Search This Blog

Friday, March 25, 2011

Japan : Radioactive water detected in 6 prefectures

Another article from NHK News :

" Radioactive water has been detected at water purification facilities in Tokyo and 5 other prefectures. The level of radioactive iodine-131 at 18 purification plants exceeds Japan's safety limit for infants.Radioactive iodine-131 does not exist in nature.

Experts believe it was carried by the wind from the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to surrounding areas, and then washed down into rivers by rain.The governments of Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Chiba, Saitama and Tochigi prefectures have detected more than 100 becquerels of iodine per liter of water, above the safety level for infants under 12 months. But the water is safe for adults because it's not above the 300 becquerel safety limit for them.

Hosei University professor and air-borne contamination expert Kentaro Murano says it's hard to predict where the radioactive substances will spread, because the wind blows in various directions at this time of year.Murano says people should not overreact when they see small changes in levels. He points out that if it rains several times, all the radioactive substances in the air and on the ground will be washed out to sea."

No comments:

Post a Comment