Radiation in the air

August 19, 2013

Airborne radiation rising at Fukushima Daiichi

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130820_05.html

TEPCO officials say they have detected radioactive substances above the alert level in air around the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The officials said an alarm went off at 9:30AM on Monday to indicate that radiation levels in the air were rising.

2 workers were exposed to radiation above the safety limit. They were waiting for a bus in front of a plant building.

TEPCO officials say the workers' health conditions remain normal and they were not subjected to internal exposure.

A similar incident occurred on August 12th when 10 workers were waiting for a bus at the same location.

Some experts blamed a misting machine designed to prevent heatstroke. They suggested the water used by the device could have been contaminated.

But the machine was not in use this time.

TEPCO officials said they will try to determine the source of the airborne radioactive substances.