The DOST-PNRI continues to closely monitor the situation at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The situation remains serious but stable with some progress in restoring electrical power and instrumentation.
According to the IAEA, there has been little change in reported radiation levels on-site since 22 March 2011. The deposition of Iodine-131 and Cesium-137 varies across some 10 Prefectures from day to day, but the trend is generally upward. In contrast, environmental radiation monitoring data in the Fukushima Prefecture outside the 20-km evacuation zone shows mostly decreasing values.
Radioactive iodine has been detected in Tokyo tap water in levels above the limit for infants but below the level for adults. The Tokyo Metropolitan government says 210 becquerels of Iodine-131 were detected on Tuesday in one liter of water at one of its purification plants in northern Tokyo. This level is above the 100-becquerel limit for infants. Tokyo says infants in the central 23 wards, plus 5 adjacent cities, should refrain from drinking tap water. It is also urging beverage makers in these areas not to use tap water in infants drinks. Japanese authorities added that the safety level assumes long-term consumption, and that there is no risk to health if tap water is consumed over a short period.
The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (DOH-FDA) in coordination with the DOST-PNRI briefed importers of food products and raw materials from Japan regarding the random sampling procedures to check the level of contamination of said imported items; analysis will be done by the DOST-PNRI.
There is continuous screening for radioactivity of container vans and cargo from abroad using radiation portal monitors at the Port of Manila.
For the latest information, please access the following websites:
Contrary to some media reports, the DOST-PNRI is not recommending the routine screening for radioactivity of travelers from Japan and other countries abroad.
No abnormal amount of radioactivity was found on travelers from Japan who requested scanning from the PNRI.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), travelers returning from Japan who have come from beyond the 20-km evacuation zone surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and who have undergone proper screening and decontamination procedures in Japan, and travelers from all other areas, do not pose a radioactive health risk to others and do not require screening.
The DOST-PNRI continues to closely monitor the situation at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Japanese recovery operations are continuing and meeting some successes including restoration of grid power to Units 1, 2, 5, and 6. Further large releases of radioactivity remain unlikely to happen.
The Japanese government is considering relevant precautionary measures and instructed four Prefectures around the nuclear power plants namely Ibaraki, Gunma, Tochigi, and Fukushima to refrain from distributing two types of vegetables (spinach and kakina) from these Prefectures and milk from Fukushima.
Radiation levels in major Japanese cities have not changed significantly and remain below those which are dangerous to human health.
Discussion among government agencies headed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), DOST, PNRI, National Dairy Authority (NDA), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has begun in order to address the concern of the public regarding imported food items from Japan. The PNRI will continue to conduct radioactivity measurements in food as needed.
Portal monitors previously installed in the Port of Manila are already scanning container vans for radioactivity.
For the latest information on on-site and off-site radiological situations about the Fukushima accident, please access the following websites:
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) website (www.iaea.org); and
The DOST-PNRI continues to closely monitor the situation at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Unit 1
Some instrumentations have been restored.
Unit 2
Off-site electrical power has been connected to an auxiliary transformer and distribution panels. Work continues toward energizing specific equipment;
White smoke disappeared from Unit 2; and
Workers began pumping seawater into the spent fuel pool.
Unit 3
White smoke emerging from the reactor is less intense; and
Spraying water on spent fuel pool is finished.
Unit 4
Japanese Self Defense Forces began spraying water into the building.
Units 5 and 6
External power restored;
Achieved cold shutdown; and
Spent fuel pool temperatures are now normal.
Overall, the situation at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants is improving. Radiation levels are within the range that allows workers to continue onsite recovery activities.
Dose rates in Tokyo and other areas outside the 30-kilometre zone remain below levels which would require any protective action. The dose rates in major cities are as follows:
Mito, Ibaraki: 161 nanosieverts per hour
Shinjuku, Tokyo: 46 nanosieverts per hour
Ichihara, Chiba: 33 nanosieverts per hour
Saitama, Saitama: 54 nanosieverts per hour
Utsunomiya, Tochigi: 141 nanosieverts per hour
The above values are not significantly different from background.
Although levels of radioactive iodine and cesium have been reported to be above the allowed levels in some food items in areas near Fukushima, these levels were not detected in other areas in Japan.
The Food and Drugs Administration (DOH) in coordination with the DOST-PNRI is already measuring baseline radioactivity levels in food samples imported from Japan.
For the latest information on on-site and off-site radiological situations about the Fukushima accident, please access the following websites:
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) website (www.iaea.org); and
Latest DOST-PNRI RADIATION LEVEL CHECK at PNRI grounds as of 3:00 PM, March 20, 2011: 95-119 nSv/hr (nanosieverts per hour); in other areas in Metro Manila as of 18 March 2011: 74-114 nSv/hr
For reporting of nuclear/radiological emergencies, you may contact the Radiological Impact Assessment Section/Nuclear Response Support Center of the PNRI through (632) 929-6011 to 19 local 285 or 311
