Inside Chernobyl, 30 years after the worst nuclear disaster in history

An explosion rocked the plant on the morning of April 26, 1986, sending radioactive matter through the roof and into surrounding parts of what was then the Soviet Union, stretching as far as Russia, Belarus, and across northern Europe, according to the BBC.

Releasing a radioactive blast that was 10 times larger than the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, the event has a reputation as one of the worst nuclear disasters in history.

While the number of deaths caused by the incident remains unclear, many people exposed to the radioactive material continue to suffer from health problems as a result.

On a recent visit to Chernobyl in March, Associated Press photographer Efrem Lukatsky captured photos of inside the power plant 30 years on from the accident.

Here are his photos of the plant, as it looks today: