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Fukushima: Big Radiation Spike Was Wrong

Worker fled before taking second reading

By the Associated Press

Posted Mar 27, 2011 8:22 AM CDT

(AP) – That big spike in radiation levels 10 million times normal that Fukushima Dai-ichi reported earlier? Inaccurate, red-faced officials at Tokyo Electric Power Co now say. "The number is not credible," says a spokesman. "We are very sorry." The apology came after employees fled the complex's Unit 2 reactor when a reading showed radiation levels had reached 10 million times higher than normal in the reactor's cooling system. Officials said they were so high that the worker taking the measurements had withdrawn before taking a second reading.

The spokesman says officials are taking another sample to get accurate levels. Officials say they still don't know where the radioactive water is coming from, though government spokesman Yukio Edano has said some is "almost certainly" seeping from a cracked reactor core. While the discovery of the high radiation levels—and the evacuation of workers from one reactor unit—again delayed efforts to bring the deeply troubled complex under control, Edano insisted the situation had partially stabilized. "We have somewhat prevented the situation from turning worse," he said.

Evacuees chat near laundry at the main floor of a gymnasium that has turned into an evacuation center in Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture, northern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011.
Evacuees chat near laundry at the main floor of a gymnasium that has turned into an evacuation center in Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture, northern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011.   (Eugene Hoshiko)
A Japanese doll sits among the rubble in the devastated city of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecure Sunday, March 27, 2011, after the March 11 powerful earthquake and tsunami slammed northeastern Japan.
A Japanese doll sits among the rubble in the devastated city of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecure Sunday, March 27, 2011, after the March 11 powerful earthquake and tsunami slammed northeastern Japan.   (Vincent Yu)
A Japanese man carries his few belongings after visiting his destroyed home in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Kesennuma, northeastern Japan Sunday, March 27, 2011. The magnitude-9 quake off Japan's northeast coast March 11 triggered a tsunami that barreled onshore and disabled the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant....
A Japanese man carries his few belongings after visiting his destroyed home in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Kesennuma, northeastern Japan Sunday, March 27, 2011. The magnitude-9 quake off...   (David Guttenfelder)
A protester holds a placard during an antinuclear rally in Tokyo Sunday, March 27, 2011. Leaked water in Unit 2 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant measured 10 million times higher than usual radioactivity levels when the reactor is operating normally, Tokyo Electric Power Co. spokesman Takashi Kurita told reporters in...
A protester holds a placard during an antinuclear rally in Tokyo Sunday, March 27, 2011. Leaked water in Unit 2 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant measured 10 million times higher than usual radioactivity...   (Itsuo Inouye)
A masked survivor walks in the devastated city of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture Sunday, March 27, 2011 as people return to the city after the March 11 powerful earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan.
A masked survivor walks in the devastated city of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture Sunday, March 27, 2011 as people return to the city after the March 11 powerful earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern...   (Vincent Yu)
A Japanese walks through a flooded street in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Kesennuma, northeastern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011. Japan is starting to confront years of post-tsunami reconstruction along its northeastern coast. For the towns and farming villages, places like Kesennuma that have been battered for decades...
A Japanese walks through a flooded street in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Kesennuma, northeastern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011. Japan is starting to confront years of post-tsunami reconstruction...   (David Guttenfelder)
Japanese workers shovel dirt on to coffins containing victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami during a mass funeral in Yamamoto, northeastern Japan Saturday, March 26, 2011.
Japanese workers shovel dirt on to coffins containing victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami during a mass funeral in Yamamoto, northeastern Japan Saturday, March 26, 2011.   (David Guttenfelder)
Japan Ground Self Defense Force personnel conduct search operation at the site of tsunami stricken town in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Saturday, March 26, 2011.
Japan Ground Self Defense Force personnel conduct search operation at the site of tsunami stricken town in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, Saturday, March 26, 2011.   ((AP Photo/Kyodo News) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, NO LICENSING IN CHINA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA AND FRANCE)
Soldiers carry a tsunami victim's body from rubble after the March 11 earthquake in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, Northern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011.
Soldiers carry a tsunami victim's body from rubble after the March 11 earthquake in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, Northern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011.   (Norimitsu Masuda)
Survivors search for belongings in the devastated city where a ship was swept on the ground in Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture Sunday, March 27, 2011 after an powerful earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan more than two weeks ago.
Survivors search for belongings in the devastated city where a ship was swept on the ground in Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture Sunday, March 27, 2011 after an powerful earthquake and tsunami devastated...   (Vincent Yu)
Evacuees shows their fatigue at the main floor of a gymnasium that has turned into an evacuation center in Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture, northern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011. The magnitude-9 quake off Japan's northeast coast March 11 triggered a tsunami that barreled onshore and disabled the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power...
Evacuees shows their fatigue at the main floor of a gymnasium that has turned into an evacuation center in Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture, northern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011. The magnitude-9 quake...   (Eugene Hoshiko)
A Japanese woman rests in front of her damaged home in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Kesennuma, northeastern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011. Japan is starting to confront years of post-tsunami reconstruction along its northeastern coast. For the towns and farming villages, places like Kesennuma that have been...
A Japanese woman rests in front of her damaged home in the tsunami and earthquake ravaged city of Kesennuma, northeastern Japan, Sunday, March 27, 2011. Japan is starting to confront years of post-tsunami...   (David Guttenfelder)
Survivors offer sake by a statue of Ebisu, the Japanese god of fishermen and one of the Seven Gods of Fortune, in front of a destroyed house in the devastated city of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture Sunday, March 27, 2011. Japan is starting to confront years of post-tsunami reconstruction along...
Survivors offer sake by a statue of Ebisu, the Japanese god of fishermen and one of the Seven Gods of Fortune, in front of a destroyed house in the devastated city of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture Sunday,...   (Vincent Yu)
A protester in protective mask holds a placard during an anti nuclear rally in Tokyo, Sunday, March 27, 2011.
A protester in protective mask holds a placard during an anti nuclear rally in Tokyo, Sunday, March 27, 2011.   (Itsuo Inouye)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Jojo
Mar 27, 2011 9:02 AM CDT
So they don't technically know the reading was wrong, just that a second reading wasn't taken? That doesn't mean that the reading was wrong, just that it was unverified. Geez @ news people...
xs10tl
Mar 27, 2011 8:48 AM CDT
This whole story from Fukushima has lacked credibility , and the media just swallows it up hook-line-sinker. I would think that US Military & Nuclear experts using satellites & spy-planes with radiation detectors watching this 24/7 and have known exactly what the likely outcomes are. Meanwhile CNN & Fox blather on........See the Cat? See the Cradle?
hopeandchange
Mar 27, 2011 8:42 AM CDT
the incompetence surrounding this and coming out is truly astounding. and this is the Japanese, imagine whats lurking at the heart here in idiocracy land.

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tsunami • Japan • radioactive • Tokyo Electric Power Co. • radiation • Japan earthquake • 9.0 earthquake • Fukushima Dai-ichi • Japan nuclear plant • radiation exposure • Japanese nuclear disaster

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