AHC: Worst possible Chernobyl

Thermonuclear reaction if the molten fuel material sinks all the way to the underground reservoir beneath the reactor. The resultant explosion levels Kiev (along with pretty much everything else along the way) and renders swathes of Europe uninhabitable.
 
I guess somebody important seeing a mushroom cloud over a major Soviet facility during a peak period of cold war tension, and getting the wrong idea about the cause, could make things get really very bad indeed.
 
I guess somebody important seeing a mushroom cloud over a major Soviet facility during a peak period of cold war tension, and getting the wrong idea about the cause, could make things get really very bad indeed.

They dont explode like that, just a fairly normal explosion, at least visually, followed by henious levels of fallout.
 

Deleted member 92195

Thermonuclear reaction if the molten fuel material sinks all the way to the underground reservoir beneath the reactor. The resultant explosion levels Kiev (along with pretty much everything else along the way) and renders swathes of Europe uninhabitable.

I can only see this happening through negligence which even the Soviets did not want.

This video is very informative about the cause of the explosion. One would need to hypothesis around the logic to determine the actual worst disaster. Considering the government responded when they did, this precipitates and influences the scenario. - https://www.rferl.org/a/how-the-chernobyl-disaster-happened/27695774.html

This website is also very good - http://www.world-nuclear.org/inform...rity/safety-of-plants/chernobyl-accident.aspx
 
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Kaze

Banned
Change the location of the accident - if it happened in a major state of the US - it could make major cities unlivable.
 
Change the location of the accident - if it happened in a major state of the US - it could make major cities unlivable.

I think that OP meant OTL Chernobyl in Ukraine not some equalement.

Probably OTL is pretty much worst case but perhaps it is possible that another reaction too explose. Or could you make that happen on worse moment so perhaps winds spread fallout to several major cities and perhaps too consume more crops?
 

trurle

Banned
How bad could Chernobyl get?
Although the original explosion itself was may be already worst-possible, the worst possible scenario of entire disaster would be:
1) Slower firefighting response resulting in fire spread to 3rd reactor too (it was a close call IOTL), diluting respondents resources and slowing later explosion mitigation efforts
2) Gusty winds immediately after disaster, spreading radioactive material to larger area, and preventing effective use of helicopters to quell reactor fire
3) Some man not as competent as OTL B.E. Ssherbina assigned as head of disaster mitigation team
4) Secondary explosion after reactor meltdown (inevitable if (2) and (3) factors are sufficiently grave)

Overall, we can see in worst case the permanent evacuation of Kiev (over 2 million people).
 
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