Tokyo, In a disconcerting incident at the Fukushima nuclear plant, four workers were inadvertently splashed with water contaminated with radioactive materials, resulting in two of them being hospitalized for precautionary measures, as confirmed by the plant’s operator.
This unsettling occurrence unfolded on Wednesday, shedding light on the ongoing perils Japan faces in the decommissioning process of the plant, which was devastated by a colossal tsunami in 2011, marking the most severe nuclear catastrophe since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.
The incident occurred as five diligent workers were engaged in the maintenance of pipes in the system responsible for purifying wastewater intended for release into the sea. Two of them fell victim to the splash when a hose became detached accidentally, as elucidated by a spokesperson from the plant’s operator, Tepco.
Subsequently, two other workers were exposed to contamination while they were diligently attending to the spill. The radiation levels detected in the two hospitalized individuals were at or above the threshold of 4 becquerels per square centimeter, which is deemed safe according to established standards.
“The condition of the two hospitalized workers is reported to be stable,” disclosed the Tepco spokesperson.
Tepco further affirmed that both individuals would remain hospitalized for “approximately two weeks” to undergo comprehensive follow-up examinations. Concurrently, the company is earnestly scrutinizing the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate mishap and evaluating measures to avert any recurrence.
This incident comes in the wake of Tepco’s recent completion of the release of a second batch of wastewater from the plant, coinciding with a visit by United Nations inspectors for a comprehensive safety evaluation.
In an attempt to create room for the far more perilous task of extracting radioactive fuel and debris from the three distressed reactors, Tepco commenced the discharge of over 1 million tons of treated water into the sea on August 24. However, this move has not been without controversy, as it has drawn criticism from China and local fishing communities who harbor concerns regarding the potential harm to their catch. While the water undergoes treatment to eliminate most radioactive elements, it retains tritium, a hydrogen isotope that is challenging to separate from water.
Tokyo maintains that the released water poses no threat, a stance endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Nevertheless, both China and Russia have voiced disapproval of the discharge and have imposed bans on Japanese seafood imports.
This massive water release, equivalent to the volume of 540 Olympic-sized swimming pools, is intended to create essential space for the intricate and hazardous process of removing radioactive material and debris from the three beleaguered reactors.
