Japan Press Weekly

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2014 October 15 - 21 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Radiation levels at Fukushima NPP hit all-time highs

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, announced on October 13 that radioactivity levels in the groundwater flowing beneath the plant have reached record highs.

TEPCO stated that the level of cesium 134 in the groundwater taken near the No.2 reactor building was 61,000Bq per liter, about 1,017 times higher than the government-set safety standard, and that of cesium 137 was 190,000Bq, some 2,111 times higher than the permitted limit. These radiation levels marked new record highs.

The power company explained that some of the residual radioactive substances which were released right after the March 2011 nuclear meltdown at the plant may have been mixed with the ground water which swelled up after major typhoons accompanied by heavy rains hit Japan early in October.


Past related article:
> Radioactive water escapes from Fukushima plant [April 7&8, 2013]