To add some perspective http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_disaster

This is not to belittle Chernobyl. But to provoke thought and discussion on why a disaster of this scale has such a negligible mind-share.

"But other reputable scientists researching the most radiation-contaminated areas of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are not convinced. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, another UN agency, predicts 16,000 deaths from Chernobyl; an assessment by the Russian academy of sciences says there have been 60,000 deaths so far in Russia and an estimated 140,000 in Ukraine and Belarus. Meanwhile, the Belarus national academy of sciences estimates 93,000 deaths so far and 270,000 cancers, and the Ukrainian national commission for radiation protection calculates 500,000 deaths so far."

Key word there is confirmed. Don't forget this happened in Soviet Ukraine, and the USSR collapsed shortly thereafter, undoubtedly destroying large amounts of records with it.

Besides, this essay seems to focus on the debilitating effect of life after radiation, not necessarily deaths that can be directly attributed to the Chernobyl event.

Probably because they would not know where to start if they had to count genetic deformaties, cancer, and other psychological and physical defects. It is a mess all around.

why cherry pick one report?