The DOST-PNRI continues to closely monitor the situation in Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Japanese Authorities have informed the IAEA that engineers tried to restore electrical power to Unit 2 by laying external grid power lines. The cable laying was completed at 4:30PM (Philippine time), 17 March 2011.
The current situations of the damaged reactor cores of Units 1, 2, and 3 appear to be under control. The core of Unit 4 did not contain any fuel at the time of the earthquake. The undamaged reactor cores of Units 5 and 6 are being closely monitored.
Spent fuels under storage remain a safety concern. Japanese Authorities are attempting to replenish water in the spent fuel storage pools.
Evacuation within the 20-km radius around Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants has been completed while sheltering remains at 30-km radius from the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants.
Japanese Authorities have informed the IAEA that radiation levels in Tokyo and in nearby cities have dropped slightly. The levels remain not harmful to human health.
IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano has flown to Tokyo to discuss with Japanese Authorities the nature of assistance IAEA can deliver to the Japanese Government and to further discuss the means to coordinate the flow of information.
For further advisories, please call the PNRI trunklines with Tel Nos. 929-6010 to 19 or visit the following websites:
Daily modelling studies are being carried-out by PNRI. Based on the latest calculations, there is no risk of the Philippines being affected by the radiological plume. The public is advised therefore not to be unduly alarmed about exposure to radiation arising from the Fukushima accident.
Latest DOST-PNRI RADIATION LEVEL CHECK as of 3:00 PM, March 17, 2011: 87 - 107 nSv (nanoSievert) per hour.
The DOST-PNRI is continuing to monitor the status of the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plants;
According to Japanese authorities as they informed the IAEA, white smoke was seen emanating from Unit 3 around 1:00 UTC, 16 March 2011.
The evacuation is kept at 20km radius zone while sheltering is being implemented at 30km radius from the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plants.
Units 1, 2, and 3 are being maintained shutdown while Unit 4 remains in shutdown state prior to earthquake.
No significant levels of radioisotopes of iodine and cesium have been detected near Tokyo area.
For the latest information on on-site and off-site radiological situations about the Fukushima accident, please access the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) website: www.iaea.org.
No radioactive plume will reach the Philippine territorial seas within the next 24 hours which requires offsite response or monitoring in affected areas.
Daily modelling studies are being conducted by PNRI. Its simulations and those carried out by the World Meteorological Organization-designated Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres for Environmental Emergency Response in Tokyo and Melbourne have shown that at such a distance, there is no risk of the Philippines being affected by the radiological plume. The public is advised therefore not to be unduly alarmed about exposure to radiation arising from the Fukushima accident.
Even on a direct hit scenario, DOST-PNRI declares that even on a worst case scenario, there is no risk of the Philippines and its population being affected by the radiological plume. The public is advised therefore to remain calm.
Latest DOST-PNRI RADIATION LEVEL CHECK as of 3:00 PM, March 16, 2011: 90-112 nSv (nanoSievert) per hour.
All reactor vessels of Units 1,2 and 3 remain intact . Containment vessels for Units 1 and 3 are also intact. And while the suppression chamber of Unit 2 is damaged, the rest of its containment unit remain intact.
Condition of cooling systems in Unit 1, 2 and 3 of the Daiichi reactors still not normal but under control.
There are no indications that spent fuel assemblies in the storage ponds in all Units have been exposed.
Radiation level at the plant’s main gate is measured at 0.6 mSv.
Current weather information continues to indicate that wind patterns coming from the Japan Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant have been moving away from the Japan coast towards the East. This would mean that winds which may carry any radioactive materials from the affected nuclear plants will not affect any part of the Philippines. The same wind patterns are predicted for the next three days.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in coordination with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is monitoring the weather situation at the affected nuclear plants and the possible effects on neighboring countries. The WMO is providing data to the IAEA using its Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers in Asia based in Beijing, China; Tokyo, Japan; and Obninsk, Russia. The information is provided to the IAEA and national meteorological and hydrological services in order to provide advice to the respective government agencies which manage nuclear safety and nuclear emergency response activities. In the Philippines, the WMO provides information to the PAGASA which provides advice to the DOST-PNRI, NDRRMC and other agencies regarding wind patterns.
The DOST-PNRI is continuing to monitor the situation in Japan with the help of information being isseminated on a 24-hour basis by the IAEA. This arrangement is part of requirements under the International Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident. The Philippines is a party to this Convention which entitles the country to early receipt of relevant information of nuclear accidents occurring in neighboring countries. Japan continues to provide detailed information to the IAEA which in turn distributes these to countries on a 24-hour basis through its national contact persons, which in the Philippines is the Director of the DOST-PNRI.
In spite of latest reports of fire on the spent fuel storage facility and release of radioactivity and another explosion on a third nuclear plant, the situation remains the same as far as the effect on the Philippines is concerned. Any significant effect is limited only within the power station boundary and immediate vicinity.
The DOST-PNRI emphasizes that there remains no immediate threat to the Philippines.
Latest DOST-PNRI RADIATION LEVEL CHECK : As of 9:00 AM March 16, 2011 89–120 nSv (nanoSievert) per hour.
At 5:30 am Manila Time the IAEA reported an explosion at Unit 2 of the Daiichi Reactor that damaged the suppression chamber of the primary containment vessel. The event resulted in the momentary increase of radiation level measured at 8 milliesievert per hour.
At 12:50 pm Manila Time, the IAEA reported the incidence of an earlier fire that occurred at the building where the spent fuel storage pond of Unit 4 of the Daiichii nuclear power plant is located. According to the Embassy of Japan the same fire was put out before 10:00am, today. The event resulted in the release of radiation at a dose rate of at 400 millisievert per hour.
As the events remain contained on site, persons who have been evacuated from the 30 km zone are considered safe.
As per information from TEPCO, the cooling problems of Units 1, 2, and 3 are under control.
Containments for Unit 1 and 3 are also intact. And while the suppression chamber of Unit 2 is damaged, the rest of its containment unit remains intact.
The DOST –PNRI emphasizes that there remains no immediate threat to the Philippines.
For more queries, pls call DOST-PNRI Emergency Response Center at 929-4719 or 920-8738 or 0917-278-3578 or log on to the following: http://www.dost.gov.ph,http://www.science.ph, or tweet@dost_pnri.
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
