New guidelines for nuke accidents

March 4, 2015

New nuclear accident evacuation guideline compiled

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150304_21.html

Mar. 4, 2015 - Updated 06:34 UTC+1

Japan's nuclear regulator has decided new guidelines for nuclear accidents. It will call on residents outside of a 30-kilometer radius of a nuclear power plant to remain indoors if there could be massive fallout from an accident.

At issue now is how to decide the areas and the timing of lifting the warning.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority compiled on Wednesday revised guidelines for evacuating people in the event of a nuclear accident.

Massive fallout was found beyond a 30-kilometer radius of the Fukushima Daiichi plant in the March, 2011 accident. Earlier evacuation guidelines focused only on those who live within 30 kilometers of a plant.

The revised guidelines call on residents outside the 30- kilometer radius to stay inside if there is any possibility of massive amounts of radioactive material reaching their area.

The guidelines note areas at risk will be decided by analyzing radioactivity levels at the plant and local weather conditions to estimate the fallout spread.

It says the order will be lifted after the air mass containing radioactivity no longer covers the area. Authorities would use aerial measurements of radioactivity levels and other metrics.

The guidelines will be finalized after receiving public comments, which will be accepted for 30 days, starting on Thursday.