Govt did not reveal high level radiation estimate

[suffragette]

Govt did not reveal high level radiation estimate
Monday, April 04, 2011 12:38 +0900 (JST)

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/04_10.html

It has been learned that the Japanese government withheld the release of computer projections indicating high levels of radioactivity in areas more than 30 kilometers from the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The estimates were made on March 16th following explosions at the plant by an institute commissioned by the government using a computer system called SPEEDI. The system made its projections on the assumption that radioactive substances had been released for 24 hours from midnight on March 14th, based on the available data.

But the government was reluctant to reveal the SPEEDI projections, and did not release them until March 23rd.
The released data showed that higher levels of radioactive substances would flow over areas to the northwest and southwest of the plant.




More at the link about the amount of radiation estimated, the possible impact on people in the area from that and the reason they specify for not releasing the data.

[aquart]

1. So the pregnant women and children in the area....?

[suffragette]

2. More than anything it shows the govt had data that indicated

they should have expanded the evacuation zone significantly by as early as March 16th and that people would be endangered in an area far wider than the govt initially noted. Pregnant women and children would be even more vulnerable.

Here are the amounts specified:

The estimates showed that the radiation would exceed 100 millisieverts in some areas more than 30 kilometers from the nuclear plant if people remained outdoors for 24 hours between March 12th and 24th.

That is 100 times higher than the 1 millisievert-per-year long-term reference level for humans as recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.



This would have been outside the official evacuation zone, so if they stayed, they would likely have been exposed to high radiation in at least some of the locations. I think the govt did say "stay inside" but we all know that is not always viable. If you don't have enough food or water or your home is damaged, you would have to head outside.

High radiation has since been detected in areas of that distance (though the exact places aren't specified).

[suffragette]

3. On March 22nd the Japanese govt set higher standards for decontamination

Trying here to put together the info that is related by date and incidents.



http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/80010.html

Meanwhile, the government's task force to tackle nuclear accidents instructed municipal governments near the crisis-hit Fukushima plant on Monday to ease conditions under which they require people to undergo mandatory decontamination.

A radiation level of 100,000 counts per minute will be introduced as a new standard for decontamination, up from 6,000 counts per minute, the government said, adding that raising the bar will not endanger health.

The government's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said the decision was made based on advice from domestic nuclear experts and the International Atomic Energy Agency.




That would mean they raised these one day before they released the SPEEDI projections and five days after they were aware of the data.


Something to note is how the new standard has become the new normal already, the baseline from which safety and need for certain procedures is determined:



http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/81216.html

TOKYO, March 26, Kyodo

By March 24, about 88,000 people have been screened, they said. Of them, 98 showed readings of over 100,000 counts per minute -- a yardstick level that requires ''decontamination'' procedures.

[bananas]

4. "they raised these one day before they released the SPEEDI projections and five days after they"

"they raised these one day before they released the SPEEDI projections and five days after they were aware of the data"

Wow.

[suffragette]

5. Even more stunning when viewed together, isn't it?

These events are presented in isolation in articles due to the way they've been released but have been occurring in direct succession in life.

And it raises many more questions:
Have other "safe" measures been adjusted up as measurements showed higher levels?
What are the SPEEDI projections beyond the ones now released?

[bananas]

6. Yeah - I didn't even know they raised the decontamination levels.

This is overwhelming.
And so many people are in denial.

[suffragette]

7. I stumbled on that when I was looking for more info on something else.

Since then, I've been trying to take more notice of dates and bits of info tucked in articles and to compare them with info and dates in newer articles to get more of a sense of what has been happening when.

And yeah, it is overwhelming.

[Logical]

8. I hope the worse is over.

[suffragette]

9. Been hoping for that from the start

but each time it seems to turn that way, it reverses again.


Welcome to DU.

:hi: