Radiation levels in waters off Japan 1,850 times normal

Levels of radioactive material detected in the sea near a stricken nuclear power station in northeastern Japan rose to 1,850 times above normal, news reports said Sunday.

That level of radioactive iodine-131 concentration was measured in seawater sample taken Saturday off the coast of the Fukushima 1 power plant that was damaged by the March 11 earthquake and resulting tsunami, NDTIV said, quoting the government's nuclear safety commission.

Levels of radioactive iodine-131 had reached 1,250 times above normal in a sample taken Friday.

After the level had stayed around 100 times over the legal limit, it climbed to its highest since the survey began this week, Kyodo News reported.

But the commission said Saturday that it would not have a significant impact on fishery products as fishing is not conducted within 20 km of the plant.

Radioactive materials "will significantly dilute" by the time they would be consumed by marine species, the commission said.

Radiation-contaminated water was found near four of the six reactors at the plant, possibly having seeped from damaged reactor cores or spent-fuel pools.

Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co vowed to clear the water as quickly as possible to allow workers access to the overheating reactors as they attempt to restore key cooling systems.

On Thursday, three engineers working on the cable system at reactor No.3 were exposed to radiation levels in water that were 10,000 times above normal. Two were hospitalized with burns to their legs.

日원전 앞바다, 요오드 오염 악화…`기준치 1850배`

일본 후쿠시마(福島) 제1원자력발전소 배수구 부근 바다의 요오드 오염이 갈수록 악화하고 있다.

일본 원자력 안전보안원은 27일 후쿠시마 원전 배수구의 남쪽 330ｍ 지점에서 26일 채취한 바닷물을 조사한 결과 법령으로 정한 한도를 약 1850.5배 초과한 요오드131이 검출됐다고 발표했다.

검출된 요오드의 농도는 바닷물 1㏄당 74㏃(베크렐)이었다. 세슘134는 기준치의 196.7배가 검출됐다.

같은 지역에서 지난 25일 채취한 바닷물에서는 요오드131이 기준의 1250배, 세슘134는 기준의 117.3배가 검출됐었다.

원자력안전보안원은 후쿠시마 원전의 원자로에서 방사성 물질이 함유된 물이 계속 흘러나오고 있을 가능성이 있다고 설명했다.

원자력안전보안원은 "반경 20㎞내 거주자에게 대피령이 내려졌기 때문에 주민들에게 직접 영향은 없다"면서 "문부과학성이 30㎞ 지점에서 실시한 조사를 봐도 방사성 물질이 바닷물에 희석되면서 농도가 낮아지고 있다"고 밝혔다.