I've just read this little update here..
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
the total radiation
Quote:
Quote:
|
Are they increase/expanding the evacuation zone? This is really concerning.
Where is the closest city where they can accommodate the evacuees? I heard some are already moved to Saitama??? Saitama is rather far isn't it? |
Quote:
Most importantly there has not been a massive explosion like that at Chernobyl. This is important because it means radioactive material will not travel anywhere near as far. Seriously harmful levels of radiation are still only being observed within the exclusion zone. Also importantly, unlike Chernobyl, the prevailing winds will mean most of the radioactive fallout will fall in the ocean instead of on Japan or other countries. The radioactive materials have not been ejected high enough into the atmosphere for harmful levels to reach across the Pacific. Whilst it may be possible that eventually the total amount of radiation released from the stricken reactors may reach similar levels of that released in Chernobyl it is not possible that the radiation will reach anywhere the dangerous levels that Chernobyl released in a very short period and which travelled over vast areas of Europe. A Japanese friend told me tonight that they believe the call for people to evacuate the 20-30km zone is mostly because many of these people have been almost totally housebound since the accident. It's not that radiation levels have increased it's just that these people are not exactly able to get out and live their lives if they stay within that zone. |
Quote:
Saitama is NW of Tokyo and it may appear as far, but I think there are only small towns and cities between the affected area and Tokyo. I don't imagine small towns can readily accommodate too many people. Larger cities may be more prepared to accept a large influx of population, though I don't believe many have relocated. I think the majority are still at evac centers and are waiting for temporary housing closer to home. |
Quote:
|
Quote:
"Officials from the nuclear and industrial safety agency (Nisa) confirmed that the crisis level had been raised from five to seven on the international nuclear and radiological event scale. |
Quote:
Japanese Officials Expand Evacuation Zone - Graphic - NYTimes.com Japan expands Fukushima evacuation zone. Will residents ever return home? - CSMonitor.com http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/wo...ewanted=3&_r=1 (page 3) I don't know where they're evactuating to. |
NY Times:
"The international agency, which is based in Vienna, said Sunday that its team measured radiation on Saturday of 0.4 to 3.7 microsieverts per hour at distances of 20 to 40 miles from the damaged plant — well outside the initial evacuation zone. At that rate of accumulation, it would take 225 days to 5.7 years to reach the Japanese government’s threshold level for evacuations: radiation accumulating at a rate of at least 20 millisieverts per year." The above assumes that the radiation dosage level remains the same. Most of the radiation is coming from Iodine... which has a very short half-life. And the radiation escaping the reactor area is decreasing. For comparison, nuclear plant workers are routinely allowed to be exposed to 50 millisieverts a year. best, ..................john |
All times are GMT. The time now is 07:17 PM. |