Free Republic

New radiation hotspots prompt Japan to extend monitoring The discovery of radiation hotspots well beyond the exclusion zone around the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant has forced the Japanese government to increase its monitoring from six to 22 prefectures in the east of the country. By Julian Ryall in Tokyo 7:38AM BST 25 Aug 2011 Elevated levels of radiation have been found 125 miles from the power plant, which was destroyed by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. That is well beyond the 18-mile exclusion zone that has been imposed. Officials in the city of Tokamachi, in northwest Niigata Prefecture, detected...

Giant tent being built over Fukushima plant's No. 1 reactor By Eric Talmadge National Aug. 12, 2011 - 04:00PM JST ( 29 ) TOKYO — The operator of Japan’s damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is building a huge tent to cover one of the worst-hit reactors, officials said Friday. Officials hope the cover will keep radioactive materials that have already leaked from spreading, prevent rainwater seepage and offer a barrier from possible leaks or blasts in the future. The tent is being erected to provide a temporary replacement for the No. 1 reactor’s outer housing shell, which was destroyed...