It’s been five years since the Fukushima Nuclear disaster (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) It has been five years since reactor four went in to meltdown at the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant, triggered by a huge tsunami and earthquake that devastated Japan.

Chernobyl 30 years on: Incredible look inside disaster zone where time stood still

The nuclear disaster led to the imposition of a 20 mile evacuation zone, similar to that seen in Chernobyl, more than 25 years earlier.

Many of the towns that lay within it, have remained almost untouched since.

Determined to see the evidence for himself, photographer Keow Wee Loong ignored the need for special permit and crept in to the exclusion zone overnight.




The nuclear disaster led to the imposition of a 20 mile evacuation zone (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) Many of the towns that lay within the exclusion zone, have remained almost untouched since. (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) Photographer Keow Wee Loong ignored the need for special permit and crept in to the exclusion zone overnight. (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) These pictures were taken at Okuma,Futaba and Namie (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) These pictures, taken at Okuma,Futaba and Namie, were the result.

Explaining what it was like to enter the red zone, Loong said he could feel a ‘burning sensation’ in his eyes and noticed a ‘thick chemical smell in the air’.

‘Everything is exactly where it is after the earthquake struck,’ he said.

Loong said he could feel a ‘burning sensation’ in his eyes and noticed a ‘thick chemical smell in the air’. (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) (Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong) ‘The radiation level is still very high, not many people have seen this town in the last five years.It is like it vanished.

‘I found food, money, gold, laptops and other valuables. I’m amazed that nobody looted these towns clean.’

(Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong)

(Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong)

(Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong)

(Picture: Barcroft Media/ Keow Wee Loong)

MORE: Chernobyl 30 years on: Incredible look inside disaster zone where time stood still