Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Polish photographer Arkadiusz Podniesinski travelled to the site of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster last month to see the location with his own eyes. When he obtained permits to enter the roughly 20km (12.5 mile) Exclusion Zone, he was confronted with a scene similar to one from a post apocalyptic film. Podniesinski previously photographed the area around the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear energy plant disaster.

“It is not earthquakes or tsunami that are to blame for the Fukushima disaster at Daiichi nuclear power station, but humans,” writes Podniesinski on his website. He undertook the project so that he could draw his “own conclusions without being influenced by any media sensation, government propaganda, or nuclear lobbyists who are trying to play down the effects of the disaster, and pass on the information obtained to as wider a public as possible.”

Scroll down to see the haunting images from Fukushima Exclusion Zone yourself.

More info: podniesinski.pl (h/t: designyoutrust)

Abandoned vehicles are slowly swallowed up by nature on a stretch of road near the power plant

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Some of the cars have entirely disappeared in the wild grass

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Podniesinski shows a radiation reading of 6.7 uSv/h

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

A chained-up motorcycle is slowly absorbed into the field

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

These contaminated televisions were collected and piled up as part of the cleaning efforts

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Cobwebs hang above the scattered products in this abandoned supermarket

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Another photo from within a supermarket feels eerily similar to those from post-apocalyptic movies

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

This abandoned computer lab covered in animal droppings is from a village near the plant

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

A dining table with portable cookers ready to prepare food looks like it was left in haste

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

These go-karts have had their last race in an entertainment park located within the 12.5mile exclusion zone

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Musical instruments including a piano litter the floor of this classroom

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

The earthquake which started the tsunami damaged buildings as well

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

These bicycles were left behind when residents fled

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Classes were interrupted mid-lesson by the disaster

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

An empty arcade, now without patrons

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

This aerial photo taken by a drone shows one of the dump sites that contain thousands of bags of contaminated soil

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Bags of radioactive soil are stacked one on top of the other to save space

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Landowners have been told that these contaminated bags will be disposed of, but many people remain skeptical

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

Cows started to get white spots on their skin soon after the accident. One farmer believes this is due to the cows eating contaminated grass

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature

“Nuclear energy is the energy of a bright future” reads the sign

Never-Before-Seen Images Reveal How The Fukushima Exclusion Zone Was Swallowed By Nature