Information and evacuation
The first official announcement was made on television on April 28. In a rather dry statement to report the accident and two deaths, the true extent of the catastrophe began to report later.
After assessing the extent of contamination has become clear that it will require evacuation of the city of Pripyat, which was held on April 27. In the first days after the accident people were evacuated a 10-kilometer zone. In the following days people were evacuated other settlements 30-kilometer zone. It was forbidden to take things, many people were evacuated in home clothes. In order not to stir up panic, it was reported that the evacuees return home after three days. Pets are to take with us were not allowed (they were subsequently shot).
Safe routes convoys of evacuees were determined by taking into account the data already received radiation survey. Despite this, neither 26 nor April 27 residents were not warned about the hazard, and gave no recommendations on how to behave, to reduce the impact of radioactive contamination.
At that time, as all foreign media spoke about the threat to human life and on television screens on display card air flows in Central and Eastern Europe, in Kiev and other cities of Ukraine and Belarus were conducted demonstrations and festive celebrations on May Day. Those responsible for withholding information, explaining its decision later on the need to prevent panic among the population.