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Irradiated horses cared for by compassionate Japanese horse breeder

As Iitate’s population plummeted in the spring of 2011, Hosokawa managed to find new homes for more than 80 of his horses. Then, in January this year, he noticed that several among the 30 that remained, mainly foals, had become unsteady on their feet.

Within weeks, 16 had died in mysterious circumstances. Autopsies on four of the horses found no evidence of disease and tests revealed caesium levels at 200 becquerels per kilo – twice as high as the government-set safety limit for agricultural produce, 

Fukushima horse breeder braves high radiation levels to care for animals Despite the departure of all his neighbours and the unexplained deaths of some of his stock, Tokue Hosokawa refuses to budge  in Iitate theguardian.com, Monday 28 October 2013 Until March 2011, Tokue Hosokawa had only to peer through the window of his home in Iitate village to confirm that all was well with his 100-year-old family business.

The 130 or so horses that once roamed this sprawling farm in Fukushimaprefecture have sustained three generations of Hosokawa’s family. Some were sold for their meat – a local delicacy – but his animals were better known for their appearances in commercials, period TV dramas and films, and local festivals celebrating the region’s samurai heritage.

For decades, the 62-year-old horse breeder barely registered that his farm was just 25 miles north-west of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear powerplant. But the rural idyll was shattered on the afternoon of 11 March 2011, when the facility was hit by a towering tsunami that caused meltdowns in three of its reactors…….

two and half years after the accident, Iitate has become a nuclear ghost town. When Hosokawa looks out of his window these days, it is at empty, irradiated fields. Continue reading

October 29, 2013 Posted by | environment, Fukushima 2013, Japan, Religion and ethics | Leave a comment

Potentially ‘Apocalyptic’ consequences in removing Fukushima nuclear reactor’s spent fuel rods

spent-fuel-rodsFuel Removal From Fukushima’s Reactor 4 Threatens ‘Apocalyptic’ Scenario. Radiation Fuel Rods Matches Fallout of 14,000 Hiroshima Bombs By Common Dreams Global Research, October 25, 2013 by Andrea Germanos

An operation with potentially “apocalyptic” consequences is expected to begin in a little over two weeks from now – “as early as November 8″ – at Fukushima’s damaged and sinking Reactor 4, when plant operator TEPCO will attempt to remove over 1300 spent fuel rods holding the radiation equivalent of 14,000 Hiroshima bombs from a spent fuel storage tank perched on the reactor’s upper floor……

The potential radiation releases in this situation can only be described as apocalyptic. Continue reading

October 26, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013, Japan, safety | 9 Comments

“Nuclear Gypsies” work in Japan’s $150-billion Fukushima radiation clean-up

flag-japanRadiation, desperation and gangsters: Inside the hidden tragedy of Fukushima The Globe and Mail , 25 Oct 13 ANTONI SLODKOWSKI AND MARI SAITO  IWAKI — Reuters , Oct. 25 2013  Tetsuya Hayashi went to Fukushima to take a job at ground zero of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. He lasted less than two weeks.

Hayashi, 41, says he was recruited for a job monitoring the radiation exposure of workers leaving the plant in the summer of 2012. Instead, when he turned up for work, he was handed off through a web of contractors and assigned, to his surprise, to one of Fukushima’s hottest radiation zones.

He was told he would have to wear an oxygen tank and a double-layer protective suit. Even then, his handlers told him, the radiation would be so high it could burn through his annual exposure limit in just under an hour.

“I felt cheated and entrapped,” Hayashi said. “I had not agreed to any of this.” Continue reading

October 26, 2013 Posted by | employment, Fukushima 2013, Japan | 2 Comments

Radiation level in Fukushima water doubles in one day

water-radiationRadiation level in Fukushima water doubles http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-radiation-level-in-fukushima-water-doubles-1908226, Oct 24, 2013,  : IANS

 Radiation level of water from a drainage channel at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan has more than doubled, the plant’s operator, the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), said Thursday.

The water, extracted Wednesday at the channel near the tank that leaked 300 tons of highly toxic water in August, showed a record high 140,000 becquerels per litre of beta radiation emitted by radioactive materials such as strontium-90, compared with the previous day’s reading of 59,000 becquerels, Xinhua reported citing local media as quoting TEPCO.

The operator said the spike may be caused by highly contaminated soil with radioactive substances entering into the drainage channel. TEPCO is struggling to prevent leaks in Japan’s typhoon season as rainwater accumulates inside the leak-protection barriers around the tanks.

October 26, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013 | Leave a comment

Critically dangerous removal of spent nuclear fuel from Fukushima reactor no 4

TEPCO prepares for critical removal of spent fuel from Fukushima reactor http://japandailypress.com/tepco-prepares-for-critical-removal-of-spent-fuel-from-fukushima-reactor-2438441/  Oct 24, 2013   Fukushima nuclear power plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co.(TEPCO) is prepping for one of its most critical and dangerous processes to date in its incident-filled cleanup of what has been called the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Starting in November, the embattled operator will be removing 400 tons of spent nuclear fuel from Fukushima’s reactor no. 4, where even a little mistake may result in a totally new nuclear disaster for Japan. The operation is scheduled to start in the beginning of November and be completed by around the end of 2014.

fukushima_reactor-4-2013

Under normal circumstances, the operation would take around 100 days. TEPCO had initially planned for this process to take two years, but due to the urgency of the situation – a minor earthquake could trigger an uncontrolled fuel leak – they reduced the schedule to one year. In this process, TEPCO will be removing more than 1,300 used fuel rod assemblies, packing radiation 14,000 times the equivalent of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb, from their cooling pool. Normally, this would be a computer-controlled process, but due to the situation at Fukushima, this time it has to be done completely manually – compounding the danger and risk. “The operation to begin removing fuel from such a severely damaged pool has never been attempted before. The rods are unwieldy and very heavy, each one weighing two-thirds of a ton,” says fallout researcher Christina Consolo.

Should this attempt fail, a mishandled fuel rod could be exposed to air and catch fire, resulting in large quantities of radiation released into the atmosphere. In the worst-case scenario, the cooling pool could crash from its crane to the ground, dumping the rods together into a pile that could fission and cause an explosion many times worse than in March 2011. “The worst-case scenario could play out in death to billions of people. A true apocalypse,” Consolo said. The concern is palpable and real, as TEPCO’s track record these past few months have been less than stellar. Leaks have hounded the cooling process of the molten down reactors, resulting in radioactive waste water freely and daily flowing into the Pacific Ocean.

October 26, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013 | Leave a comment

What will be the effects of strange ‘spheres’ of radioactive material from Fukushima?

Scientists: ‘Spheres’ of radioactive material from Fukushima reported for first time — Ball-like particles composed of cesium, iron, zinc — Solid and insoluble in water — Impact on human health needs to be examined (PHOTOS) http://enenews.com/scientists-spheres-radioactive-material-fukushima-reported-first-time-ball-like-particles-composed-cesium-iron-zinc-solid-insoluble-water-impact-human-health-be-examined-photos

Title: Emission of spherical cesium-bearing particles from an early stage of the Fukushima nuclear accident
Source: Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group)
Authors: Kouji Adachi, Mizuo Kajino, Yuji Zaizen & Yasuhito Igarashi
:Aug. 30, 2013

The Fukushima nuclear accident released radioactive materials into the environment over the entire Northern Hemisphere […] we still do not know the exact physical and chemical properties of the radioactive materials. This study directly observed spherical Cs-bearing particles emitted during a relatively early stage (March 14-15) of the accident. In contrast to the Cs-bearing radioactive materials that are currently assumed, these particles are larger, contain Fe, Zn, and Cs, and are water insoluble. Our simulation indicates that the spherical Cs-bearing particles mainly fell onto the ground by dry deposition. The finding of the spherical Cs particles will be a key to understand the processes of the accident and to accurately evaluate the health impacts and the residence time in the environment.

[…] Although the accident has global impacts, we still do not know exactly what happened in the reactors during the accident […]

We measured the radioactive materials that were collected in the filter at ground level on March 14-15 […] we counted approximately 100 spots caused by radioactive materials, suggesting a concentration of approximately 10 radioactive particles per m³. […]

This study reports for the first time the presence of spherical radioactive Cs-bearing particles emitted from the FNPP during a relatively early stage (March 14-15) of the accident. The particles coexist with Fe, Zn, and possibly other elements, and their diameters are approximately 2 μm. Because these elements were evenly distributed within the particle, we conclude that they are internally mixed and form an alloy. […] Due to its spherical shape and composition, the particle is likely solid and is largely insoluble in water. […]

The spherical Cs-bearing particles likely have longer retention times on the land surface than those of the water-soluble Cs particles. The retention time of the particles in the soil or other environments needs to be reconsidered.
See also: Journal: Unprecedented phenomenon from using saltwater in Fukushima reactors — Forming new uranium compounds able to travel long distances… “like carbon buckyballs”

October 26, 2013 Posted by | 2 WORLD, environment, Fukushima 2013 | Leave a comment

Fukushima workers tweeted about their safety worries

Fukushima Workers: There was a collapse at plant due to typhoon — Not revealed by Tepco — Worry that upcoming storm to cause more damage Two Fukushima workers commented on Twitter that the previous Typhoon Wipha caused a slope in Fukushima plant area to collapse. The slope faces the main street, and the earth and sand blockaded the street. Also, there was a part to have had a subsidence. […] The worker added there are more slopes in the area and they may collapse due to the next Typhoon […]

Specific Tweets translated by Google:

  • @sunnysunnynismo, Oct. 19, 2013: Pattern collapse due to typhoon at the Fukushima Daiichi premises has not been press releases
  • @Happy11311, Oct. 19, 2013: Uh-oh? I did not press! It was learned for the first time to see tweets of Sunny’s. I’ve had also place the road much would have been blocked, was depressed (> _ <) after law could face there had collapsed …. Next week, I wonder if the public? Typhoon No. 27 is also a worry about next week, and slope is likely to collapse still, and I wonder … I’m worried about.
  • @Happy11311, Oct. 19, 2013: […] I think restoration work is dangerous’ s rain today where it left mudslides after, that it is not doing, but disciple no choice but to pray that the damage is not expanded

See also: Powerful Typhoon Francisco on track for Fukushima — Typhoon Lekima develops in Pacific — Concern storms may collide, “It’s called the Fujiwara effect” — Both could hit east coast of Japan later in week (VIDEO)

October 25, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013 | Leave a comment

Fukushima nuclear reactors leaking directly into sea?

exclamation-Alert: Top Japan nuclear official suggests Fukushima reactors “leaking directly into sea”… not mixing with groundwater and getting diluted — Expert: Contamination flowing from plant will be carried away to North America’s west coast

Jiji Presshttp://enenews.com/alert-top-level-japan-official-publicly-suggests-multiple-fukushima-reactors-are-leaking-directly-into-the-sea-its-not-mixing-with-groundwater-and-getting-diluted-expert-contamination-f Oct. 16, 2013: Tepco’s toxic water failures pitiful: NRA[…] Tepco is pumping up groundwater and has injected a water-stopping agent into the ground near the plant’s port in order to curb the flow of radioactive groundwater into the sea. Despite such efforts, the levels of cesium-137 in seawater samples collected between the water intakes for reactors 1 and 2 inside the port rose to around 100 becquerels per liter this month from around 10 becquerels between late June and early July. […] Radioactive water from the damaged reactors “may be leaking directly into the sea instead of mixing with groundwater before making its way into the sea,” [Nuclear Regulation Authority Commissioner Toyoshi] Fuketa said. […]
Vladimir Kovbasyuk, Russian Hydrometeorological Expert, Oct. . 16, 2013: “We analyzed the problems several years ago, when the 2011 earthquake and tornado hit the Fukushima nuclear plant. Radioactive waters will first be carried away to the west coast of North America and only then, on intermingling with other ocean waters, may they return to the Russian coast. Currently, we are measuring radiation levels, and we’ve registered no excess radiation thus far.” […]

It appears Fuketa has provided the answer to the ‘mystery’ discussed on NHK’s ‘Nuclear Watch’ earlier thisyear: Fukushima Mystery? TV: Japan expert says radiation levels in ocean too high to be explained by groundwater flow alone — Must be coming from “other contamination routes” entering Pacific — “Devastating impact” to come? (VIDEO)

See also: Nuclear Expert: Fukushima melted fuel is drifting in ocean and onto land, lacking any containment — It ends up on coastline and blows into communities — People get an exceptional dose — Health harm will go on for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years (AUDIO)

October 18, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013, Japan, oceans, water | Leave a comment

Huge spike in groundwater radiation under Fukushima nuclear reactor No 1

strontium 90Strontium readings spike 6,500-fold in one day  Water radiation soars at Fukushima No. 1 Japan Times JIJI, AFP-JIJI  18 Oct 13 FUKUSHIMA Radiation levels in groundwater under Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant are soaring, Tepco said Friday after taking samples from an observation well.

Tepco said 400,000 becquerels per liter of beta ray-emitting substances such as strontium were detected in water sampled Thursday from the well located some 15 meters from a storage tank that leaked about 300 tons of highly radioactive water in August.

The level of becquerels, a record high for water in that well, was up 6,500-fold from the 61 becquerels found Wednesday.

Tepco was planning to pump groundwater up from different wells about 100 meters from the leaky tank for release into the Pacific before the water flows into the damaged reactor buildings and becomes heavily contaminated with radioactive materials.

But that plan appears in jeopardy because the sharp increase in the levels of radioactive materials in the observation well suggest the radioactive groundwater is spreading.

By law, water containing beta particle-emitting substances exceeding certain levels cannot be released into the sea. The upper limit is set at 30 becquerels per liter for strontium-90 and 60 becquerels for cesium-134.

Tepco also said water collected Thursday from a drainage ditch near the leaky tank contained 34,000 becquerels of beta particle-emitting substances per liter, compared with 2,300 becquerels the day before……Officials said Thursday they will solicit proposals from both domestic and overseas nuclear experts and firms on how best to scrap the ruined reactors at Fukushima No. 1…….http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/10/18/national/water-radiation-soars-at-fukushima-no-1/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ja

October 18, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013, Japan, water | 1 Comment

Record high radiation in Fukushima No 1 drainage ditch

Radiation level in Fukushima No. 1 ditch hits record highJapan Times, 17 Oct 13,FUKUSHIMA – The highest level yet of beta ray-emitting radioactive substances, including strontium, has been detected at one point in a drainage ditch at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant where measurements are regularly taken, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Thursday.

According to Tepco, a water sample taken Wednesday at a point in the ditch some 300 meters from the ocean was found to contain 1,400 becquerels per liter of beta ray-emitting radioactive substances, the highest level ever detected at that location……

Radiation levels also hit record highs in water samples collected Wednesday at three upstream points in the drainage ditch, which passes close to the storage tank from which highly radioactive water spilled in August, with the amount of beta ray-emitting radioactive substances ranging from 2,000 to 2,300 becquerels per liter.

Tepco said it was unable to take seawater samples near the exit of the ditch because of bad weather.http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/10/17/national/radiation-level-in-fukushima-no-1-ditch-hits-record-high/#.UmGNJdJJMgs

October 18, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013 | Leave a comment

Typhoon results in more radiation leaks at Fukushima nuclear plant

Japan: Typhoon Wipha causes more nuclear contamination at Fukushima Euro News 17 Oct 13, A typhoon that swept through Japan has caused more radioactive leaks at the troubledFukushima plant.

Workers there say they have detected high levels of radiation in a ditch leading to the Pacific Ocean and suspect heavy rains lifted contaminated soil…….http://www.euronews.com/2013/10/17/japan-typhoon-wipha-causes-more-nuclear-contamination-at-fukishima/

October 18, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013 | Leave a comment

‘Criminal situation’ as Japan hides seriousness of Fukushima radiation

Japan Journalist: Plutonium and uranium escaped Fukushima reactors as gas, it was a colossal 9,000ºF inside — Can’t be detected by a Geiger counter — Terrible things are looming for the children, they must be evacuated yet nothing’s done… This is a “criminal nation” — I am worried (VIDEO) http://enenews.com/japan-journalist-plutonium-and-uranium-escaped-from-fukushima-reactors-as-a-gas-temperature-was-9000of-cant-be-detected-by-a-geiger-counter-children-must-be-evacuated-yet-nothing-is-d
Title: Takashi HIROSE
Source: Yonaoshi 3.11
Date: Mar. 8, 2013

Transcript Excerpts

Hirose Takashi, journalist/former engineer: As we speak, radioactive material is seeping through Fukushima’s ground. It makes its way underground, reaches the ocean, to finally end up in the sky.

This kind of fact does not make the news, so everyone forgets about it. If that was talked about every day in the news, the Japanese population couldn’t ignore it. […] In my opinion mass media bear most of the responsibility for it. […] Incidents happen because mass media never take the problem seriously.

The problem with contamination is that we can only measure it within items surrounding us, in the soil, the ground. A lot of people today own a Geiger counter, but it can only report airborne particles, it only measures Gamma rays. In fact, when researching the radioactive content out from the reactors, and its dispersion, we do not find everything.

It was about 5,000ºC [~9,000ºF] inside the reactors. This was a temperature of colossal magnitude. The uranium and plutonium took on a gas form to escape. I can find all that based on my calculations, but none of this can be detected using strontium 90a Geiger counter […]

No one even measures the strontium level. The strontium is the scariest of all. It penetrates and stays resident in bones, causing leukemia. This is particularly dangerous for the growth phase of children exposed today.

For children living near contaminated areas like Fukushima, we have to immediately set up a plan for their evacuation. […]

Before Japan lost the war, we organized group evacuations. We managed the escape of children from dangerous areas […]

This is something that must be done now. But the country does not do anything about it. For that I am calling this country a criminal nation. If we do not act, terrible things are looming for those children. I am worried.
Watch the clip of Hirose here

October 17, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013, Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Concerns over radioactivity in Fukushima rice

Rice grown nearby Fukushima plant cleared for sale — Farmer: “I would not dare eat it… We feel guilty about growing it and selling it” (VIDEO)http://enenews.com/rice-grown-near-fukushima-plant-cleared-for-sale-farmer-i-would-not-dare-eat-it-myself-we-farmers-know-better-we-feel-guilt-about-growing-it-and-selling-it-video

Fukushima farmers negotiate with Japanese Government 

The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition),, Oct. 10, 2013: Rice Grown Near Fukushima Cleared for Sale […] Rice grown in some areas within a 30 km radius of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant will be cleared for sale this year, but concerns remain. Some samples have tested positive for radiation well above the permitted level. So far only test farming of rice in the region was allowed. Fukushima Prefecture on Wednesday said 44 out of 52 sacks of 30-kg rice harvested in Minamisoma, 20 to 30 km from the power plant, likely exceeded the permissible levels of radioactive materials when tested with a conveyer-belt detector. The prefecture carried out thorough test of the 44 sacks, and detected 120 becquerels of cesium per kilogram, way over the permissible level of 100 becquerels. “It is possible to sell rice that does not exceed the level,” said a prefecture official. […]

Fukushima Farmers Negotiate with Japanese Government,Published August 31, 2013 – Farmer from Sukagawa, 60 km west of Fukushima Daiichi (at 1:45 in): Do you understand the meaning of ‘de’ in the word decontamination? We are just tilling deeply and spreading the radiation thinly. We are not removing the contamination. No wonder that the radiation level has not gone down. We measured the radioactivity in the air.  It has not gone down at all. We have not removed the contaminated soil. Of course not! The environment has not changed at all 2 years after the explosions. […] In Fukushima, all farm produce must be checked for the cesium level prior to shipping. The current government limit is 100 becquerels. The farmers know how many becquerels of cesium their produce contains. We can ship them if the reading is lower than 100. But I would not dare eat them myself. The consumers assume there is no radiation in the food they buy.  […] We farmers know better. We feel guilty about growing it and selling it. We won’t eat it ourselves, but we sell it.

October 17, 2013 Posted by | environment, Fukushima 2013, Japan | 1 Comment

Confusion and deception over Fukushima radiation

Fukushima Farmer: Plutonium was detected “all over” village 25 miles from plant — Professor: “Something terrible, dreadful happening” — Mayor: Please don’t tell this to the residents (VIDEO) http://enenews.com/fukushima-farmer-plutonium-detected-all-village-professor-terrible-dreadful-happening-radiation-levels-high-mayor-please-dont-residents-video

Kenichi Hasegawa, Farmer from Iitate Village in Fukushima Prefecture, Canberra Forum, March 13, 2013   After the nuclear accident, all over Iitate village, plutonium and strontium were detected [40km from nuclear plant]. […] And then something unbelievable happened. Authorities started bringing many [hygienists or dentists?] to the village […] these doctors started doing this local safety campaign. They kept telling us, “It’s OK, it’s safe, there’s nothing to worry about.” […] The day before the evacuation order was announced, the professor from Kyoto University called Professor Imanaka came to the village and did a thorough research monitoring of the radiation levels.

And Professor Imanaka, he was just astonished, “Something terrible, dreadful is happening. The radiation level was so high; I can’t believe people are still living here.” […] So Professor Imanaka brought his data to the mayor and said, “You guys should evacuate immediately.” But the mayor’s response was, “Please do not disclose this data to the public.” Instead he said, “Is there any way to live with this radiation?” The village authorities only were interested in protecting the village itself, not the people.

We wanted to protect the children and we suggested to evacuate the children, but they didn’t listen. And the day before the evacuation order, exclusion zone, was announced, the day before, a different professor from ??? University visited the village and he called all the parents to the town hall, and then gave a safety lecture, “Your kids can go out and play, your kids don’t have to wear masks just to play outside.” But the very next day the evacuation order was announced.

Japan physician who volunteered at a Minamisoma evacuation center soon after 3/11Feb. 19, 2013 (at 54:00 in): What happened at that time was systematic effort by the prefecture government, […] as well as the Japanese central government, tried to minimize the amount of radiation. […] Primary concern […] for Fukushima Minpo [newspaper] was losing business […] For the prefecture government, losing the people means less revenue, less positions.

Watch the farmer’s presentation here

October 17, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013, Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

‘Emergency transfer’ of Fukushima radioactive water, following typhoon

‘Emergency measures’ used at Fukushima site during typhoon — Contaminated water dumped in ocean — 9 barriers were on verge of overflowing, then released into environment with NO radiation test — CNN: Workers were “on vigil” (VIDEO) http://enenews.com/emergency-measures-taken-at-fukushima-plant-during-typhoon-tv-contaminated-water-dumped-in-ocean-many-barriers-were-on-verge-of-overflowing-then-were-drained-into-environment-with-no-radia

Asahi,  Oct. 16, 2013: Heavy rain from Typhoon No. 26 forced [TEPCO] to discharge rainwater Oct. 16 that was threatening to swamp the barriers that surround the radioactive water storage tanks […] According to the utility, workers drained about 40 tons of water from within barriers in areas called C-West and C-East at around 5:40 a.m. The water was transferred to a temporary storage tank to check its radiation levels before it was released, TEPCO officials said. But water levels continued to rise inside the barriers, threatening to spill over. Plant workers were eventually forced to open drainage valves on a total of nine storage areas starting around 7 a.m. to allow the water to escape, according to officials. Earlier, TEPCO had said it would discharge water that accumulated behind the barriers only after transferring it to a temporary storage tank where it would confirm it complied with safety standards. TEPCO officials said circumstances forced it to take “emergency measures” because the water rose at a faster rate than it could transfer to the holding tank.

NHK WORLD, Oct. 16, 2013: [TEPCO] has released rainwater that had accumulated in the compound from typhoon Wipha. The water has reportedly cleared tests for radioactivity. […] It began releasing the water from 9 locations on Wednesday morning. […] The level of tritium, which takes longer to measure, is also likely to be safe. In a separate move, TEPCO made an emergency transfer of highly radioactive water that had pooled at 2 other locations. The water was transferred to an adjacent underground storage pool. TEPCO had not stored water underground since a leak in April […] because rainwater from the typhoon was rising fast, the utility decided to store the radioactive water temporarily in an underground pool […] TEPCO has built additional storage tanks and increased personnel and patrols to control contaminated water after a storm earlier this month. Radioactive water flowed over barriers at that time, and seeped out of an overfilled tank. […] The authority asked TEPCO to tighten monitoring for possible leaks.

CNN,, Oct. 16, 2013:  Typhoon Wipha hits Tokyo area, killing at least 17 […] TEPCO, which has been struggling to deal with a series of leaks at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, said workers at the plant were “on vigil” and accumulated rainwater had been released from storage tanks.

NHK Newsline, , Oct. 16, 2013: The water accumulated around the compound. Some of it became contaminated with radioactive substances. Managers at Fukushima Daiichi instructed workers to release it into the ocean after tetsts showed the radiation levels met safety standards. […] Workers made an ‘emergency transfer’ of rain water at two other locations because they suspected it was highly radioactive.
Watch the NHK broadcast here

October 17, 2013 Posted by | Fukushima 2013 | Leave a comment