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IAEA Update on Fukushima Nuclear Accident (12 April 2011, 4:45 UTC) The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) today issued a new rating for the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on the IAEA International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). The nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi is now rated as a level 7 "Major Accident" on INES. Level 7 is the most serious level on INES and is used to describe an event comprised of "A major release of radioactive material with widespread health and environmental effects requiring implementation of planned and extended countermeasures". The new...

Fukushima Nuclear Accident Update Log [Updates of 8 April 2011] IAEA Briefing on Fukushima Nuclear Accident (8 April 2011, 15:00 UTC) Presentation: Summary of Reactor Status On Friday, 8 April 2011, the IAEA provided the following information on the current status of nuclear safety in Japan: 1. Earthquake of 7 April The IAEA confirms that an earthquake occurred in Japan at 14:32 UTC, 7 April. The IAEA International Seismic Safety Centre has rated it as a 7.1 magnitude, revised from an initial 7.4 magnitude. The epicenter of the earthquake was 20 km from the Onagawa nuclear power plant and approximately...

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says there has been no change in the amount of radioactive water seeping from the Fukushima nuclear plant after a polymer absorbent was injected into a cracked pit. Tokyo Electric Power Company found on Saturday that contaminated water was leaking into the ocean from the 20-centimeter crack in the concrete pit. On Sunday, the utility firm used a polymer absorbent to try to stop the leak of radioactive water. The government's nuclear agency said the injection of the chemical began shortly after 1:40 PM, but it cannot confirm if there has been a decline...

Japan being a major player in the constantly improved development in health and safety for it’s millions of inhabitants, clearly has more than one trick up it’s sleeve to make sure IF disaster hits the spot, that the people are as safe as possible. Unfortunately a tsunami + an 8.9 earthquake is just a bit to huge for even the most water tight evacuation plan out there. The Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear reactor buildings located closely to the epicenter of the quake are under constant monitorring and everything possible is done to make sure IF radioactive substances hit the air, the...

Agency Warns of Terror Plot On guard: A machine gun in front of a sign pointing the way for "other visitors" at the trial on Tuesday in Frankfurt of five Algerians charged with plotting an attack in Strasbourg, France, last Christmas. The men are believed to belong to the Qaida terrorist network. (Photo: AP) By Udo Ulfkotte FRANKFURT. German law enforcement officials have launched an intensive search for three people who they suspect are part of a three-country operation to seize hundreds of hostages in an attempt to free members of the Qaida terrorist network being held in Europe, according...