The latest probe into the state of Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant reveals radiation levels are “extremely high,” much more so than previously thought, The Guardian reports. It’s been one year since an earthquake and tsunami shook the nuclear facility to its core and forced it to close down. Now, “the data shows the damage from the disaster is so severe the plant operator will have to develop special equipment and technology to tolerate the harsh environment, and decommission the plant.”
The latest probe into the state of Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant reveals radiation levels are “extremely high,” much more so than previously thought, The Guardian reports. It’s been one year since an earthquake and tsunami shook the nuclear facility to its core and forced it to close down. Now, “the data shows the damage from the disaster is so severe the plant operator will have to develop special equipment and technology to tolerate the harsh environment, and decommission the plant.”
Contaminated water from the plant has been leaking into the Pacific Ocean, but it’s yet unknown what the impact of this will be. The process to clean up the plant and secure all the dangerous materials in place is expected to last decades. This will likely dash any hopes from residents wanting to return to the area anytime soon.
Meanwhile, debris from the Japanese disaster has started reaching the coasts of British Columbia. The biggest object found so far is a rusty fishing boat, and “the mayors of Tofino and Ucluelet [on the west side of Vancouver Island] have told reporters that locals have found an increasing number of Japanese items on their beaches already,” says the Vancouver Sun. Not all materials reaching Canadian shores are expected to be contaminated with radioactive material, but British Columbians are being told to handle every object they see with extreme caution.