No threat to India from Japan radiation leak
March 16th, 2011 - 7:23 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) India Wednesday said it faces “no danger” from the radiation leak in Japan’s quake-damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant as it is travelling in the opposite direction.
“I would like to assure the nation that on the basis of information received till date there is no danger to India from the radiation leaks in Fukushima,” Minister of State for Science and Technology Ashwini Kumar told reporters outside parliament.
The magnitude-9 quake triggered blasts in three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant and there were apprehensions that the radiation from the area could affect other parts of the world.
The minister said: “The radiation, we are told, is travelling eastwards and we are in the opposite direction from Japan.”
Fukushima is more than 6,500 km away from India.
The minister also said that the radiation was travelling over the Pacific Ocean mass and “normally the radiation vapours will drop into the ocean when it rains.”
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also assured that all nuclear reactors in India can withstand “large natural disasters” but had ordered a safety review at nuclear plants following a nuclear fallout in disaster-hit Japan.
He had said the government wanted safety systems at all its nuclear plants studied to ensure they can withstand natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes.
Radiation released by the damaged reactors at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has been high enough to harm human health, the Japanese government warned Tuesday.
People living within 20 km of the facility have been asked to evacuate the area.
The March 11 quake and tsunami caused the cooling systems of reactors at Fukushima to fail, leading to the explosions and fears of reactor meltdowns.
According to Japan’s National Police Agency, Friday’s quake in northeastern Japan and the ensuing tsunami had left 3,373 people dead and 6,746 others missing. Around 530,000 are living in more than 2,600 shelters in quake-hit areas.
- Japan faces fears of n-radiation, more quakes (Lead) - Mar 16, 2011
- Another fire breaks out at Japan's n-plant (Lead) - Mar 16, 2011
- Japan's nuclear plant may be experiencing meltdown (Lead) - Mar 12, 2011
- Fresh fire at Japan n-plant, emperor deeply worried (Evening Lead) - Mar 16, 2011
- Nuclear catastrophe in Japan a wake up call for all: Jairam Ramesh - Mar 15, 2011
- Japan shaken: survivors look for missing kin, n-meltdown feared (Second Lead) - Mar 12, 2011
- Japan, France agree on joint nuclear safety measures - Oct 24, 2011
- Japan nuclear meltdown raises concerns in India - Mar 13, 2011
- Fukushima nuclear power plant crisis will be effectively overcome: IAEA chief - Mar 22, 2011
- Russia conducts stress tests on n-plants - Apr 20, 2011
- Fresh blast in Japan n-plant; 2,000 more bodies found (Third Lead) - Mar 14, 2011
- Manmohan Singh orders review of Indian nuclear plants safety system - Mar 14, 2011
- Fukushima disaster can't be cited to stop Kudankulam: Scientist - Sep 21, 2011
- Japan was warned over n-plants, reveal WikiLeaks cables - Mar 16, 2011
- Japan tsunami toll likely to rise over 1,600 - Mar 12, 2011
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