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Fukushimaâ€™s spent nuclear fuel storage facilities under threat

17 March 2011 21:54 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The water level in a spent nuclear fuel pond at Japanâ€™s blasts-ridden Fukushima No. 1 plant has dropped, overheating the container of the No. 3 reactor, The Mainichi Daily said on Thursday, APA reports quoting RÄ°A Novosti.
It warned that if no effective countermeasures are implemented, the fuel will melt which could result in a radiation leak.
Up to 64 tons of water was dumped by helicopters and fire trucks on the No. 3 unit, Kyodo said earlier in the day.
However, high levels of radiation prevent police from using water cannons to douse the overheated reactor. The radiation level at the 3rd reactor increased to 4,000 microsieverts per hour from 3,700 microsieverts with a normal radiation level within 0.05 - 0.2 microsieverts.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said at least 20 people were exposed to radiation and 25 were injured while tackling the consequences of the blasts at the plant.
The governmentâ€™s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said white smoke was billowing from the No. 2 unit, suggesting that a spent nuclear fuel pool in the facility may also be boiling.
The buildings housing the No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4 reactors have been severely damaged by apparent hydrogen blasts, and the No. 2 reactorâ€™s containment vessel suffered damage to its pressure-suppression chamber at the bottom.
A series of blasts and fires damaged four of Fukushimaâ€™s six reactors after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan last week, sparking a powerful tsunami and killing thousands.