6. The “Elephant’s Foot” Continues To Burn From Radiation
Besides the fact that no one can live in the city of Pripyat for about 24,000 years, there is still a fire burning in the area. This spot is called the “elephant’s foot” and not because it is an elephant’s foot but because it is a giant blob of goo that measures about as large as an elephant’s foot. What caused this massive lump of goo is simple, it is the location where the no. 4 rector stood when it exploded.
The explosion of the no. 4 rector caused everything from metal to concrete near the area to melt. Because this spot is the most dangerous area, no one has ever touched it. In fact, no one can feel it because just being near the elephant’s foot for five minutes can kill a person. Therefore, the elephant’s foot continues to burn in the basement of the old plant. However, this causes another problem. Because the elephant’s foot location is on the ground, it can contaminate the groundwater one day.