Fukushima Threat Warning is Increased

"The deepening crisis at the Fukushima plant will be upgraded from a level 1 "anomaly" to a level 3 "serious incident" on an international scale for radiological releases, a spokesman for Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) said." - Source: Al Jazeera and Reuters

My daughter's family recently had friends visiting from Japan. She could not let the evening pass without asking them how things were going at the Fukushima plant. As soon as she asked the question she could see their faces fill with great sadness as they told her things were very bad. They went on to explain that much of the area evacuated will never be able to be inhabited again.

We don't get a lot of information here on what exactly is happening, but those of us that follow the story and poke our nose into the business to find out what is going on are getting more and more disturbed at the news we do find.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has posted this statement on their website:

The IAEA today issued the following statement on the situation at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: 

"The IAEA is aware of media reports that Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) intends to rate leaks of radioactive water at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station at level 3 on the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES). 

"Japanese authorities continue to provide the Agency with information on the situation at the plant, and Agency experts are following the issue closely. 

"The IAEA views this matter seriously and remains ready to provide assistance on request."

It is worthwhile to point out that Level 3 is the highest stage than can still be termed an "incident." Level 4 and above are classified as an "emergency". A level 3 incident is where radiation exposure is greater then ten times the normal level for workers.

TEPCO seems to be over its head in handling this emergency and to not be open and forthright only compounds the problems. The world needs to know the truth about what the situation is so that everything that possibly can be done will be done to protect the citizens that could be harmed worldwide by fallouts from the Fukushima disaster.