Radioactive water leaked from Fukushima
- 12 years ago
This photo shows an evaporation facility at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, designed to remove radioactive cesium from the water.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, owner of the stricken plant, announced on Sunday that some 45 tons of contaminated water may have leaked into the ocean via a crack in the foundation of the building.
A spokesman for Tepco said that the leak has been contained, and an investigation is underway into exactly how much water was lost.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TEPCO SPOKESMAN JUNICHI MATSUMOTO, SAYING:
"We are currently assessing the situation and based on the amount of water which has leaked into the ocean there may or may not be an effect on the environment."
The Fukushima plant was struck by the massive tsunami triggered by the March 11 earthquake, knocking out its cooling systems and triggering a nuclear meltdown.
Tepco and the Japanese government are still struggling to declare "cold shutdown" of the plant - one of the conditions which must be met before the 20-kilometre no-entry zone around the plant can be lifted.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters
Tokyo Electric Power Company, owner of the stricken plant, announced on Sunday that some 45 tons of contaminated water may have leaked into the ocean via a crack in the foundation of the building.
A spokesman for Tepco said that the leak has been contained, and an investigation is underway into exactly how much water was lost.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TEPCO SPOKESMAN JUNICHI MATSUMOTO, SAYING:
"We are currently assessing the situation and based on the amount of water which has leaked into the ocean there may or may not be an effect on the environment."
The Fukushima plant was struck by the massive tsunami triggered by the March 11 earthquake, knocking out its cooling systems and triggering a nuclear meltdown.
Tepco and the Japanese government are still struggling to declare "cold shutdown" of the plant - one of the conditions which must be met before the 20-kilometre no-entry zone around the plant can be lifted.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters