Fukushima Workers Withdraw After Radiation Spikes
March 16th, 2011Via: BBC:
A spike in radiation levels at Japan’s stricken Fukushima nuclear plant has forced workers to suspend their operation, a government spokesman says.
He was speaking after smoke was seen rising from reactor three. Earlier, a blaze struck reactor four for the second time in two days.
Friday’s 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, which killed thousands, damaged the plant’s cooling functions.
The site has also been hit by four explosions, triggering radiation leaks.
‘On standby’
On Wednesday, Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said at a news briefing that workers at Fukushima had been withdrawn following the rise in radiation levels. It is believed that about 50 employees had been working at the plant to try to stabilise its four reactors.
Mr Edano also said that the radiation levels were now falling: from 1,000 millisieverts on Wednesday morning to 600-800.
But that was still more than average, Mr Edano said, adding that “the workers cannot carry out even minimal work at the plant now. Because of the radiation risk, we are on standby.”
