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According to NHK World News Japan’s Nuclear Safety Agency today has decided to raise the severity level of the multiple crises at the Fukushima Nuclear facility from a 5 (on par with Three Mile Island) to a 7 – the same level assigned to the 1985 Chernobyl disaster.
It is still believed that the amount of radiation released at the Fukushima plant is less than what was released at Chernobyl, however.
This decision comes a month after the devastating 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that disabled and severely damaged at least 4 reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi facility.
An announcement will be made via a press conference to be held Tuesday morning (Japan Time).
This from NHK News.
Japan to raise Fukushima crisis level to worst
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 05:47 +0900 (JST)
The Japanese government's nuclear safety agency has decided to raise the crisis level of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant accident from 5 to 7, the worst on the international scale.
The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency made the decision on Monday. It says the damaged facilities have been releasing a massive amount of radioactive substances, which are posing a threat to human health and the environment over a wide area.
In other news, a brief fire broke out at reactor # 4 a short time ago (around 6:30 am local time), but appears now to be extinguished. The following report is from Reuters.
Fire seen at Fukushima nuclear plant; flames no longer visible
- Mon Apr 11, 2011 7:53pm EDT
(Reuters) - A fire broke out at Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, operator Tokyo Electric and Power (TEPCO) said on Tuesday, although flames and smoke were no longer visible.
And another strong (6.4 Mag), very shallow (13.1 km) aftershock struck just after 8am local time, 77 km ESE of Tokyo. No Tsunami warning was issued, and thus far there are no reports of fresh damage or injuries.
MAP 6.4 2011/04/11 23:08:16 35.406 140.542 13.1
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
