Japan live blog: Company says radiation exposure could have been avoided
Local residents clear debris around their homes in the town of Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture on March 26.
March 26th, 2011
05:55 AM ET

Japan live blog: Company says radiation exposure could have been avoided

A magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit northern Japan on March 11, triggering tsunamis that caused widespread devastation and crippled a nuclear power plant. Are you in an affected area? Send an iReport. Read the full report on the quake's aftermath and check out our interactive explainer on Japan's damaged nuclear reactors.

[5:30 a.m. ET Saturday, 6:41 p.m. Saturday in Tokyo] An official with the Tokyo Electric Power Company, which runs the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, apologized Saturday and said the exposure of three workers to highly radioactive water could have been avoided with better communication.

Hideyuki Koyama said tests of water found in the basement of the No. 1 reactor's turbine building on March 18 showed high levels of radiation.

That fact - and a general sense that water accumulating in turbine and others buildings around the plant may be dangerously radioactive - did not appear to resonate on March 24 during an operation in the No. 3 reactor's turbine building. On that date, three workers were exposed to between 173 and 181 millisieverts of radiation, including two with direct exposure on their skin, while laying cable.

Koyama said that radiation alarms went off while the men were working, but they continued with their mission for between 40 and 50 minutes assuming it was a false alarm.

[1:55 a.m. ET Saturday, 2:55 p.m. Saturday in Tokyo] Airborne radiation levels continue to fall outside the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, though concerns remain about potentially ominous breaches in reactor cores after water showed alarming radiation levels in tests at two locales.

An official with the Tokyo Electric Power Co. - which operates the facility - told reporters Saturday that water samples from the turbine buildings for the Nos. 1 and 2 reactors similarly found high levels of radiation.

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Filed under: 2011 tsunami • Japan • Uncategorized
soundoff (163 Responses)
  1. Jazz7

    bless J-pans neutural heart , hope they get back on their feet soon with everyones help

    March 26, 2011 at 6:17 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Jazz7

    it worked you cant spell j-pan out normally or you cant post so insane.

    March 26, 2011 at 6:17 pm | Report abuse |
  3. L64

    Why is that?

    March 26, 2011 at 6:19 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Jazz7

    it's crazy, I dont know but someone said the same thing and I havent tried till now, go ahead try to spell it straight without the dash

    March 26, 2011 at 6:22 pm | Report abuse |
  5. banasy

    I can say it: Japan. another blogger taught me how when all this came out.

    Ps if it seems like I'm not answering, it's because my phone is acting up.

    March 26, 2011 at 6:32 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Jazz7

    No that's ok I have to go to the store in a minute so I will be off for an hour, I like to walk as much as I can .

    March 26, 2011 at 6:34 pm | Report abuse |
  7. L64

    Won't let me post.

    March 26, 2011 at 6:37 pm | Report abuse |
  8. L64

    Finally! What l've been trying to say is that you would think on a news website you could discuss the news.

    March 26, 2011 at 6:39 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Jazz7

    Hello, but at least it brought all us together , hey I gotta go to the store , if your on around 8pm see u then if not Iook for u later , bye

    March 26, 2011 at 6:42 pm | Report abuse |
  10. L64

    Bye bye

    March 26, 2011 at 6:43 pm | Report abuse |
  11. L64

    I don't know about your phone, but the site has been wacky all day.

    March 26, 2011 at 7:05 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Van Winkle

    I think we need to clone dinasours with their DNA. Then raise them and eat them. They are as tender as cows. T-Rex anyone? Medium rare with A-1 Sauce? Ok coming up.

    March 26, 2011 at 7:14 pm | Report abuse |
  13. L64

    And you know this how? Lol

    March 26, 2011 at 7:20 pm | Report abuse |
  14. L64

    Med rare, no sauce please.

    March 26, 2011 at 7:22 pm | Report abuse |
  15. BATMAN

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^I'M BATMAN^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    March 27, 2011 at 12:05 am | Report abuse |
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