Environment & Ecology question from JKAS Prelims, 2018 by JKPSC
Which of the following was not a disaster related to a nuclear accident?
Last updated May 30, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option D —
Love Canal
Love Canal (Not a Nuclear Disaster): This was a massive environmental and chemical disaster that occurred in a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, during the late 1970s. A chemical company had buried over 21,000 tons of toxic industrial waste in an abandoned canal. A school and residential neighborhood were later built on top of it, leading to severe health crises (including high rates of birth defects and cancers) when the chemical waste began leaking into basements and backyards. It led to the creation of the US Federal "Superfund" program for toxic waste cleanup.
Fukushima (2011): A major nuclear disaster in Japan triggered by a massive tsunami following the Tōhoku earthquake, leading to equipment failures and meltdowns at three nuclear reactors.
Chernobyl (1986): The worst nuclear accident in history, occurring in Ukraine (then part of the USSR), caused by a flawed reactor design and inadequately trained personnel during a safety test.
Kyshtym (1957): A severe radiation contamination accident that occurred at Mayak, a plutonium production site in the Soviet Union. It is ranked as the third most serious nuclear accident on record.
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
