nuclear-news

Radioactive water from Fukushima plant escapes – 1,100 becquerels of beta-ray emitting radioactive substances.

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has found that radioactive water has overflowed from a drainage channel, spilling into the sea. This is due to heavy rain.

Workers at the complex discovered the leak at around 8:40 AM on Thursday.

The operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, said rainwater samples taken from the channel about 2 hours later contained 830 becquerels per liter of radioactive cesium. That’s above the government standard for water allowed to be released into the sea.

The water also had 1,100 becquerels of beta-ray emitting radioactive substances.

An approaching typhoon has been bringing intermittent heavy rain around the plant. The utility suspects that the rain has washed away mud and soil that also contains radioactive materials.

It also presumes the amount of rainwater has exceeded the pump’s capacity.

The leak was continuing as of 5 PM. But the firm says it cannot stop the spill anytime soon and has been monitoring the density of the radioactive substances.

Radioactive rainwater spilled into the sea from the same channel in February. The company built a barrier at channel’s downstream to pump up water before it leaks into the sea.
Source : NHK
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150717_01.html

July 16, 2015 - Posted by dunrenard | Japan | Fukushima Daiichi