This is a listing (incomplete) of radiation accidents and other events (e.g. intentional acts) that resulted in acute radiation exposures to humans sufficient to cause casualties. For sources and for details on specific events see individual pages at Database of Radiological Incidents and Related Events or follow links in table.

Notes and codes:

• code: coding for type of accident. Codes:
  • A -- radiation accident (unspecified or other)
  • A-R -- accident involving nuclear reactor
  • A-NR -- accident involving naval reactor
  • A-PR -- accident involving power reactor
  • AC -- criticality accident
  • AC-RR -- criticality accident involving research reactor
  • A-a -- accelerator accident
  • A-d -- accidental dispersal of radioactive material
  • A-i -- accidental internal exposure to radioisotope
  • A-ir -- irradiator accident
  • A-mr -- medical radiotherapy accident
  • A-mx -- medical x-ray accident
  • A-os -- orphaned source accident
  • A-osd -- accidental dispersal of orphaned source
  • A-rg -- radiography accident
  • A-s -- accidental exposure to source
  • A-x -- x-ray accident
  • I-a -- intentional exposure of individual (assault)
  • I-c -- criminal act (unspecified)
  • I-s -- intentional self-exposure
  • I-t -- exposures resulting from theft of source
  • NT -- nuclear weapon test
  • NW -- combat use of nuclear weapon
• highest dose: highest dose to any individual; in cases of more than one casualty, most doses were significantly lower. Codes:
  • L -- casualties involving localized exposures
  • N -- the individual(s) receiving the highest dose died from effects other than ionizing radiation
• deaths: figures are for ionizing radiation-induced deaths only; parenthetical figures include those from other effects (e.g. thermal and mechanical results of explosions). Code:
  • F -- indicates fetal deaths.
• public: codes indicating case involved known exposure to the public (i.e. non-employees). Codes:
  • c -- criminal acts in which only perpetrators were injured
  • m -- medical, exposure of patients
  • x -- exposures among public
• source: radioisotope involved, if known. Codes:
  • * NW -- nuclear detonations
  • * -- criticality accidents
• release: radioactive release into the environment, if any; for point events (e.g. criticality accidents or nuclear detonations), activity is for 1 hour after event.

date	location/link to entry	type of accident/event	code	highest dose (rem)	deaths	injuries	public	source	release
~ 1896	Chicago, Illinois, USA	radiography overexposure	A-mx	L	0	1	m
~ 1905	Washington, District of Columbia, USA	radiography overexposure	A-mx	L	0	1	m
1920 - 1926	United States	ingestion of radioisotope, chronic injury	A-i		9	70		Ra-226
06 Aug 1945	Hiroshima, Japan	combat use of nuclear weapon	NW	(~80,000--N)	45,000 (130,000)	60,000? (86,000)	x	* NW
09 Aug 1945	Nagasaki, Japan	combat use of nuclear weapon	NW	(~200,000--N)	20,000 (65,000)	50,000? (75,000)	x	* NW
21 Aug 1945	Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA	criticality accident with plutonium assembly	AC	510	1	1		* Pu
21 May 1946	Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA	criticality accident with plutonium assembly	AC	2,100	1	1		* Pu
05 Jul 1950	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	accident at nuclear reactor site	A	?	0	5
19 Aug 1950	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at radiochemical plant	A	?	0	1
13 Sep 1950	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at radiochemical plant	A	?	0	1
20 Sep 1950	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at radiochemical plant	A	?	0	1
28 Sep 1950	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	accident at nuclear reactor site	A	?	0	1
Sep 1950 - 28 Oct 1951	Techa River, Russia, USSR	accidental and routine radiation releases	A-d	790	0	940	x
Jan 1951	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	1
Jul 1951	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
01 Oct 1951	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at nuclear reactor site	A	?	1	3
02 Dec 1951	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	3
15 Dec 1951	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at nuclear reactor site	A	?	0	2
04 Mar 1952	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	1
02 Jun 1952	Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois, USA	criticality accident with uranium	AC	136	0	2		* U
04 Jul 1952	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	2
20 Sep 1952	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at radiochemical plant	A	?	0	1
1952	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	3
04 Jan 1953	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accidental internal exposure to radioisotope	A-i	?	2	0		H-3
15 Mar 1953	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with plutonium solution	AC	1,000	0	3		* Pu
09 Sep 1953	Moscow, Russia, USSR	criticality accident	AC	?	0	4
18 Sep 1953	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	2
13 Oct 1953	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	5
28 Dec 1953	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	11
1953	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accidental internal exposure to radioisotope	A-i	?	0	2
01 Mar 1954	Bikini Atoll, Pacific Ocean	fallout from atmospheric nuclear test	NT	300	1	93+		* NW
11 Mar 1954	Obninsk, Russia, USSR	criticality accident	AC	?	0	1
28 Jun 1954	Arzamas-16, Sarov, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	1	1		Po-210
14 Sep 1954	Totsk range, Russia, USSR	nuclear test	NT	?	0	?		* NW
06 Nov 1954	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at radiochemical plant	A	?	0	1
1954	Prague, Czechoslovakia	accidental exposure to source	A	?	0	2?		Ir
24 Jan 1955	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Sb-124
03 Jun 1955	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at nuclear reactor site	A	?	0	4
27 Jul 1955	Idaho RTA, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA	accidental exposure to source	A-s	L	0	1
22 Dec 1955	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	accident at radiochemical plant	A	?	0	1
21 Apr 1957	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with uranium solution	AC	3,000	1	10		* U
Jun 1957	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
29 Sep 1957	Chelyabinsk, Russia, USSR	chemical explosion in stored nuclear wastes	A-d	150	0	0	x
02 Jan 1958	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with uranium solution	AC	6,000	3	1		* U
16 Jun 1958	Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA	criticality accident with uranium solution	AC	460	0	5		* U
15 Oct 1958	Vinca, Yugoslavia	criticality accident at research reactor	AC-RR	430	1	5		* U
30 Dec 1958	Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA	criticality accident with plutonium solution	AC	12,000	1	0		* Pu
08 Mar 1960	Lockport, New York, USA	x-ray accident	A-x	1000	0	2
08 Jun 1960	Moscow, Russia, USSR	intentional overexposure	I-s	1,750	1	0	c	Cs-137
13 Oct 1960	K-8 submarine, Barents Sea	reactor leak	A-NR	200	0	3
1960	USSR	ingestion of radioactive material	A-i	L	1	0		Ra
1960	Kazakhstan, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
03 Jan 1961	SL-1 reactor, Idaho RTA, Idaho, USA	criticality excursion with uranium research reactor	AC-RR	(~350--N)	3	0		* U
20 Mar 1961	Moscow, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1		Co-60
26 Jun 1961	Moscow, Russia, USSR	criticality accident	AC	?	0	4
04 Jul 1961	K-19 submarine, North Atlantic Ocean	reactor accident	A-NR	6,000	8	31
14 Jul 1961	Siberian Chemical Combine, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with uranium	AC	200	0	1		* U
30 Sep 1961	Moscow, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
1961	Switzerland	accidental exposure to radioisotope	A	300	1	2		H-3
1961	Plymouth, United Kingdom	x-ray accident	A-mx	L	0	11?	m
06 Feb 1962	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
21 Mar 1962 - Aug 1962	Mexico City, Mexico	lost radiography source	A-os	5,200	4	1	x	Co-60
07 Apr 1962	Hanford, Washington, USA	criticality accident with plutonium solution	AC	110	0	2		* Pu
10 Apr 1962	Moscow, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
02 Nov 1962	Obninsk, Russia, USSR	criticality accident	AC	?	0	2
11 Jan 1963	Sanlian, PRC	lost source	A-os	8,000	2	4		Co-60
11 Mar 1963	Arzamas-16, Sarov, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with plutonium assembly	AC	550	0	2		* Pu
28 Jun 1963	Sverdlovsk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	3
26 Jul 1963	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
1963	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	1
1963	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
24 Jul 1964	Wood River, Rhode Island, USA	criticality accident with uranium solution	AC	10,000	1	1		* U
1964	FR Germany	accidental exposure to radioisotope	A	1,000	1	3		H-3
12 Feb 1965	K-11 submarine, Severodvinsk, USSR	accident during refueling of naval reactor	A-NR	?	0	7			?
29 May 1965	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
30 Dec 1965	Mol, Belgium	criticality accident with uranium in water	AC	500	0	1		* U
1965	Illinois, USA	irradiator accident	A-ir	L	0	1
20 May 1966	Moscow, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
11 Jun 1966	Kaluga, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
1966	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
15 Apr 1967	Frunze, Kirgyzstan, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
24 May 1967	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
May 1967	New Delhi, India	accidental exposure to source	A-s	L	0	1		Co-60
04 Oct 1967	Harmarville, Pennsylvania, USA	irradiator accident	A-ir	600	0	3
09 Dec 1967	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
22 Dec 1967	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Sc-46
~ 1965 - 1968	Pennsylvania, USA	attempt to self-induce abortion using x-ray machine	I-s	?	0	1	c
05 Apr 1968	Chelyabinsk-70, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with uranium in assembly	AC	3,000	2	0		* U
May 1968	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
03 May 1968 - Jun 1968	La Plata, Argentina	lost source	A-os	L	0	1		Cs-137
24 May 1968	K-27 submarine, Barents Sea	naval reactor accident	A-NR	?	9	83
27 Jun 1968	Arzamas-16, Sarov, Russia, USSR	accidental internal exposure to radioisotope	A-i	?	0	2		Po-210
01 Aug 1968	Wisconsin, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	~450	1	0	m	Au-198
18 Sep 1968	FR Germany	accidental exposure to source	A-s	100	0	1
07 Dec 1968	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
10 Dec 1968	Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with plutonium solution	AC	2,450	1	1		* Pu
02 Jan 1969	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
20 Jan 1969	Obninsk, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	2
11 Feb 1969	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
11 Mar 1969	Melekes, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1		Co-60
22 Apr 1969	Russia, USSR	accident at nuclear reactor site	A	?	0	2
07 May 1969	Voronezh, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	2
20 Sep 1969	Scotland, United Kingdom	accidental exposure to radiography source	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
24 Sep 1969	Tomsk-7, Seversk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
13 Oct 1969	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
13 Oct 1969	Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
14 Oct 1969	Novaya Zemlya, Russia, USSR	venting from underground nuclear test	NT	80	0	?		* NW
24 Nov 1969	Novomoskovsk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	3		Cs-137
20 Dec 1969	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
1969	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
1969	USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
1969	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
18 Jan 1970	Sormovo, Russia, USSR	construction accident on submarine nuclear reactor	A-NR	?	3	2
04 Feb 1970	Kiev, Ukraine, USSR	possible criticality accident	AC	?	0	1
13 Feb 1970	Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1		Co-60
15 Apr 1970	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
23 Jun 1970 - 25 Jun 1970	Australia	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	2
Sep 1970	Chelyabinsk, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Cs-137
04 Feb 1971	United States	irradiator accident	A-ir	~260	0	1		Co-60
15 Feb 1971	Kurtchatov, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with uranium	AC	330	0	3		* U
Mar 1971	Tula, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Cs-137
26 May 1971	Kurtchatov, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with uranium in water	AC	6,000	2	2		* U
Sep 1971	Voronezh, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
05 Dec 1971	Arkhangelsk region, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	3		Cs-137
1971	Chiba, Japan	lost source	A-os	130	0	3		Ir-192
1971	Ufa, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Cs-137
29 Feb 1972	Sichuan, PRC	irradiator accident	A-ir	147	0	1		Co-60
31 Mar 1972	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
08 Apr 1972 - Oct 1972	Harris county, Texas, USA	intentional exposure to individual	I-a	L	0	1	x	Cs-137
Jun 1972	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
Jul 1972	India	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
04 Oct 1972	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
09 Oct 1972	Primorsky region, Russia, USSR	criminal act using radioactive source	I-c	?	0	1	x	Ir-192
22 Dec 1972	Irkutsk, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
Dec 1972	Wuhan, PRC	medical radiation accident	A-s	245	0	1+	m	Co-60
1972	Bulgaria	self-inflicted radiation exposure	I-s	L	1	0	c	Cs-137
11 Jan 1973	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Co-60
17 Mar 1973	Odessa, Ukraine, USSR	criminal act using radioactive source	I-c	?	0	1	x	Co-60
Mar 1973	Kaliningrad, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
Apr 1973	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
26 Jul 1973	Elektrogorsk, Moscow region, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1		Co-60
05 Sep 1973	Khokhol, Vladimir region, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	4		Cs-137
Dec 1973	Donetsk, Ukraine, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Cs-137
09 Jan 1974	Novosibirsk, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
24 May 1974	Tomsk-7, Seversk, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Rh-106
31 May 1974	Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan, USSR	venting from underground nuclear test	NT	150	0	100	x?	* NW
Jun 1974	Parsippany, New Jersey, USA	irradiator accident	A-ir	400	0	1		Co-60
09 Aug 1974	India	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
24 Oct 1974	Perm', Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Co-60
15 Dec 1974	Lipetsk, Russia, USSR	criminal act using radioactive source	I-c	?	0	2	x	Cs-137
1974	Sverdlovsk, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
1974 - 1976	Columbus, Ohio, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	10	88	m	Co-60
20 Jun 1975	Kazan', Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	2		Co-60
11 Jul 1975	Sverdlovsk, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	1	2		Co-60
1975	Tucuman, Argentina	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	2	m	Co-60
1975	Rossendorf, GDR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	L	0	1
1975	Halle, GDR	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1975	FR Germany	x-ray accident	A-x	~100	0	1
1975	FR Germany	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1975	FR Germany	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1975	Iraq	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
13 May 1975	Brescia, Lombardia, Italy	food irradiator accident	A-ir	1,200	1	0		Co-60
Mar 1976	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
12 Jul 1976	Moscow, Russia, USSR	irradiator accident	A-ir	400	0	1		Co-60
22 Jul 1976	Melekes, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
12 Nov 1976	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1976	FR Germany	x-ray accident	A-x	100	0	1
1976	Hanford, Washington, USA	accidental intake of radioisotope	A-i	L	0	1
? 1976	United States	fluoroscopy accidents	A-mx	L	0	2	m
08 Jan 1977	Sasolburg, Transvaal, South Africa	radiography accident	A-rg	116	0	1		Ir-192
01 Mar 1977	Obninsk, Russia, USSR	possible criticality accident	AC	?	0	1
05 Mar 1977	Kiev, Ukraine, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	L	0	1
02 Apr 1977	Atucha, Argentina	accidental intake of radioisotope through wound	A-i	L	0	1
Sep 1977	Rockaway, New Jersey, USA	irradiator accident	A-ir	200	0	1		Co-60
1977	La Plata, Argentina	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1977	Pardubice, Czechoslovakia	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1977	FR Germany	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1977	Gyor, Hungary	accidental exposure to industrial source	A-rg	120	0	1
1977	Zona del Oleoducto, Peru	accidental exposure to source	A-s	200	0	3		Ir-192
1977	United Kingdom	accidental exposure to radioisotope	A	64	0	2		H-3
1977	United Kingdom	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
07 Mar 1978	Primorsky region, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
04 Apr 1978	Primorsky region, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
05 May 1978	Setif, Algeria	lost radiography source	A-os	140	1 (+1 F)	6	x	Ir-192
03 Jun 1978	Protvino, Kaluga region, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
17 Jul 1978	West Monroe, Louisiana, USA	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
21 Sep 1978	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	L	0	1
Sep 1978	San Francisco, California, USA	criminal act using radioactive material	I-c	?	0	3	x	P-32
17 Oct 1978	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accident at nuclear reactor site	A	?	0	1
25 Nov 1978	Udmurtia, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
13 Dec 1978	Siberian Chemical Combine, Russia, USSR	criticality accident with plutonium assembly	AC	250	0	1		* Pu
28 Dec 1978	K-171 submarine, Pacific Ocean	submarine reactor accident	A-NR	?	3
1978	Buenos Aries, Argentina	accidental exposure to industrial source	A-s	L	0	1		Ir-192
1978	Nancy, France	accidental x-ray exposure	A-x	L	0	1
1978	Nykoping, Sweden	accidental exposure at research reactor	A	L	0	1
1978	United Kingdom	intentional self-exposure to radiography source	I-s	152	0	1	c	Ir-192
1978	United States	accelerator accident	A-a	L	0	1
08 May 1979	Sverdlovsk, Russia, USSR	accident involving nuclear reactor	A-R	?	0	1
11 May 1979	La Hague, France	radiological assault	I-a	L	0	1	x
05 Jun 1979	Los Angeles, California, USA	lost source	A-os	L	0	5		Ir-192
20 Jul 1979	Leningrad, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	2
20 Sep 1979	Frunze, Kirgyzstan, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
01 Dec 1979	Semipalatinsk, Kazahkstan, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1		Co-60
1979	Parana, Argentina	x-ray accident	A-x	94	0	1
1979	Sokolov, Czechoslovakia	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1979	Montpelier, France	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1979	FR Germany	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1979	Freiberg, GDR	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1979	USSR nuclear submarine, unknown location	submarine reactor accident	A-NR	?	0	4
23 May 1980	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
01 Sep 1980	Leningrad, Russia, USSR	irradiator accident	A-ir	?	1	0		Co-60
19 Sep 1980	Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	1	0		Ir-192
Sep 1980	Shanghai, PRC	irradiator accident	A-ir	500	0	1		Co-60
03 Dec 1980	Vladivostok, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
1980	FR Germany	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	2
1980	Bohlen, GDR	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1980	Rossendorf, GDR	accidental exposure to radioisotope	A	L	0	1		P-32
1980	Houston, Texas, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L?	7	?	m	Y-90
02 Apr 1981	Saintes, France	accidental exposure to medical source	A-s	L	0	3		Co-60
29 Jul 1981	Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA	intentional self-exposure to industrial radiography source	I-s	?	1	0	c	Ir-192
1981	Buenos Aires, Argentina	accidental exposure to industrial source	A-s	L	0	2		Ir-192
1981	FR Germany	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1981	Berlin, GDR	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
09 Jan 1982	Kramatorsk, Ukraine, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	2	0		Cs-137
15 Mar 1982	Krasnodar, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Ir-192
19 May 1982	Smolensk, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
14 Jun 1982	Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan, USSR	criminal act using radioactive source	I-c	?	0	7	x	Co-60
02 Sep 1982	Kjeller, Norway	accident at industrial irradiator	A-ir	2,200	1	0		Co-60
05 Oct 1982	Baku, Azerbaidjan, USSR	lost source	A-os	?	5	13		Cs-137
18 Dec 1982	Uregoy, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	2		Ir-192
1982	La Plata, Argentina	accident with radiotherapy unit	A-x	L	0	1
1982	Prague, Czechoslovakia	accidental exposure to radiography source	A-os	L	0	1	x	Ir-192
1982	Berlin, GDR	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1982	Vikhroli, Bombay, India	lost source	A-os	L	0	1	x	Ir-192
1982	Badak, East Borneo, Indonesia	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
27 Jan 1983	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
28 Apr 1983	Kharkov, Ukraine, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	2		Cs-137
17 May 1983	Volgograd, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
11 Jun 1983	Ufa, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Cs-137
23 Sep 1983	Constituyentes, Argentina	criticality accident with uranium in water	AC	3,700	1	0		* U
07 Dec 1983	Ufa, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
1983	Buenos Aires, Argentina	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	2	m	Co-60
1983	FR Germany	accidental x-ray exposure	A-x	L	0	1
1983	Schwarze Pumpe, GDR	accidental exposure to industrial source	A-s	L	0	1		Ir-192
1983	Mulund, Bombay, India	accidental exposure to source	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
06 Dec 1983 - Feb 1984	Ciudad Juarez, Mexico	dispersal of lost radiography source	A-osd	450	1	4	x	Co-60	400 Ci
07 Feb 1984	Perm', Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	5		Ir-192
19 Mar 1984	Casablanca, Morocco	lost radiography source	A-os	?	8	3	x	Ir-192
21 Apr 1984	Chelyabinsk-40, Ozersk, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
12 Jun 1984	Ufa, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
15 Jun 1984	Gorky, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	8		Ir-192
24 Oct 1984	Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Sb-124
1984	Mendoza, Argentina	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1984	Tiszafured, Hungary	accidental exposure to radiography source	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1984	Lima, Peru	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	6
03 Mar 1985	Norilsk, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	3		Cs-137
03 Jun 1985	Marietta, Georgia, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m
26 Jul 1985	Hamilton, Ontario, Canada	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m
10 Aug 1985	K-431 submarine, Chazhma Bay, Vladivostok, Russia, USSR	reactor accident during refueling	A-NR	220	0 (10)	49			~1 kCi
26 Sep 1985	Ignalinskaya, Lithuania, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
Sep 1985	Shanghai, PR China	accelerator accident	A-a	L	0	2
16 Oct 1985	Podolsk, Moscow region, Russia, USSR	radiation accident	A	?	0	1
1985	PR China	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	1	1	m	Au-197
1985	Heilongjiang, PR China	lost source	A-os	1000	1	3		Cs-137
1985	Petrvald, Czechoslovakia	accidental intake of radioisotope	A-i	L	0	1		Am-241
1985	Visakhapatnam, India	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Co-60
1985	Yamuananager, India	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	2		Ir-192
1985	Odessa, Texas, USA	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1
1985	United Kingdom	accidental ingestion of radioisotope	A-i	L	0	1		I-125
Sep 1985 - 06 Jan 1986	Yakima, Washington, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m
Mar 1986	Beijing, PRC	accidental exposure to irradiator source	A-ir	80	0	2		Co-60
21 Mar 1986 - 11 Apr 1986	Tyler, Texas, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	2	0	m
26 Apr 1986 - 06 May 1986	Chernobyl, Ukraine, USSR	steam explosion and fire in graphite-moderated power reactor	A-PR	1,600	28 (31)	238+	x		52 MCi
26 May 1986	Kaifeng City, PRC	accidental exposure to irradiator source	A-ir	350	2	0		Co-60
11 Jun 1986	Obninsk, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Co-60
05 Aug 1986	Kalinin, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
1986	United Kingdom	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m	Co-60
17 Jan 1987	Yakima, Washington, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	1	0	m
19 Feb 1987	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
Jul 1987 - Sep 1987	Koko, Nigeria	radiological exposure to low-level waste	A	?	0	26
12 Sep 1987 - 29 Sep 1987	Goiania, Goias, Brazil	accidental dispersal of lost radiography source	A-osd	700	5	20	x	Cs-137	1375 Ci
1987	Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1
1987	Zhengzhou City, PRC	irradiator accident	A-ir	135	0	1		Co-60
1987	Norilsk, Russia, USSR	radiological assault	I-a	?	0	3		Cs-137
22 Mar 1988	Sverdlovsk, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	3		Sr-90, Y-90
05 Apr 1988	Tashkent, Uzbekistan, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	2		Ir-192
02 Jul 1988	Sao Paulo, Brazil	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	3		Ir-192
18 Aug 1988	Riga, Latvia, USSR	criminal act using radioactive source	I-c	?	0	1	x	Cf-252
1988	Zhao Xian, PRC	irradiator accident	A-ir	520	0	1		Co-60
1988	Jena, GDR	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
1988	Trustetal, GDR	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	2
1988	Rotterdam, Netherlands	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m
1988	Exeter, United Kingdom	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	?	0	1+?	m
05 Feb 1989	San Salvador, El Salvador	irradiator accident	A-ir	800	1	2		Co-60
20 Mar 1989	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
04 Aug 1989	Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
14 Aug 1989	Zagorsk, Sergiev Posad, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
30 Oct 1989	Moscow, Russia, USSR	x-ray accident	A-x	?	0	1
1989	Bangladesh	accident with industrial source	A-s	230	0	1		Ir-192
1989	Beijing, PRC	accidental exposure to source	A-s	89	0	2		Co-60
1989	PR China	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1989	Paks, Hungary	accidental exposure to source	A-s	L	0	1
1989	Hazira, Gujarat, India	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1989	Witbank, Transvaal, South Africa	radiography accident	A-rg	225	0	1		Ir-192
27 Feb 1990	Kalinin, Russia, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Ir-192
13 Mar 1990	Moscow, Russia, USSR	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
29 Mar 1990	United States	fluoroscopy accident	A-mx	L	0	1	m
19 Jun 1990	Honolulu, Hawaii, USA	ingestion of radioisotope	A-i	L	0	1	x	I-131
21 Jun 1990	Soreq, Israel	accident at commerical irradiation facility	A-ir	1,500	1	0		Co-60
25 Jun 1990	Shanghai, PRC	irradiator accident	A-ir	1,200	2	5		Co-60
13 Sep 1990	Kharkov, Ukraine, USSR	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Ir-192
01 Nov 1990	Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia, USSR	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
10 Dec 1990 - 20 Dec 1990	Zarragosa, Spain	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	18	9	m
1990	Sasolburg, Transvaal South Africa	orphaned source	A-os	L	0	4	x	Co-60
24 Aug 1991	Bratsk, Irkutsk, Russia, USSR	attempted homicide using radioactive source	I-a	?	0	1	x	Cs-137
13 Aug 1991	Forbach, France	irradiator accident	A-ir	L	0	3
26 Oct 1991	Nesvizh, Belarus	irradiator accident	A-ir	1,250	1	0		Co-60
11 Dec 1991	Maryland, USA	irradiator accident	A-ir	L	0	1
? 1977 - 1991	United Kingdom	radiography accident	A-rg	L	1	0		Ir-192
09 Jan 1992	Riazan', Russia	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	2		Ir-192
25 May 1992	Axay, Kazakhstan	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
16 Nov 1992 - 21 Nov 1992	Indiana (city), Pennsylvania, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	1	0	m	Ir-192
17 Nov 1992	Hanoi, Vietnam	irradiation accident	A-ir	L	0	1
19 Nov 1992	Jilin, Xinzhou, PRC	lost industrial source	A-os	>800	3	6	x	Co-60
19 Nov 1992 - 27 Nov 1992	Wuhan, PR China	irradiator accident	A-ir	360	0	3
1992	Switzerland	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1992	San Antonio, Texas, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m	I-131
14 Apr 1993	Moscow, Russia	homicide using radioactive source	I-a	?	1	0	x	Cs-137
12 Jul 1993	Vologda, Russia	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Ir-192
07 Aug 1993	Dimitrovograd, Russia	accident at nuclear reactor site	A		0	1
09 Nov 1993	Tula region, Russia	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Ir-192
1993	United Kingdom	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1
28 Apr 1994	Tokyo, Japan	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	1
21 Oct 1994 - 18 Nov 1994	Tammiku, Estonia	exposure to stolen source	I-t	400	1	4	x	Cs-137
28 Nov 1994	Voronezh, Russia	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
1994	Texas City, Texas, USA	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1
~ Feb 1995 - 07 Jul 1995	Zheleznodorozhny, Moscow region, Russia	criminal act using radioactive source	I-a	800	1	0	x	Cs-137
18 Mar 1995	Pervouralsk, Russia	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
23 May 1995	Smolensk, Russia	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Ir-192
11 Sep 1995	Moscow, Russia	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Cs-137
03 Oct 1995	Nizhny Novgorod, Russia	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
1995	France	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
1995	France	orphaned source	A-os	L	0	1	x	Cs-137
1995	Tyler, Texas, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m	I-131
01 Oct 1994 - 15 Feb 1996	Republic of China (Taiwan)	intentional poisoning using radioactive material	I-a	?	0	1	x	P-32
05 Jan 1996	Jilin, Xinzhou, PRC	exposure to lost source	A-os	290	0	1		Ir-192
23 Feb 1996	Moscow, Russia	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
27 Feb 1996 - 05 Mar 1996	Houston, Texas, USA	exposure to stolen source	I-t	L	0	1	x	Co-60
08 Jun 1996	Nizhny Novgorod, Russia	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
Jun 1996 - 09 Oct 1997	Lilo Training Center, Tbilisi, Georgia	lost sources	A-os	590	0	11		Ra-226, ?
24 Jul 1996	Gilan, Iran	lost industrial radiography source	A-os	450	0	1		Ir-192
22 Aug 1996 - 27 Sep 1996	San Jose, Costa Rica	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	7	81	m	Co-60
17 Jun 1997	Arzamas-16, Sarov, Russia	criticality accident with uranium assembly	AC	4,850	1	0		* U
30 Sep 1997	Italy	radiography accident	A-rg	89	0	1		Co-60
29 Nov 1997	Grozny, Russia	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	3		Co-60
02 Dec 1997	Volgograd, Russia	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Ir-192
1997	Georgia	lost source	A-os	?	1	?	x	Co-60
Jan 1998	Harbin, PR China	source accident	A-s	500	0	1		Co-60
18 Mar 1998	Moscow, Russia	accidental exposure to source	A-s	?	0	1		Co-60
06 Oct 1998	Kansas City, Missouri, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0 (+2 F)	0	m	I-131
31 Dec 1998	Aransas Pass, Texas, USA	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1		Ir-192
10 Dec 1998 - 08 Jan 1999	Istanbul, Turkey	lost radiograpy sources	A-os	310	0	10	x	Co-60	636 Ci
20 Feb 1999	Yanango, Peru	lost source	A-os	150	0	1		Ir-192
26 Apr 1999 - 28 Apr 1999	Henan, PRC	lost source	A-os	610	0	4	x	Co-60
04 Aug 1999	Houston, Texas, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m	I-131
13 Sep 1999	Grozny, Russia	attempted theft of sources	I-t	high	3	3	c	Co-60
30 Sep 1999 - 01 Oct 1999	Toki-mura, Ibarakin, Japan	criticality accident with uranium solution	AC	1,800	2	1		* U
1999	Kingisepp, Russia	exposure to stolen source	I-t	?	3	0	c
24 Jan 2000 - 20 Feb 2000	Samut Prakarn, Thailand	lost radiography source	A-os	200	3	7	x	Co-60
Mar 2000	Xuchang, PR China	source accident	A-s	140	0	1		Co-60
05 Jun 2000 - 03 Jul 2000	Meet Halfa, Qaluobiya, Egypt	lost radiography source	A-os	750	2	5	x	Ir-192
16 Aug 2000	Samara, Russia	lost radiography source	A-os	275	0	3		Ir-192
13 Oct 2000	Dubna, Russia	accelerator accident	A-a	?	0	1
Aug 2000 - 24 Mar 2001	Panama City, Panama	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	17	11	m
06 Feb 2001	Nizhny Novgorod, Russia	x-ray accident	A-x	L	0	4
27 Feb 2001	Bialystok, Poland	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	5	m
24 Jun 2001	Stavropolskij Kraj, Russia	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
01 Aug 2001	Salavat, Russia	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	2		Ir-192
summer 2001	Kandalaksha, Russia	exposure to stolen source	I-t	?	0	4	c
02 Dec 2001 - 02 Feb 2002	Liya, Georgia	exposure to stolen source	I-t	570	1	2	c	Sr-90
11 May 2002 - 19 Jul 2002	Guangzhou, PRC	intentional exposure using radioactive sources	I-a	150	0	75	x	Ir-192
01 Sep 2002	Nizhny Novgorod, Russia	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	1		Ir-192
09 Jun 2003 - 11 Jun 2003	Houston, Texas, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m
08 Aug 2003	Anderson, Indiana, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m	I-131
2003 - 13 Nov 2003	Kola Harbor, Russia	exposure to stolen sources	I-t	?	?	1+?	c	Sr-90
26 Jan 2004 - 22 Mar 2004	South Bend, Indiana, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	3	m	Cs-137
~03 Sep 2004 - 24 Sep 2004	St. Petersburg, Russia	intentional poisoning using radioactive substance	I-a	?	1	0	x
21 Oct 2004	Shandong Jining, PR China	irradiator accident	A-ir	2,000	2	0		Co-60
02 Nov 2004 - 16 Nov 2004	Columbus, Ohio, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m	I-131, I-123
Nov 2004	Lyon, France	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	1	0	m
May 2004 - May 2005	Epinal, France	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	1	13	m
Jun 2005	Harbin, PR China	lost source	A-os	160	0	3	?	Ir-192
14 Dec 2005 - 15 Dec 2005	Nueva Aldea, Chile	lost radiography source	A-os	150	0	4		Ir-192
05 Jan 2006 - 01 Feb 2006	Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	1	0	m
11 Mar 2006	Fleurus, Belgium	irradiator accident	A-ir	460	0	1		Co-60
26 May 2006	Florence, South Carolina, USA	radiotherapy accident	A-mr	L	0	1	m	I-131, Tc-99m
~ Aug 2006	Dakar, Senegal, and Abidjan, Ivory Coast	radiography accident	A-rg	?	0	4		Ir-192
01 Nov 2006	London, United Kingdom	intentional poisoning using radioactive substance	I-a	?	1	2	x	Po-210
Aug 2007	Clinton, Michigan, USA	theft of sources	I-t	L?	0	1?	c
22 Oct 2007	Tecnos, Spain	radiography accident	A-rg	72	0	1		Co-60
23 Jan 2008	Arcata, California, USA	medical radiography accident	A-mx	L	0	1	m
Feb 2008 - Aug 2009	Los Angeles, California, USA	medical radiography accident	A-mx	L	0	2+	m
23 Mar 2008	Rades, Tunisia	orphaned source	A-os	200	0	1		Ir-192
08 Apr 2008	Taiyuan, Shanxi, PR China	irradiator accident	A-ir	1450	1	4		Co-60
03 Mar 2009	Jinju, Argus, Republic of Korea	radiography accident	A-rg	20	0	1		Ir-192
Apr 2009	Ecuador	orphaned source	A-os	L	0	1
12 Mar 2010 - Apr 2010	Mayapuri, New Delhi, India	orphaned source	A-os	?	1	7	x	Co-60
03 Jun 2010	Turmero, Aragua, Venezuela	orphaned source	A-os	L	0	1		Ir-192
11 Mar 2011 - 02 Apr 2011	Fukushima Daiichi, Fukushima, Japan	earthquake/tsunami-produced accidents at power reactors	A-PR	24 (L)	0	2 (17)		?
14 Jun 2011	Stamboliyski, Bulgaria	irradiator accident	A-ir	530	0	5		Co-60
12 Sep 2011	Lavaca, Texas, USA	radiography accident	A-rg	L	0	1
11 Jan 2012 - 12 Jan 2012	Chilca, Canete, Peru	radiography accident	A-rg	460	0	3		Ir-192
02 Dec 2013 - 04 Dec 2013	Hueypoxtla, Mexico, Mexico	radiotherapy source theft	I-t	?	0	3	x	Co-60
May 2014	Nanjing, PR China	lost source	A-os	150	0	1		?
08 Aug 2019	Nyonoksa, Russia	explosion of experimental reactor	AC-R	large	4 (5)	6 (13)	x		?
02 Jan 2020	Xinxiang, Henan, PR China	radiography accident	A-mx	95	0	1	m
date	location/link to entry	type of accident/event	code	highest dose (rem)	deaths	injuries	public	source	release

© 2004-2014, 2022 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 29 November 2022.
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