2 Sep 2013
Radiation readings at Fukushima '18 times worse' than previously thought
FXstreet.com (Barcelona) - Radiation levels surrounding the premises of Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant are thought to be 18 times higher than previously reported, according to Japanese authorities.
Last week, reports emerged about radioactive water had leaked from a storage tank into the ground. Initially, The Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said the radiation emitted was just around 100 millisieverts an hour.
However, as BBC reports, "the company said the equipment used to make that recording could only read measurements of up to 100 millisieverts", adding that "the new recording, using a more sensitive device, showed a level of 1,800 millisieverts an hour."
Following the latest development, Japanese authorities raised the incident level from one to three on the degree of severity, based on the international scale measuring atomic accidents. The maximum level is seven.
Tepco's inaccurate readings is damaging shares, also likely to put downward pressure on the Nikkei index and the USD/JPY.
Last week, reports emerged about radioactive water had leaked from a storage tank into the ground. Initially, The Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) said the radiation emitted was just around 100 millisieverts an hour.
However, as BBC reports, "the company said the equipment used to make that recording could only read measurements of up to 100 millisieverts", adding that "the new recording, using a more sensitive device, showed a level of 1,800 millisieverts an hour."
Following the latest development, Japanese authorities raised the incident level from one to three on the degree of severity, based on the international scale measuring atomic accidents. The maximum level is seven.
Tepco's inaccurate readings is damaging shares, also likely to put downward pressure on the Nikkei index and the USD/JPY.