Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano says the radiation level on the premises of the quake-damaged Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has been falling.
Edano told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that water is being injected steadily into the plant's No. 1 and No. 3 reactors, but that the injection of water into the No. 2 reactor is not yet stable.
Earlier in the day, radiation levels as high as 8,217 microsieverts per hour were detected around the plant's main entrance.
Edano said that although the figure is serious, the level has been falling from its momentary peak. He said he's slightly relieved by this development.
Edano said that debris from Monday's collapse of the covering of the No. 3 reactor building could be the cause of the 400 millisieverts-per-hour radiation detected around the reactor.
This level of radiation, which is high enough to affect human health, had been blamed on a fire at the plant's No. 4 reactor, which was thought to have released highly radioactive material into the air.
Edano also said temperatures in the plant's No. 5 and No. 6 reactors were gradually increasing due to malfunctioning of cooling systems affected by the quake. He added that workers are trying to prevent possible hydrogen gas explosions similar to that at the No. 4 reactor.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011 18:53 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/15_47.html
Edano told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that water is being injected steadily into the plant's No. 1 and No. 3 reactors, but that the injection of water into the No. 2 reactor is not yet stable.
Earlier in the day, radiation levels as high as 8,217 microsieverts per hour were detected around the plant's main entrance.
Edano said that although the figure is serious, the level has been falling from its momentary peak. He said he's slightly relieved by this development.
Edano said that debris from Monday's collapse of the covering of the No. 3 reactor building could be the cause of the 400 millisieverts-per-hour radiation detected around the reactor.
This level of radiation, which is high enough to affect human health, had been blamed on a fire at the plant's No. 4 reactor, which was thought to have released highly radioactive material into the air.
Edano also said temperatures in the plant's No. 5 and No. 6 reactors were gradually increasing due to malfunctioning of cooling systems affected by the quake. He added that workers are trying to prevent possible hydrogen gas explosions similar to that at the No. 4 reactor.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011 18:53 +0900 (JST)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/15_47.html
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