Radiation fears escalated in Japan
Three workers trying to cool one of the most critical
reactors at the plant were exposed to radiation levels 10,000
times higher than normal, raising the possibility of a leak of
radioactive material through a crack in the core's container.
That would mean a serious reversal following slow progress
in getting the plant back under control.
The reactor, No. 3 of six, is the only one to use plutonium
in its fuel mix which is more toxic than the uranium used in the
other reactors. The government called for an investigation into
why such high levels of radiation had suddenly appeared.
More than 700 engineers have been working in shifts to
stabilise the plant but they pulled back from some parts when
the workers were hurt on Thursday. Two of the men suffered
radiation burns when contaminated water seeped over their shoes .
17 workers had received elevated levels of radiation
since the operations began, but the other 14 did not suffer burns.
since the operations began, but the other 14 did not suffer burns.
Two of the reactors are now seen as safe but the other
four are volatile, occasionally emitting steam and smoke. But
work is advancing to restart water pumps to cool their fuel rods.
Authorities have been using seawater to cool the
rectors but that is not ideal as it corrosive and leaves salt
deposits that constrict the amount of water that can cool the rods.
Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO)
said it started injecting freshwater into the pressure vessels
of reactors No.1 and No.3 and expected to start injecting
freshwater into No. 2 soon.
The United States has offered to help with two barges
with 525,000 gallons (2.0 million litres) of freshwater.
Up to now, no one in Japan except workers at the stricken
plant has been found with seriously elevated radiation levels,
and departing airline passengers are not being screened.
Japan's chief cabinet secretary said 130,000 people living
in an outer circle around Fukushima should consider leaving,
although he insisted it was because of the difficulties
in getting them supplies and was not an evacuation order.
Japan cleared about 70,000 people from a 20-km (12-mile)
zone around the plant soon after the earthquake and tsunami.
Edano has maintained there was no need to expand the
evacuation zone, but an official at the Science Ministry
confirmed that daily radiation levels in an area 30 km (18
miles) northwest of the plant had exceeded the annual limit.
Alarm about radiation is spreading at home and beyond.
Vegetable and milk shipments from near the plant have been
stopped, and Tokyo's 13 million residents were told this week
not to give tap water to babies after contamination from rain
put radiation at twice the safety level.
It dropped back to safe levels the next day, and the city
governor cheerily drank tap water in front of cameras.
Experts say radiation from the plant is still generally
below levels of exposure from flights or medical X-rays.
Nevertheless, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, the
United States and Hong Kong are restricting food and milk
imports from the zone. Other nations are screening Japanese
food, and German shipping lines are simply avoiding the country.
In Japan's north, more than a quarter of a million people
are in shelters. Exhausted rescuers are still sifting through
the wreckage of towns and villages, retrieving bodies.
Amid the suffering, though, there was a sense that Japan was
turning the corner. Aid flowed to refugees, and phone,
electricity, postal and bank services have resumed, though the
can still be patchy. Owners of small businesses have begun cleaning up.
The estimated $300 billion damage makes it the world's
costliest natural disaster. Global financial market jitters over
the crisis have calmed, though supply disruptions are affecting
the automobile and technology sectors.