#Radiation in Tokyo: Setagaya-ku Has 110 Microsieverts/Hr Super-Hot Spot

On par with the radiation near Koriyama JR Station in Koriyama City in Fukushima (80 to 120 microsieverts/hr spot, see my post from yesterday).

Setagaya-ku is where the tubes of radium were found to have been emitting strong radiation. The radiation level was 4.7 microsieverts/hr.

The Ministry of Education and Science, again very quick to act, suspects something radioactive is buried on the spots. There are two spots, one is emitting 110 microsieverts/hour radiation on the sidewalk, the other 30 to 40 microsieverts/hour at the supermarket entrance. They are both paved with asphalt.

The photograph is from Sankei Shinbun, of the 110 microsieverts/hour spot on the sidewalk. As you can see, it's just an ordinary stretch of a sidewalk.

From Sankei Shinbun (10/29/2011):

東京都世田谷区は２８日、同区八幡山のスーパーの敷地内と近くの歩道の地表部分で、最大毎時１１０マイクロシーベルトの高放射線量を検出したと発表した。文部科学省は現場の状況から、東京電力福島第１原発事故による放射性物質の可能性は低いとみている。

Setagaya-ku, Tokyo announced on October 28 that maximum 110 microsieverts/hour radiation was detected in the supermarket compound and on the sidewalk surface near the supermarket in Hachiman-yama in Setagaya-ku. The Ministry of Education and Science doesn't think the high radiation is caused by radioactive materials from the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident, judging from the situation on the scenes.

　区によると、同１１０マイクロシーベルトが検出されたのはスーパー裏手の歩道の植え込み付近。地上１メートルでは同４・７マイクロシーベルトだった。また、正面入り口近くの敷地内の地表では同３０～４０マイクロシーベルトを検出した。

According to Setagaya-ku, 110 microsieverts/hour radiation was detected near the sidewalk shrub on the backside of a supermarket. It was 4.7 microsieverts/hour at 1 meter from the ground. 30 to 40 microsieverts/hour radiation was detected from the surface of the ground in the supermarket compound near the main entrance.

　２８日午後に区民から「高い放射線量が検出された」と情報提供があり、文科省が測定した。店側は区に「心当たりはない。なぜ高い数値が出たのか分からない」と説明したという。

On October 28 afternoon, a resident informed the Setagaya government that high radiation was detected, and the Ministry of Education and Science went to measure. The supermarket told Setagaya-ku that it had no idea why the radiation was so high.

　区は、２地点に土嚢（どのう）を積み上げるなどして人が近付かないようにした。

Setagaya-ku piled sandbags at these 2 locations so that people would not go near.

　文科省によると、２地点ともアスファルトで整地されており、放射性物質がたまりやすい側溝や土壌の堆積物が周辺にないという。このため、何らかの放射性物質が埋まっている可能性が高いとしている。

According to the Ministry of Education and Science, both locations are paved with asphalt, and there were no side drains or soil sediments nearby where radioactive materials were likely to accumulate. Therefore, the Ministry has concluded that it is likely that certain radioactive materials are buried there.

　同区では今月１２日、民家前の区道で高放射線量が確認され、その後、民家の床下からラジウム入りの瓶が見つかっている。

In Setagaya-ku, high radiation was measured on the road in front of a private home on October 12. Later, bottles with radium were found from under the floor of the home.

Two locations, paved with asphalt, nowhere near the drain or pile of dirt. What could that be this time?

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