Nuclear-contaminated Pacific Ocean may become a global threat

It has been officially confirmed. The crippled Fukushima Nuclear Plant in Japan is leaking highly contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean.

It has been officially confirmed. The crippled Fukushima Nuclear Plant in Japan is leaking highly contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. This is continuing by the minute causing great concern not only for Japan, but for all nations bordering on the Pacific Ocean, including the United States, Canada, Russia and most Pacific Island nations. Officials finally admitted this alarming news for the first time.

Earlier this month the tourism industry in this Japanese regions seemed to be doing fine. A new scheduled Asiana Airlines Charter Flight arrived with Korean tourists at Fukushima Airport on July 13.

Tourists are supposed to enjoy playing golf and participants in the Oze trekking tour.

In the meantime there are more serious worries reported for this region and beyond.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, admitted the leakage to the ocean for the first time since a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami damaged the plantโ€™s reactors in 2011.

The operator made the acknowledgement after steam was seen at one of the plant’s reactors on Tuesday.

TEPCO has come under criticism for its delay in the announcement, since experts had harbored strong suspicions about a possible leak for a long time.

Previously, the company had denied reports suggesting that contaminated water was leaking into the ocean.

TEPCO spokesman Masayuki Ono said that radioactive water leaking from the wrecked reactors is likely to have run into the underground water system, before joining the ocean, and might therefore be the result of initial leaks to the underground system spotted in 2011.

Ono added that officials believe a leak is possible as underground water levels fluctuate in accordance with tide movements and rainfall.

Meanwhile, the operator said the number of plant workers with thyroid radiation exposures exceeding threshold levels for increased cancer risks was noticeably higher than earlier reports.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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