Safety drill at Shika plant

September 3, 2014

Nuclear disaster drill at Shika plant

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140903_29.html

Sep. 3, 2014 - Updated 11:09 UTC+2

Japan will conduct a nuclear accident preparedness drill in November. The assumption of the drill will be that an accident has occurred at the Shika nuclear power plant on the Sea of Japan coast following an earthquake.

About 70 organizations including government ministries, agencies and municipalities, within a 30-kilometer radius around the plant will participate in the 2-day event.

The prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, the plant's off-site emergency operation facility, and the plant will be linked via videoconference to share information.

Residents in a 5-kilometer radius area will be immediately evacuated when the possibility of a release of radioactive substance arises.

Elderly patients at nursing home will be quickly moved into air-tight rooms on the premises.

At the time of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in 2011, it took a lot time to evacuate hospital patients. They suffered as a result and some died.

The head of the country's Nuclear Regulation Authority, Shunichi Tanaka, says he hopes the planned drill will help identify various problems.