#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: High Level of Cesium-137 from Ocean Floor Near Reactor 1

From Yomiuri Shinbun (10:28PM JST 5/5/2011):

　東京電力は５日、福島第一原子力発電所付近の海底の土砂から、１キロ・グラム当たり８万７０００ベクレルの放射性セシウム１３７を検出したと発表した。

TEPCO announced on May 5 that 87,000 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium-137 was detected from the ocean soil [on the ocean floor] near Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

　事故前に同じ場所で行った環境調査に比べ約３万８０００倍の濃度にあたる。

The amount was 38,000 times the amount that had been detected in a survey before the plant accident.

　土砂は１号機北側の岸壁から約３０メートル沖合の海底で４月２９日に採取された。セシウム１３７以外にも、事故前は検出しなかった放射性のヨウ素１３１が同５万２０００ベクレル、セシウム１３４が同９万ベクレル検出された。

The soil was taken on April 29 from the ocean floor 30 meters off the wharf north of the Reactor 1. In addition to cesium-137, radioactive iodine-131 was detected at 52,000 becquerels [per kilogram] and cesium 134 was detected at 90,000 becquerels [per kilogram]. They had not been detected before the accident.

　東電は、高濃度の汚染水が海に流れ込んだか、大気中の放射性物質が海に落ち、海底に沈殿した可能性があると見ている。

TEPCO thinks either the highly contaminated water had leaked into the ocean, or the airborne radioactive materials had fell into the ocean and settled on the ocean floor.

TEPCO does not have the press release on this on their site, yet.

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