Radiation detected in US rainwater

Radiation detected in US rainwater
Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:8PM
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Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was damaged by the  earthquake on 
March 11.
Traces  of radioactive iodine linked to quake-hit Japan's nuclear power plant  
have been found in rainwater samples taken last week in Massachusetts,  US. 


The low level of radioiodine-131detected in Massachusetts rainwater  samples is 
comparable to the amounts found in California, Washington and  Pennsylvania. 


However, public health officials say the pollution poses no threat to drinking 
supplies, Reuters reported on Monday. 


"The drinking water supply in Massachusetts is unaffected by this  short-term, 
slight elevation in radiation," said Massachusetts Public  Health Commissioner 
John Auerbach. 


"We will carefully monitor the drinking water as we exercise an abundance of 
caution," he added. 


Health officials also say they have found no detectable radiation in air samples 
examined in Massachusetts. 


On March 11, an 8.9-magnitude earthquake, off the northeast coast of  Japan's 
main island, unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami and was  followed by more 
than 50 aftershocks for hours. 


The quake set off the nuclear problems by knocking out power to  cooling systems 
at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The incident caused  nuclear meltdown and 
radiation leaks at the facility. 


On Saturday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials  announced 
that leaks have been detected at units 1, 2 and 3 of the  reactor and there is 
no timeline in sight to stop the leakage. 


Japan's nuclear safety agency said on Sunday that radioactive iodine  in the 
waters off the quake-hit site rose to 1,850 times the usual  level. 


Japan has ordered a halt in shipment of a range of farm products, as  radiation 
was detected in vegetables from Fukushima Prefecture. 


Japan has announced that nearly 28,000 people have died or are feared dead as a 
result of the disastrous quake and tsunami. 


The quake is now considered Japan's deadliest natural disaster since  the 1923 
Great Kanto Earthquake, which claimed the lives of more than  142,000 people. 


ASH/HGH/MMN