Setbacks mount at stricken Japan nuke plant : Radiation levels surge

[Better Believe It]

Setbacks mount at stricken Japan nuke plant
Radiation levels surge as company boss is taken to the hospital
NBC, msnbc.com and news services
March 30, 2011

Setbacks mounted Wednesday in the crisis over Japan's tsunami-damaged nuclear facility, with nearby seawater testing at its highest radiation levels yet and the president of the plant operator checking into a hospital with hypertension.

At the crippled plant, leaking radiation has seeped into the soil and seawater nearby and made its way into produce, raw milk and even tap water as far as Tokyo, 140 miles to the south.

On Wednesday, nuclear safety officials said seawater 300 yards outside the plant contained 3,355 times the legal limit for the amount of radioactive iodine — the highest rate yet and a sign that more contaminated water was making its way into the ocean. Two days ago it was 1,800 times higher, NBC News reported.

Highly toxic plutonium also has been detected in the soil outside the plant, TEPCO said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42324795/ns/world_news-asiapacific


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Radiation Rises in Seawater Near Fukushima Plant
Japanese officials concede they are no closer to resolving nuclear crisis as high level of radiation is detected in ocean
by Justin McCurry in Tokyo
March 30, 2011

Japanese officials have conceded they are no closer to resolving the nuclear crisis at Fukushima Daiichi power plant, as new readings showed a dramatic increase in radioactive contamination in the sea.

The country's nuclear and industrial safety agency, Nisa, said radioactive iodine-131 at 3,355 times the legal limit had been identified in the sea about 300 yards south of the plant, although officials have yet to determine how it got there.

Hidehiko Nishiyama, a Nisa spokesman, said fishing had stopped in the area, adding that the contamination posed no immediate threat to humans. "We will find out how it happened and do our utmost to prevent it from rising," he said.

The government's acceptance of help from the US and France has strengthened the belief that the battle to save the stricken reactors, now well into its third week, is lost.

Read the full article at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/30/radiation-rises-seawater-fukushima-plant

[MineralMan]

1. It's all very complex, and a solution isn't going to be easy.

Here's a long post that explains why: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x773838

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. What a damn nightmare. Evacuate the people at least.

:cry:

[xchrom]

3. recommend