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Chernobyl was a lot more serious? Fukishima hasn't killed anyone [1] where as Chernobyl killed at least 40 people directly [2].

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disas...

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_due_to_the_Chernobyl_dis...

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One was in 1986 and the other in 2011, so I would expect the safety to be better in the second one. Both were INES Level 7. And Fukushima hasn't killed anyone... yet.

There was no "yet" with Chernobyl. People died within weeks.

There is a "not yet" with Fukushima.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disas...

As usual with long-term exposure, cause of death becomes a statistical and actuarial question.

Incidentally, Chernobyl almost sterilised large areas of Europe and Russia. One of the official documentaries explains what would have happened if the initial suicide squad efforts had failed - it would have been far worse than anything in history.

People died within minutes.

I am pretty sure Fukishima and Chernobyl will be considered equal especially since Fukishima is ongoing and will be for years. The water contamination will be very significant.

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