10 million curie.

There are large uranium deposits in Kazakhstan. Extraction and processing of uranium, the same as irresponsible attitude toward exploitation and storage of some sources of ionizing radiation, absence of laws on radioactive and buclear security, make the situation even more difficult.

Radioactive precipitation resulting from nuclear explosions falls on the territory located to the west from the Kapustin Yar testing range and near the geographic latitude of its location. This lane covers the territories of Urdinski and Djangalinskii districts of Western Kazakhstan region and other districts of Atyrau and Aktubinsk regions. The causes of high disease and death rates after tests at the Kapustin Yar range become obvious and very similar to the tests executed at the Semipalatinsk range.

In 1966-1979, 17 nuclear explosions were executed on Azgir testing range, which is located not far to the south from the Kapustin Yar range. Here on 4 out of 10 testing grounds the total amount of thrown out radio nuclides reached about 10 million curies (the total amount thrown during the Chernobyl catastrophe was 50 million curie). The first two explosions resulted in throwing out of 5,5 million curie. It is not surprising that until now there are abnormalities in distribution of radio nuclides and high diseases rates among people living close to Azgir and Kapustin Yar ranges. For example, in 1987-1994 the total number of cases of various diseases grew up in Urdinskii district. In Djanaglinskii district the death rate doubled, the numbers of people suffering from cancer-related diseases, anemia, mental disorders more than tripled. The climax of the number of deaths among children was registered in Dengiz district of Atyrau region in 1987-1988 - 21-22 years after the first fall of the radio nuclides at the named range.

Nuclear tests were also carried out in the northern part of Western Kazakhstan region (close to Karachaganak). In 1954 close to this place, near the city of Tozk, Orenburg region, the Soviet Army staged military maneuvers providing among other exercises for a 40 kiloton nuclear explosion carried out at the altitude of 350 meters. Later it was possible to find out that as a result of the maneuvers more than 1,5 thousand military personnel and 39 thousands civilians were injured.

If we look at the map of distribution of death rates among children in Kazakhstan, then we can note that the death rates were the highest in the regions situated close to the testing ranges and the highest levels were reached one year after the explosions (the first generation) and 20-25 years after the explosions (the second generation). Currently the influence of radiation is reflected in the third generation. The echo of nuclear explosions may sound again in the fourth and fifth generations of people, whose predecessors were affected by radiation.