#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: US Sets 80-Kilometer No-Go Zone for US Citizens in the Area

over the renewed fear on the Reactor No.4.

The Japanese government has set 20-kilometer no-go (evacuation) zone for its own citizens ...

From AFP (12:00PM PST, US, 3/16/2011):

WASHINGTON — US officials Wednesday warned citizens living within 50 miles (80 kilometers) of a crippled Japanese nuclear plant to evacuate or seek shelter, amid mounting concern of a catastrophic meltdown.

The evacuation order came as the chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) warned there was no water left in the spent fuel pool of reactor 4 at the Fukushima nuclear plant, resulting in "extremely high" radiation levels.

The US set up a much wider no-go zone than the 20-kilometer radius perimeter set up by the Japanese, after US authorities reviewed scientific and technical data about the nuclear emergency.

"We are recommending, as a precaution, that American citizens who live within 50 miles (80 kilometers) of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant evacuate the area or to take shelter indoors if safe evacuation is not practical," the US embassy in Tokyo said in its statement.

NRC chairman Gregory Jaczko told lawmakers that a fourth reactor at the nuclear complex was giving cause for concern following a hydrogen explosion there a few days ago.

"We believe that secondary containment has been destroyed and there is no water in the spent fuel pool and we believe that radiation levels are extremely high which could possibly impact the ability to take corrective measures."

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