15 August 2012 Thousands of Naraha residents can return to homes and businesses during daylight hours

Article posted to World Nuclear News

Another evacuation order lifted

“…The town lies 13 kilometres to the south of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that suffered a multiple reactor accident and radiation release after the natural disasters of 11 March 2011. The town’s border includes a portion of the Fukushima Daini plant that also saw an emergency situation last year. All of the municipality’s 7200 residents were evacuated by the end of April 2011, but the area did not suffer any serious radioactive contamination.

Now, Japanese authorities consider the area safe for daylight visits with no need for monitoring equipment or protective clothing. This means people may return to businesses and properties, a large number of which need serious repair or even total redevelopment as a result of the earthquake and tsunami….”

“..Controls on entry to the area were relaxed at midnight on 10 August by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). It is the fourth revision the ministry has made as it assesses evacuated areas and works towards normalisation of as much as possible. At the same time it changed restrictions at sea, reducing the no-go zone for shipping from 20 kilometres to five. .. “

“..Many residents were evacuated after the meltdown, but by August 2011, approximately half had returned. A voluntary screening program for levels of cesium, known to be representative of total internal radiation exposure, was conducted between September 2011 and March 2012 for all residents ages 6 years or older. Total cesium exposure was converted into committed effective dose (sievert, Sv)…”

“…Residents may return at will to areas marked green to visit and work without the use of protective equipment. The only restriction is that they may not stay overnight…”

“…In the orange ‘restricted’ areas people can carry out specific jobs without being monitored or using protective equipment…

….People entering these zones are advised to avoid doing so unnecessarily, to refrain from working outdoors, to use cars rather than to walk for more than a short period and to wash upon re-entering a building…”

“….The third category of area is known as ‘difficult’ to return to because of an ambient dose rate of over 50 millisieverts per year, which is not expected to go below 20 millisieverts per year before March 2016…”

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS_Naraha_evacuation_order_lifted_1508121.html

August 16, 2012 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized