Related News
Heaviest Japan nuke exposure out of zone
Source: Agencies |
December 14, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
RESIDENTS outside the Fukushima exclusion zone were likely most exposed to radiation in the four months after the nuclear plant was wrecked by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the local government said yesterday.
Their exposure of 19 millisieverts is just below the annual limit set by an international nuclear safety body, it said.
The greatest exposure was in the town of Iitate, where residents were allowed to take their time to leave, located 40km northwest of the plant and outside the 20km evacuation zone.
The disaster knocked out reactor cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co and located 240km northeast of the capital, triggering radiation leaks, contaminating vegetables, tea, milk, seafood and water.
Japanese authorities have faced criticism over a perceived slow response in evacuating nearby residents.
According to estimates, those living within the 20km zone, who were urged to leave quickly, were likely exposed to 0.18 to 2.3 millisieverts in the four months after the disaster.
That is less than the estimated 0.84-19 millisieverts for those living near the plant but outside the zone.
Most residents left the zone within a few days.
"There is a possibility some people have been subject to heavier exposure," an official at the Fukushima local government said. "But as long as exposure stays near 19, there should be no health risks."
The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends exposure be kept below 20 millisieverts per year following the emergency phase of an incident.
Their exposure of 19 millisieverts is just below the annual limit set by an international nuclear safety body, it said.
The greatest exposure was in the town of Iitate, where residents were allowed to take their time to leave, located 40km northwest of the plant and outside the 20km evacuation zone.
The disaster knocked out reactor cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co and located 240km northeast of the capital, triggering radiation leaks, contaminating vegetables, tea, milk, seafood and water.
Japanese authorities have faced criticism over a perceived slow response in evacuating nearby residents.
According to estimates, those living within the 20km zone, who were urged to leave quickly, were likely exposed to 0.18 to 2.3 millisieverts in the four months after the disaster.
That is less than the estimated 0.84-19 millisieverts for those living near the plant but outside the zone.
Most residents left the zone within a few days.
"There is a possibility some people have been subject to heavier exposure," an official at the Fukushima local government said. "But as long as exposure stays near 19, there should be no health risks."
The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends exposure be kept below 20 millisieverts per year following the emergency phase of an incident.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
