(Daily Star) – Japan was on Saturday rocked by an earthquake. It has been reported that this has led to a nuclear fuel spill at the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power plant, although no one has been harmed.
A nuclear power plant has reportedly been hit by a leak in Japan following a powerful earthquake. Reports on Saturday revealed a 7.1 magnitude quake had struck off the coast of Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 – with worries the facility could have been damaged. According to NHK, there has been a leak of nuclear fuel at the plant which is in the Fukushima Prefecture.
Pool water used for storing spent nuclear fuel may have escaped and contaminated the surrounding area. However, reports also suggest the risk to workers and the surrounding area is low as the level of radiation is not an extreme risk. TEPCO reports: “a patrol found that about 160 ml of pool water for storing spent nuclear fuel at Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 in preparation for decommissioning in Fukushima Prefecture had leaked into a ditch next to the pool.
“It seems that it overflowed due to the shaking of the earthquake, but according to the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the amount is small, so there is no effect on the cooling of nuclear fuel, and the radiation dose is low, so there is no concern about exposure to workers.” READ MORE
