On this day: April 26

House Slides Downhill Overnight but Remains Intact

On April 26, 1999, a single-family home shifted downhill during the night after a slope failure; the structure remained standing, and residents were evacuated with no reported fatalities. The incident highlighted local concerns about land stability and prompted emergency inspections.

Chernobyl Reactor Explosion at Pripyat, April 26, 1986

In the early hours of April 26, 1986, reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat exploded during a safety test, releasing large amounts of radioactive material across the Soviet Union and Europe and prompting mass evacuations and a long-term exclusion zone.

Earliest Known Photograph of a Tornado Taken in 1884

A daguerreotype-style photograph captured the earliest reliably dated image of a tornado on April 26, 1884, documenting a funnel cloud in the American Midwest and marking a milestone in meteorological photography.

First Known Photograph of a Tornado Captured, 1884

On April 26, 1884, the earliest surviving photograph commonly identified as a tornado was taken in Kansas, providing a rare visual record of a cyclone at a time when meteorology and photography were both rapidly advancing.

Chernobyl Disaster: Reactor Explosion at Pripyat, April 26, 1986

On April 26, 1986, a late-night test at the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine, led to a catastrophic explosion and fire that released large quantities of radioactive material across the surrounding region and much of Europe.