Atlas of Cursed Places explores locations of environmental and historical tragedy

In the work “Atlas of cursed places,” researcher Olivier Le Carrer examines 40 locations worldwide characterized by severe natural disasters, industrial accidents, environmental crises, and tragic histories. These sites are described not merely through folklore, but through tangible physical and ecological dangers.

Notable examples include Jharia, India, where underground coal seams have been burning for over a century, causing ground subsidence and toxic air for half a million residents. In Russia, the town of Zapadnaya Litsa on the Kola Peninsula serves as a site for decaying nuclear submarines; the abandoned radioactive fuel there is estimated to be thirty times the volume of the Chernobyl disaster, posing a global ecological threat.

Additionally, the island of Thilafushi in the Maldives is highlighted as a site struggling with massive waste accumulation driven by high tourism volumes.