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Pressure Stabilizes in Japan Reactor, 2 Survivors Found

   VOA News  March 20, 2011
   Teams  of  government  and nuclear specialists at the emergency rescue
   headquarters analyze data from the leaked radiation from the Fukushima
   nuclear facilitiesin Fukushima, Japan, March 19, 2011

Photo: AP

   Teams  of  government  and nuclear specialists at the emergency rescue
   headquarters analyze data from the leaked radiation from the Fukushima
   nuclear facilitiesin Fukushima, Japan, March 19, 2011

   In  another  development, the Japanese government says elevated levels
   of  radiation  have  been  found in milk and spinach near the crippled
   nuclear  power plant in Fukushima prefecture and in a shipment of fava
   beans on the island of Taiwan
   Chief  Cabinet  Secretary  Yukio  Edano  told  reporters Saturday that
   although  radiation  levels  exceeded government safety standards, the
   tested  food  does  not  pose  an  immediate  health risk. He said the
   government  will decide Monday whether to ban sales and export of food
   products from the area.
   But,  a  statement  from  the  International Atomic Energy Agency says
   radioactive  iodine  can  pose  a  short-term health risk if ingested,
   particularly for children.
   Government  health officials said Saturday that radioactive iodine was
   found  in  drinking  water  from  Fukushima prefecture on Thursday, at
   levels  above  government  safety  limits.  Kyodo news, citing Japan's
   Health  Ministry,  says  the  iodine  levels  then  fell. There was no
   explanation  in  the report as to why the information was not released
   sooner.
   The  government also said trace amounts of radioactive substances have
   been  detected  in  tap  water in Tokyo and other areas, but at levels
   that are not dangerous to human health.
   In  a  Twitter  message  Saturday,  the U.S. ambassador to Japan, John
   Roos,  said he told Prime Minister Naoto Kan that the United States is
   committed to helping Japan contain the crisis and rebuild the nation.
   Roos  also  said  the workers at Fukushima are taking "heroic actions"
   and that the U.S. will provide whatever it can to help them succeed.
   The  risk  of radiation poisoning has already forced the evacuation of
   more  than  200,000  people  who  lived  within  20  kilometers of the
   reactors.  Many are in makeshift shelters, with inadequate food, water
   and other supplies, in frigid winter weather.
   Japan  raised  the  severity rating of the disaster from 4 to 5 on the
   7-point international nuclear event scale. Level 5 signals an accident
   with   wider  consequences,  including  some  release  of  radioactive
   material, with a high probability of significant public exposure.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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