Fukushima Disaster Radiation Finally Hits North America Four Years After Nuclear Incident In Japan
More than four years ago, back in 2011, Japan was hit by a massive tsunami as a result of the Tõhoku earthquake. It was one of the most devastating tragedies to hit the Land of the Rising Sun, but it was only the beginning. The tsunami caused major damage to cities along Japan’s east coast, including Fukushima. There, three of six nuclear reactors of their power plant experienced a meltdown, causing what has been known as the Fukushima Disaster.
The Inquisitr reported on the results of the Fukushima Disaster in which both plants and animals are affected due to the radiation spill into the Pacific Ocean. Eventually, people feared that the radiation would effect the United States. That fear suddenly became a reality when radiation was detected just 100 miles from the shore of California.
Though the radiation from the Fukushima Disaster hasn’t officially reached United States shores, it has reached North America nevertheless. Reports now show Fukushima Disaster radiation was found in Canada.
According to Oregon Live, radiation from the Fukushima Disaster was found on the shores of Vancouver Island. What is unique about this situation is the fact this is the first time radiation from any nuclear disaster has been detected on North American land. Two samples were taken from a small town on Vancouver Island. In them, both cesium-134 and cesium-137 were detected. It should be noted that the cesium-134 isotope is uniquely associated to Fukushima.
Fortunately, the levels of radiation from the Fukushima Disaster are minute and cause no threat to human, animal, and plant life, as reported by RYOT. Scientists from the Woods Hole Observatory attested to such by comparing a person swimming daily in the radiation-contaminated waters for one year to the equivalent of getting an x-ray at the dentist.
The Fukushima Disaster did bring about some good though. As a result of the incident, the Convention on Supplementary Compensation on Nuclear Damage will soon go into place, as created by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Summarized, countries who sign on to be contributors will assist in the cleanup of nuclear disasters worldwide when they happen.
It is researched by scientists that the radiation fallout from the Fukushima Disaster will most likely spread across the North American west coast. However, it is very hard to predict exactly where the radiation will be found. Still, it is predicted radiation levels will remain low and cause no threat to the North American people, especially those living in the United States. Just for reference, the radiation detected in Japan just after the Fukushima Disaster were 10 million times higher than what was found up in Vancouver Island.
