On Wednesday, four workers who were cleaning pipes to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant were sprayed with radioactive water. Two of them were hospitalized as a precaution, according to plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco).
“We’ve been told the condition of the two workers who have been hospitalized is stable,” the Tepco spokesman said.
According to the plant operator, the two hospitalized employees had registered radiation level readings at or above 4 becquerels per square centimeter, the threshold considered safe.
Both workers will remain in hospital for approximately two weeks for follow-up examinations. Tepco is examining how the accident occurred and is reviewing measures to prevent its recurrence.
On 24 August, having received approval from the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA), Japan began discharging more than a million tons of treated water from the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. The process is expected to take decades. The dumping was opposed by the local fishing community - a collective of more than 150 people took the case to court. After dumping began, China immediately banned imports of fish and seafood from Japan.
Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) imposed temporary restrictions on the supply of fish and seafood from Japan to Russia, which will remain in effect until information on the safety of the seafood is assured and the products are analyzed by Rosselkhoznadzor experts.