My sister once monitored film badges / dosimeters for a military site. A day or two after Chernobyl, the background radiation counts had skyrocketed here, half a word away.
HBO ran a documentary a few years ago called “Chernobyl Heart” which is the term used to describe a birth defect that is prevalent in the area around the disaster; it’s heartbreaking to watch, and I hope it runs again this Spring for the anniversary.