Radiation levels around Fukushima to fall within month - expert RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED March 26, 2011 The amounts of radiation in areas around Japan's quake-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant will drop within a month's time, a Russian nuclear expert says. Rafael Arutyunyan said radioactive iodine-131 has a half life of eight days. "There will be no traces of iodine left in a month," Arutyunyan said. "That's why the radiation conditions will dramatically improve." The confirmed death toll from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami has now stands at more than 10,000, police say, while over 17,440 are listed as missing. Operations have continued to restart the cooling systems at Fukushima's six reactors to try to avoid a major radioactive release. The Japanese government on Friday asked people still living within 30 km of the damaged plant to leave due to shortages of food and other essentials. Food, water and fuel in prefectures around Fukushima are in short supply over contamination fears, while countries including the United States, Russia and Australian have banned the imports of food products from Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma prefectures. Topics: NPP Fukushima Daiichi Other news: Russia ready to finance Egypt first nuclear plant Russia confirmed its participation in a tender to build Egypt's first nuclear power plant and said it was willing to help finance the project. ARMZ acquires Australian uranium producer in $1.2 bln deal ARMZ will pay eight Australian dollars per share, which represents a 15.5 percent premium on the average market price for 20 trading days. Russia to start building Turkish NPP in 2013 Russia will start building Turkey's first NPP estimated at $20 billion in 2013, Russian ambassador to Ankara Vladimir Ivanovsky said. |
Hero of the day Alexander Chistozvonov: end of the Romantic period Today, the army of managers is earnestly believing that one can take the man responsible for the licensing of alcoholic beverages, and put it on licensing, and even to supervise the nuclear reactor. INTERVIEW
Christophe Behar OPINION
Vladimir Rychin |