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Kazakhstan. Dolon. Nurgaly Kenzhebekov (L) 74 years old and his wife Pana Kenzhebekova (R) 70 years old. Both are senior citizens and are standing in the living room of their house. The aged woman is laying exhausted on the sofa. Carpets on the wall and on the couch. The village of Dolon is near the Semipalatinsk Polygon ( called today National Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan), 456 atomic testing - 116 atmospheric, 340 underground - from 1949 to 1989. Nurgaly Kenzhebekov and his wife still remember seing the first atom test in 1949. Both are sick from atom testing. The regions high frequency of various diseases is primarily due to fallout from nearby nuclear test sites. Nurgaly Kenzhebekov and his wife show the human and environmental effects of nuclear radiation, contamination and pollution from atomic tests programs of the former Soviet Union. Dolon is located in the Eastern Kazakhstan Province. © 2008 Didier Ruef
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