OREANDA-NEWS. April 26, 2011. Today the CIS countries are commemorating those perished in the nuclear and radiation accidents. This day has been marked since 2004. Belarus marks the nationwide Day of Mourning on 26 April.

25 years ago, on 26 April 1986, an explosion rocked Reactor No. 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant located in Ukraine in a close vicinity to the Belarusian border. The blast has left contaminated an estimated 46,500 square kilometers of the Belarusian territory (20% of the Belarusian population) and 19 Russian regions (almost 60,000kmІ, 2,6 million people. The polluted area of Ukraine totaled 50,000kmІ in 12 oblasts.

The accident took numerous human lives and ruined health of many others.

Belarus commemorates Chernobyl anniversaries. An annual requiem meeting is held in the central square of the town of Bragin that lies in 45 kilometers away from the reactor.

Monuments and memorable plaques have been erected in many Belarusian villages to commemorate the abandoned villages after the accident.

St. Michael Church in Gomel has turned into a monument to Chernobyl victims.

In 1990s the resources raised by the Chernobyl civil organizations and ordinary people were put into the construction of the Chernobyl Church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God in Minsk. One more temple to commemorate the Chernobyl victims was constructed in Pritytskogo street.