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A 6,500-square-foot section of the roof at Chernobyl collapsed on Tuesday, sparking fears of another disaster at Ukraine’s derelict nuclear power plant. The collapse occurred 165 feet from the “sarcophagus,” which contains the radiation emanating from the reactor’s ruins. Plant spokeswoman Maya Rudenko told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the collapse was caused by heavy snowfall and that radiation levels remained normal. "Everybody should be absolutely calm," she said. "Yes, it is unpleasant, but there is no danger."
A new confinement structure is currently being built over the old “sarcophagus.” The structure was not affected by the collapse but the French construction companies in charge of the project evacuated their workers as a precaution. They have yet to return.
The area around Chernobyl has been largely off-limits since the plant exploded in 1986 and sent radioactive fallout across half of Europe.
