iaea update on japan earthquake

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19March 2011

IAEA Update on Japan EarthquakeStaff Report

Story Resources

Videos:

Work of the IEC: A Briefing for Director General Amano, 14 March 2011

Criteria for Use in Preparedness and Response for a Nuclear or Radiological

Emergency

International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES)

Japanese Earthquake Update (19 March 201112:00 UTC)

Contamination in Food Products around Fukushima

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has confirmed

the presence of radioactive iodine contamination in food

products measured in the Fukushima Prefecture, the area around

the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. According to the

latest data, the food products were measured from 16-18 March

and indicated the presence of radioactive iodine. To date, no

other radioactive isotopes have been shown to increase in the

analysis of food products around Fukushima.

Though radioactive iodine has a short half-life of about 8 days

and decays naturally within a matter of weeks, there is a short-

term risk to human health if radioactive iodine in food is absorbed

into the human body. If ingested, it can accumulate in and

cause damage to the thyroid. Children and young people

are particularly at risk of thyroid damage due to the ingestion

of radioactive iodine.

Japanese authorities have implemented two critical measures

to counter the contamination of food products by radioactive

iodine. First, on 16 March, Japan's Nuclear Safety

Commission recommended local authorities to instruct

evacuees leaving the 20-kilometre area to ingest stable

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IAEA Update on Japan Earthquake

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IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC)

International Seismic Safety Centre (ISSC) Response Assistance Network (RANET)

Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) Listen to this story

(not radioactive) iodine. As an established method of prevention,

the ingestion of stable iodine can help to prevent the accumulation

of radioactive iodine in the thyroid. Stable iodine pills and syrup

(for children) have been made available at evacuation centres.

Second, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has ordered a

stop to the sale of all food products from the Fukushima Prefecture.

The IAEA has passed this information to the Food and

Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the

World Health Organization (WHO) and will continue to report on

this development.

According to materials on its website, the FAO is prepared to respond upon request from the Government of Japan in t he following areas:

- assessing radioactive contamination of the agricultural environment, especially foods

- providing technical advice and determining appropriate medium- and long-term measures for agriculture -- including soil, land, forests,

crops, fisheries, animal health and welfare and food safety

- facilitating international trade of foods, including agricultural produce

The IAEA continues to gather information on t his development and will report further as events warrant.

Japan Earthquake Update (19 March 2011, 4:30 UTC)

Summary of conditions at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

Located on the Eastern coast of Japan, the six nuclear power reactors at Daiichi are boiling water reactors ( BWRs). A massive earthquake on 11

March severed off-site power to the plant and triggered the automatic shutdown of the three operating reactors - Units 1, 2, and 3. The control

rods in those units were successfully inserted into the reactor cores, ending the fission chain reaction. The remaining reactors - Units 4, 5, and 6

-- had previously been shut down for routine maintenance purposes. Backup diesel generators, designed to start up after losing off-site power,

began providing electricity to pumps circulating coolant to the six reactors.

Soon after the earthquake, a large tsunami washed over the reactor site, knocking out the backup generators. While some batteries remainedoperable, the entire site lost the ability to maintain proper reactor cooling and water circulation functions.

Here is the current status of the six reactors, based on documents and confirmed by Japanese officials (new information in bo ld):

Unit 1

Coolant within Unit 1 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, leading to fuel damage. High pressure within the reactor's containment

led operators to vent gas from the containment. Later, an explosion destroyed the outer shell of the reactor building above the containment on

12 March.

There are no indications of problems with either the reactor pressure vessel or the primary containment vessel.

Efforts to pump seawater into the reactor core are continuing.



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On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 5 to this unit. Further information on the ratingsand the INES scale.

Unit 2

Coolant within Unit 2 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, leading to fuel damage. Following an explosion on 15 March,

Japanese officials expressed concerns that the reactor's containment may not be fully intact. NISA officials reported on 18 March that white

smoke continues to emerge from the building.


On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 5 to this unit.

Unit 3

Coolant within Unit 3 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, leading to fuel damage. High pressure within the reactor's containment

led operators to vent gas from the containment. Later, an explosion destroyed the outer shell of the reactor building above the containment on

14 March.

Following the explosion, Japanese officials expressed concerns that the reactor's containment may not be fully intact. NISA officials reported on

18 March that white smoke continues to emerge from the building.


Of additional concern at Unit 3 is the condition of the spent fuel pool in the building. There are indications that there is an inadequate cooling

water level in the pool, and Japanese authorities have addressed the problem by dropping water from helicopters into the building and spraying

water from trucks. On 18 March, Japanese Self Defence Forces used seven fire trucks to continue spraying efforts. There is no data on the

temperature of the water in the pool.

On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 5 to this unit.

Unit 4

All fuel had been removed from the reactor core for routine maintenance before the earthquake and placed into the spent fuel pool. A portion of

the building's outer shell was damaged by the explosion at Unit 3 on 14 March, and there have been two reported fires - possibly including one in

the spent fuel pool on 15 March -- that extinguished spontaneously, although smoke remained visible on 18 March.

Authorities remain concerned about the condition of the spent fuel pool.

On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 4 to this site.

Unit 5 and 6

Shut down before the earthquake, there are no immediate concerns about these reactors' cores or containment. Instrumentation from both spent

fuel pools, however, has shown gradually increasing temperatures. Officials have configured two diesel generators at Unit 6 to power water

circulation in the spent fuel pools and cores of Units 5 and 6.

Workers have opened holes in the roofs of both buildings to prevent the possible accumulation of hydrogen, which is suspected of causing

explosions at other units.

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Restoration of Grid

Progress has been achieved in restoring external power t o the nuclear power plant, although it remains uncertain when full power will be available.

Evacuation

Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that the evacuation of the population from the 20-kilometre zone around Fukushima Daiichi has

been successfully completed. Japanese authorities have also advised people living within 30 kilometres of t he plant to remain inside.

Iodine

On 16 March, Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission recommended local authorities to instruct evacuees leaving the 20-kilometre area to ingest

stable (not radioactive) iodine. The pills and syrup (for children) had been prepositioned at evacuation centers. The order recommended taking a

single dose, with an amount dependent on age:

Baby 12.5 mg

1 mo.-3 yrs. 25mg

3-13 yrs. 38mg

13-40 yrs. 76mg

40+ yrs. Not necessary

Radiation Measurements

Radiation levels near Fukushima Daiichi and beyond have elevated since the reactor damage began. However, dose rates in Tokyo and other

areas outside the 30-kilometre zone remain far from levels which would require any protective action. In other words they are not dangerous

to human health.

At the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, radiation levels spiked three times since the earthquake, but have stabilized since 16 March at levels

which are, although significantly higher than the normal levels, within the range that allows workers to continue onsite recovery measures.

Fukushima Daiichi Summary Table - Units 1-6

Legend

No Immediate Concern

Concern

Severe Condition

Unit 1 2 3 4 5 6Power (MWe/th) 460/1380 784/2381 784/2381 784/2381 784/2381 1100/3293

Type of Reactor BWR-3 BWR-4 BWR-4 BWR-4 BWR-4 BWR-5

Status at the t ime of event In service - auto shutdown following earthquake Shut down for outage before earthquake

Core and Fuel Damaged No fuel rods No damage expected



5/22


Containment Integrity No damage reported Damage suspected No information Outageconfiguration

No damage expected

Off-site power Recovery ongoing Not available

Diesel generators Not available Two emergency diesel generatorspowering Units 5 and 6

Building Severe damage Slight damage Severe damage No damage reported

Water level in reactor pressure vessel About half of fuel assembly Outageconfiguration

Above fuel

Pressure of reactor pressure vessel Stable Unreliable data Stabilised Outageconfiguration

No information

Containment Pressure Drywell No information Stable Stable Outageconfiguration

No information

Water injection to reactor pressure vessel Sea water Sea water Sea water Outageconfiguration

Not necessary

Water injection to containment vessel Not available Not necessary

Spent fuel pool temperature No information Stabilising

IAEA Briefing on Fukushima Nuclear Emergency (18 March 2011, 14:00 UTC)

On 18 March 2011, Graham Andrew, Special Adviser to t he IAEA Director General on Scientific and Technical Affairs, briefed both Member States

and the media on the current status o f nuclear safety in Japan. His opening remarks, which he delivered at 14:00 UTC at the IAEA headquarters

in Vienna, are provided below:

1. Current Situation

As I reported yesterday, the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants remains very serious, but there has been no significant

worsening since our last briefing.

The situation at the reactors at Units 1, 2 and 3 appears to remain fairly stable.

Seawater was injected yesterday into Unit 2 and white smoke was again observed through the blown-out panels.

At Unit 3, which was the subject of helicopter water drops yesterday, water cannons have been spraying water on the spent fuel pond and

seawater was injected into the reactor pressure vessel.

An important safety concern remains the spent fuel pools at Units 3 and 4. Information is lacking on water levels and temperatures at the spent

fuel pools.

Efforts are being made to restore electrical power to the whole site. Another positive development is that diesel generators are providing power

for cooling for both Units 5 and 6.

No problems have been reported at t he common spent fuel pool. The spent fuel in the pool is fully covered by water.

The Japanese authorities today issued new ratings for t he incidents on the IAEA International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale - INES.

They assess core damage at the Fukushima Daiichi 1, 2 and 3 reactor Units, caused by the loss of all cooling function, as 5 on the INES scale.

The situation at Unit 4, where coo ling and water supply in the spent fuel pool have been lost, is rated 3 by the Japanese authorities.

At the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant, the loss of cooling functions in Units 1, 2 and 4 has also been rated as 3. All reactor Units at

Fukushima Daini are now in a cold shut down condition.



6/22


2. Radiation Monitoring

As mentioned yesterday, regular dose rate information is now being received from 47 Japanese cities.

Dose rates in Tokyo and other cities remain far from levels which would require action - in other words they are not dangerous to human health.

First measurements in Tokyo by the Agency's newly arrived radiation monitoring team today showed no indication of Iodine-131 or Caesium-137.

A second sampling will be carried out overnight.

3. Agency Activities

As you know, the Director General is in Tokyo, where he met the Prime Minister and other senior government ministers as well as the Vice-President

of Tepco. The Director General stressed the importance of providing faster and more detailed information about the situation at the nuclear

power plants, including to the international community. He also emphasized the importance of Japan working closely with the international

community to resolve the crisis.

There was agreement between the Agency and our Japanese counterparts that the Agency mission would focus on radiation measurements and

the identification of Japanese needs for a future environmental monitoring programme.

The Agency has started radiation measurements in Tokyo, as I mentioned, and we will move towards the Fukushima region as soon as possible.

The Japanese counterparts confirmed their willingness to further strengthen t heir cooperation with the Agency and make available

measurements made by TEPCO and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

The Director General plans to brief the Agency's Board of Governors on his return f rom Japan.

Following our request yesterday, the CTBTO informed us today that data from its radionuclide monitoring stat ions will be made available to the

Agency with immediate effect. On behalf of the Director General, I express my thanks to CTBTO Executive Secretary, Mr. Tibor Toth.

The International Civil Aviation Organization, in consultation with the Agency and a number of other international organizations, said today

that international flight and maritime operations can continue normally into and out of Japan's major airports and sea ports and there is no

medical basis for imposing additional measures to protect passengers. This will be kept under review.

Agency staff continue to work around the clock. We intend to hold another Technical Briefing and press conference at the same time

tomorrow, Saturday.

View Video on YouTube

Presentations:

Summary of Reactor Unit Status, by Graham Andrew

Technical Briefing of Nuclear Safety Aspects of Situation in Japan, by James Lyons

Technical Briefing on Radiological Situation in Japan, by Renate Czarwinksi


Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that, prior to the earthquake of 11 March, the entire fuel core of reactor Unit 4 of the Fukushima

Daiichi nuclear power plant had been unloaded from the reactor and placed in the spent fuel pond located in the reactor's building.

Clarification

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEsdPKeJrO8http://www.slideshare.net/iaea/summary-of-reactor-unit-status-at-18-march-graham-andrewhttp://www.slideshare.net/iaea/technical-briefing-of-nuclear-safety-aspects-of-the-situation-in-japan-march-18http://www.slideshare.net/iaea/technical-briefing-on-theradiological-situation-in-japan-renate-czarwinski-18th-march-2011http://www.slideshare.net/iaea/technical-briefing-on-theradiological-situation-in-japan-renate-czarwinski-18th-march-2011http://www.slideshare.net/iaea/technical-briefing-of-nuclear-safety-aspects-of-the-situation-in-japan-march-18http://www.slideshare.net/iaea/summary-of-reactor-unit-status-at-18-march-graham-andrewhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEsdPKeJrO8


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Contrary to several news reports, the IAEA to date has NOT received any notification from the Japanese authorities of people sickened by

radiation contamination.

In the report of 17 March 01:15 UTC, the cases described were of people who were reported to have had radioactive contamination detected on

them when they were monitored.


Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that new INES ratings have been issued for some of the events relating to the nuclear emergency at

the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear power plants.

Japanese authorities have assessed that the core damage at the Fukushima Daiichi 2 and 3 reactor Units caused by loss of all cooling function

has been rated as 5 on the INES scale.

Japanese authorities have assessed that the loss of cooling and water supplying functions in the spent fuel pool of the Unit 4 reactor has been rated

as 3.

Japanese authorities have assessed that the loss of cooling functions in the reactor Units 1, 2 and 4 of the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant

has also been rated as 3. All reactor Units at Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant are now in a cold shut down condition.

Addition of 12:45 UTC

Japanese authorities have assessed that the core damage at the Fukushima Daiichi 1 reactor unit caused by the loss of all cooling function hasbeen rated as 5 on the INES scale.

This is an upgrade from a previous rating of 12 March as 4 on the INES scale, which was based on an abnormal rise of radioactive dose rate at the

site boundary.

Further information on the ratings and the INES scale.


Temperature of Spent Fuel Pools at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant - Updated

Spent fuel removed from a nuclear reactor is highly radioactive and generates intense heat. Nuclear plant operators typically store this materialin pools of water that cool the fuel and shield the radioactivity. Water in a spent fuel pool is continuously cooled to remove heat produced by

spent fuel assemblies. According to IAEA experts, a typical spent fuel pool temperature is kept below 25 C under normal operating conditions.

The temperature of a spent fuel poo l is maintained by constant cooling, which requires a constant power source.

Given the intense heat and radiation that spent fuel assemblies can generate, spent fuel pools must be constantly checked for water level

and temperature. If fuel is no longer covered by water or temperatures reach a boiling po int, fuel can become exposed and create a risk of

radioactive release. The concern about the spent fuel pools at Fukushima Daiichi is that sources of power to cool the pools have been compromised.

Concern about spent fuel storage conditions has led Japanese officials to drop and spray water from helicopters and trucks onto Unit 3 at

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (See earlier update).

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has reported increasing temperatures in the spent fuel ponds at Units 5 and 6 since 14 March.

An emergency diesel generator at Unit 6 is now powering water injection into the ponds at those Units, according to NISA.

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The IAEA can confirm the following new information regarding the t emperatures of the spent nuclear fuel pools at Units 4, 5 and 6 at

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant:

Unit 4

13 March, 19:08 UTC: 84 C

Unit 5

17 March, 03:00 UTC: 64.2 C

17 March, 18:00 UTC: 65.5 C

Unit 6

17 March, 03:00 UTC: 62.5 C

17 March, 18:00 UTC: 62.0 C

The IAEA is continuing to seek further information about the water levels, temperature and condition of all spent fuel pool facilities at the

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Japan Earthquake Update (17 March 2011, 16:55 UTC) - Clarified

Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that engineers

were able have begun to lay an external grid power line cable to Unit 2. The operation was completed at 08:30 UTC. The operation was continuing as of 20:30 UTC, Tokyo Electric PowerCompany officials told the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

They plan to reconnect power to Unit 2 once the spraying of water on the Unit 3 reactor building is completed.

The spraying of water on the Unit 3 reactor building was temporarily stopped at 11:09 UTC (20:09 local time) of 17 March.

The IAEA continues to liaise with the Japanese authorities and is monitoring the situation as it evolves.

IAEA Briefing on Fukushima Nuclear Emergency (17 March 2011, 14:00 UTC)

At the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Graham Andrew, Special Adviser to the IAEA Director General on Scientific and Technical Affairs, briefed

both Member States and the media on t he current status of nuclear safety in Japan.

Current Situation

The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants remains very serious, but there has been no significant worsening since yesterday.

The current situation at Units 1, 2 and 3, whose cores have suffered damage, appears to be relatively stable. Sea water is being injected into all

three Units using fire extinguishing hoses. Containment pressures are fluctuating.

Military helicopters carried out four water drops over Unit 3.

Unit 4 remains a major safety concern. No information is available on the level of water in the spent fuel pool. No water temperature indication

from the Unit 4 spent fuel pool has been received since 14 March, when the temperature was 84 C. No roof is in place.

The water levels in the reactor pressure vessels of Units 5 and 6 have been declining.

Radiation Monitoring

We are now receiving dose rate information from 47 Japanese cities regularly. This is a positive development. In Tokyo, there has been no

significant change in radiation levels since yesterday. They remain well below levels which are dangerous to human health.



9/22


As far as on-site radiation levels at the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear power plants are concerned, we have received no new information

since the last report.

In some locations at around 30 km from the Fukushima plant, the dose rates rose significantly in the last 24 hours (in one location from 80 to

170 microsievert per hour and in another from 26 to 95 microsievert per hour). But this was not the case at all locations at this distance from

the plants.

Dose rates to the north-west of the nuclear power plants, were observed in the range 3 to 170 microsievert per hour, with the higher levels

observed around 30 km from the plant.

Dose rates in other directions are in the 1 to 5 microsievert per hour range.

Agency Activities

The Director General, who is now on his way to Japan, had another conversation with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. The

UN Secretary-General pledged all possible support for the Agency's efforts.

The Director General also met the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Tibor Toth, to discuss

the possibility of the Agency gaining access to data collected by CTBTO radionuclide monitoring stations.

A written request has been made to CTBTO. We believe the additional data and information could assist the Agency in our assessment of the

evolving situation in Japan.

A specialist from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) joined our team in the Incident and Emergency Centre earlier this week,

providing expert advice on the possible trajectories of winds from the area of the power plants.

View Video Excerpt:: Presentation


Based on a press release from the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary dated 17 March 2011, 04:00 UTC, the IAEA can confirm that the Japanese

military carried out four helicopter water droppings over the building of reactor Unit 3 of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

According to the press release, the droppings took place between 00:48 UTC and 01:00 UTC.


Injuries or Contamination at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Based on a press release from the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary dated 16 March 2011, the IAEA can confirm the following information

about human injuries or contamination at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Please note that this list provides a snapshot of the latest information made available to the IAEA by Japanese authorities. Given the fluid situation

at the plant, this information is subject to change.

Injuries

2 TEPCO employees have minor injuries;

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10/22


2 subcontractor employees are injured, one person suffered broken legs and one person whose condition is unknown was transported to the hospital;

2 people are missing;

2 people were "suddenly taken ill";

2 TEPCO employees were transported to hospital during the time of donning respiratory protection in the control centre;

4 people (2 TEPCO employees, 2 subcontractor employees) sustained minor injuries due to the explosion at Unit 1 on 11 March and were

transported to the hospital; and

11 people (4 TEPCO employees, 3 subcontractor employees and 4 Japanese civil defense workers) were injured due to the explosion at Unit 3 on

14 March.

Radiological Contamination

17 people (9 TEPCO employees, 8 subcontractor employees) suffered from deposition of radioactive material to their faces, but were not taken to

the hospital because of low levels of exposure;

One worker suffered from significant exposure during "vent work," and was transported to an offsite center;

2 policemen who were exposed to radiation were decontaminated; and

Firemen who were exposed to radiation are under investigation.

The IAEA continues to seek information from Japanese authorities about all aspects of t he Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.


Temperature of Spent Fuel Pools at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Spent fuel that has been removed from a nuclear reactor generates intense heat and is t ypically stored in a water-filled spent fuel poo l to cool it

and provide protection from its radioactivity. Water in a spent fuel pool is continuously cooled to remove heat produced by spent fuel

assemblies. According to IAEA experts, a typical spent fuel pool temperature is kept below 25 C under normal operating conditions. The

temperature of a spent fuel pool is maintained by constant cooling, which requires a constant power source.

Given the intense heat and radiation that spent fuel assemblies can generate, spent fuel pools must be constantly checked for water level

and temperature. If fuel is no longer covered by water or temperatures reach a boiling po int, fuel can become exposed and create a risk of

radioactive release. The concern about the spent fuel pools at Fukushima Daiichi is that sources of power to cool the pools may have

been compromised.

The IAEA can confirm the following information regarding the temperatures o f the spent nuclear fuel pools at Units 4, 5 and 6 at Fukushima

Daiichi nuclear power plant:

Unit 4

14 March, 10:08 UTC: 84 C

15 March, 10:00 UTC: 84 C

16 March, 05:00 UTC: no data

Unit 5


IAEA U d t J E th k


11/22


14 March, 10:08 UTC: 59.7 C

15 March, 10:00 UTC: 60.4 C

16 March, 05:00 UTC: 62.7 C

Unit 6

14 March, 10:08 UTC: 58.0 C

15 March, 10:00 UTC: 58.5 C

16 March, 05:00 UTC: 60.0 C

The IAEA is continuing to seek further information about the water levels, temperature and condition of all spent fuel pool facilities at the

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

IAEA Director General to Travel to Japan (16 March 2011, 18:50 UTC)

Director General Yukiya Amano announced the following today in Vienna:

"I plan to fly to Japan as soon as possible, hopefully tomorrow, to see the situation for myself and learn from our Japanese counterparts how best

the IAEA can help. I will request that the Board of Governors meet upon my return to discuss the situation. My intention is that the first IAEA

experts should leave for Japan as soon as possible."

On 15 March, Japan requested the IAEA for assistance in the areas of environmental monitoring and the effects of radiation on human health,

asking for IAEA teams of experts to be sent to Japan to assist local experts.

Given the fast-changing situation in Japan, the Director General was unable to announce the itinerary for his trip. He expects to be in Japan for ashort amount of time and then return to Vienna.

View Video on YouTube

Japanese Earthquake Update (16 March 2011, 14:55 UTC)

Japanese authorities have reported concerns about the condition of the spent nuclear fuel pool at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 and Unit 4.

Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa announced Wednesday that Special Defence Forces helicopters planned to drop water onto Unit 3,

and officials are also preparing to spray water into Unit 4 from ground positions, and possibly later into Unit 3. Some debris on the ground from

the 14 March explosion at Unit 3 may need to be removed before the spraying can begin.


Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that a fire in the reactor building of Unit 4 of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was

visually observed at 20:45 UTC of 15 March. As of 21:15 UTC of the same day, the fire could no longer be observed.

Fire of 14 March

As previously reported, at 23:54 UTC of 14 March a fire had occurred at Unit 4. The fire lasted around two hours and was confirmed to

be extinguished at 02:00 UTC of 15 March.

Water Level in Unit 5

Japanese authorities have also informed the IAEA that at 12:00 UTC of 15 March the water level in Unit 5 had decreased to 201 cm above the top ofthe fuel. This was a 40 cm decrease since 07:00 UTC of 15 March. Officials at the plant were planning to use an operational diesel generator in Unit

6 to supply water to Unit 5.


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Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that the evacuation of the population from the 20-kilometre zone around Fukushima Daiichi has

been successfully completed.

The Japanese authorities have also advised that people within a 30-km radius to take cover indoors. Iodine tablets have been distributed to

evacuation centres but no decision has yet been taken on their administration.



The Japanese government today requested assistance from the IAEA in the areas of environmental monitoring and the effec ts of radiation on

human health, asking for IAEA teams of experts t o be sent to Japan to assist local experts. Preparations for these missions are currently under way.

The missions will draw on IAEA resources and may also possibly involve Response and Assistance Network (RANET) and Member States' capabilities.

This development follows the IAEA's offer to Japan of its "Good Offices" - i.e. making available the Agency's direct support and coordination

of international assistance.

RANET is a network of resources made available by IAEA Member States that can be offered in the event of a radiation incident oremergency. Coordination of RANET is done by the IAEA within the framework of the Convention

on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident

or Radiological Emergency .



The IAEA can confirm the following information about t he status of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant:

Unit 4 was shut down for a routine, planned maintenance outage on 30 November 2010. After the outage, all fuel from the reactor was transferred

to the spent fuel pool.

Units 5 and 6 were shut down at the time of the earthquake. Unit 5 was shut down as of 3 January 2011. Unit 6 was shut down as o f 14 August

2010. Both reactors are currently loaded with fuel.

As of 00:16 UTC on 15 March, plant operators were considering the removal of panels from Units 5 and 6 reactor buildings to prevent a possible

build-up of hydrogen in the future. It was a build-up of hydrogen at Units 1, 2 and 3 that led to explosions at the Daiichi facilities in recent days.

The IAEA continues to monitor and seek information on the status of plant workers, reactor conditions, and spent nuclear fuel at the

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.


An earthquake of 6.1 magnitude was reported today at 13:31 UTC in Eastern Honshu, Japan. The Hamaoka nuclear power plant is sited an

estimated 100 kilometres from the epicentre.




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IEC confirmed with Japan that the plant continues to operate safely.

Units 1 and 2 are decommissioned, Unit 3 is under inspection and not operational, and Units 4 and 5 remain in safe operational status aft er

the earthquake.


The IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) continues to monitor the status of the nuclear power plants in Japan that were affected by

the devastating earthquake and consequent tsunami.

All Units at the Fukushima Daini, Onagawa, and Tokai nuclear power plants are in a safe and stable condition (i.e. cold shutdown).

The IAEA remains concerned over the status of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where sea water injections to cool the reactors in Units 1,

2 and 3 are continuing. Attempts to return power to the entire Daiichi sit e are also continuing.

After explosions at both Units 1 and 3, the primary containment vessels of both Units are reported to be intact. However, the explosion that

occurred at 21:14 UTC on 14 March at the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 may have affected t he integrity of its primary containment vessel. All

three explosions were due to an accumulation of hydrogen gas.

A fire at Unit 4 occurred on 14 March 23:54 UTC and lasted two hours. The IAEA is seeking clarification on the nature and consequences of the fire.

The IAEA continues to seek details about the status of all workers, reactors and spent fuel at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

An evacuation of the population from the 20-kilometre zone around Fukushima Daiichi is in effect. The Japanese have advised that people within a

30-km radius shall take shelter indoors. Iodine tablets have been distributed to evacuation centres but no decision has yet been taken on

their administration.

A 30-kilometre no-fly zone has been established around the Daiichi plant. Normal civil aviation beyond this zone remains uninterrupted. The

Japan Coast Guard established evacuation warnings within 10 kilometres of Fukushima Daiichi and 3 kilometres of Fukushima Daini.

The IAEA and several other UN organizations held a meeting at 11:00 UTC today to discuss recent developments and coordinate activities related

to consequences of the earthquake and tsunami. The meeting was called under the framework of theJoint

Radiation Emergency Management Plan of

the International Organizations , and this group expects to work closely together in

the days ahead.

IAEA Director General's Briefing on Day 5 of Japanese Earthquake Emergency (15 March 2011, 14:00 UTC)

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano briefed both Member States and the media on developments at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

View Excerpts from Briefing:: View Photos on Flickr

Japan Earthquake Update (15 March 2011, 11:25 UTC)Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Update

Radiation Dose Rates Observed at Site

The Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that t he following radiation dose rates have been observed on site at the main gate of the

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.


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At 00:00 UTC on 15 March a dose rate of 11.9 millisieverts (mSv) per hour was observed. Six hours later, at 06:00 UTC on 15 March a dose rate of

0.6 millisieverts (mSv) per hour was observed.

These observations indicate that the level of radioactivity has been decreasing at the site.

As reported earlier, a 400 millisieverts (mSv) per hour radiation dose observed at Fukushima Daiichi occurred between Units 3 and 4. This is a

high dose-level value, but it is a local value at a single location and at a certain point in time. The IAEA continues to confirm the evolution and value

of this dose rate. It should be noted that because of this detected value, non-indispensible staff was evacuated from the plant, in line with

the Emergency Response Plan, and that the population around the plant is already evacuated.

About 150 persons from populations around the Daiichi site have received monitoring for radiation levels. The results of measurements on some

of these people have been reported and measures to decontaminate 23 of them have been taken. The IAEA will continue to monitor

these developments.

Evacuation of the population from the 20 kilometre zone is continuing.

The Japanese have asked that residents out to a 30 km radius to take shelter indoors. Japanese authorities have distributed iodine tablets to

the evacuation centres but no decision has yet been taken on their administration.

Background on Radiation

A person's radiation exposure due to all natural sources amounts on average to about 2.4 millisievert (mSv) per year. A sievert (Sv) is a unit ofeffective dose of radiation. Depending on geographical location, this figure can vary by several hundred percent.

Since one sievert is a large quantity, radiation doses are typically expressed in millisievert (mSv) or microsievert (Sv), which is one-thousandth or

one millionth of a sievert. For example, one chest X-ray will give about 0.2 mSv of radiation dose.

For further information on radiation, see Radiation in Everyday Life.


Japanese authorities have confirmed that the fire at the spent fuel storage pond at the Unit 4 reactor of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

was extinguished on 15 March at 02:00 UTC.

Please note that all future communications from the IAEA regarding events in Japan will use the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) standard.



Japanese authorities informed the IAEA that there has been an explosion at the Unit 2 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The explosion

occurred at around 06:20 on 15 March local Japan time.

Japanese authorities also today informed the IAEA at 04:50 CET that the spent fuel storage pond at the Unit 4 reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi

nuclear power plant is on fire and radioactivity is being released directly into the atmosphere.

Dose rates of up to 400 millisievert per hour have been reported at the site. The Japanese authorities are saying that there is a possibility that the

fire was caused by a hydrogen explosion.


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The IAEA is seeking further information on these developments.



Japanese authorities yesterday reported to the IAEA at 20:05 UTC that the reactors Units 1, 2 and 3 of the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant are

in cold shutdown status. This means that t he pressure of the water coolant is at around atmospheric level and the temperature is below 100 C.

Under these conditions, the reactors are considered to be safely under control.

Japanese authorities have also informed the IAEA that teams of experts from Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the plant's operator, areworking to restore cooling in the reactor Unit 4 and bring it to cold shutdown.



After the IAEA offered its "Good Offices" to Japan - i.e. making available the Agency's direct support and coordination of international assistance -

the Japanese government yesterday asked the IAEA to prov ide expert missions to the country. Discussions have begun to prepare the details of

those missions.

At a briefing for representatives of IAEA Member States held yesterday in Vienna, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano outlined some of the areas

in which IAEA support could be provided to Japan.

"The IAEA can offer support in technical areas such as radiation surveys and environmental sampling, medical support, the recovery of missing

or misplaced radioactive sources or advice on emergency response," he said.

In addition, the IAEA is coordinating assistance from Member States through the Response and Assistance Network (RANET). The network consists

of nations that can offer specialized assistance after a radiation incident or emergency. Coordination by the IAEA takes place within the framework

of the Convention on Assistance in the Case of

a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency .


IAEA Director General Briefs Media on Nuclear Safety in Japan (14 March 2011, 16:45 UTC)

At 16:45 UTC on 14 March 2011, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano briefed the media on the consequences of the twin natural disasters in Japan.

The press conference was opened by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, followed by comments from James Lyons, Director of the Division

of Nuclear Installation Safety; Denis Flory, Deputy Director General for the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security; and Alena Buglova, acting

Head of the Incident and Emergency Centre.

Director General Statement:: View Photos on Flickr:: View Video on YouTube

Japanese Earthquake Update (14 March 2011, 14:35 UTC)

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Japanese authorities have reported to the IAEA that Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 has experienced decreasing coolant levels in the reactor core.

Officials have begun to inject sea water into the reactor to maintain cooling of the reactor core.


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Sea water injections into Units 1 and 3 were interrupted yesterday due to a low level in a sea water supply reservoir, but sea water injections have

now been restored at both Units.

Evacuation Status

On 12 March, the Japanese Prime Minister ordered the evacuation of residents living within 10 kilometres of the Fukushima Daini nuclear power

plant and within 20 kilometres of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) has reported that about 185 000 residents had been evacuated from the towns listed below as

of 13 March 2011, 17:00 (JST).

Populations of Evacuated Towns Near Affected Nuclear Power Plants

Hirono-cho 5 387

Naraha-cho 7 851

Tomioka-cho 15 786

Okuma-cho 11 186

Futaba-cho 6 936

Namie-cho 20 695

Tamura-shi 41 428

Minamisouma-sh i 70 975

Kawauchi-mura 2 944Kuzuo-mura 1 482

Total 184 670

Iodine Distribution

Japan has distributed 230 000 units of stable iodine to evacuation centres from the area around Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini nuclear

power plants, according to officials. The iodine has not yet been administered to residents; the distribution is a precautionary measure in the

event that this is determined to be necessary.

The ingestion of stable iodine can help to prevent the accumulation of radioactive iodine in the thyroid.

Weather Forecast

In partnership with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IAEA is continuing to monitor weather forecasts and is providing updates

to Member States. Since the incident began, winds have been moving away from the Japanese coast to the East, and predictions call for the

same patterns to persist for the next three days.


IAEA Director General Briefed on Disaster Response and Nuclear Safety (14 March 2011, 08:30 UTC)

At the IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) and at its International Seismological Safety Centre (ISSC), IAEA Director General Yukiya

Amano received a briefing at 08:30 UTC.

The IAEA emergency management experts detailed the status of emergency communications with Japanese authorities, as well as with

emergency management counterparts in other IAEA Member States and among international organizations.


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p p q

Director General Amano was briefed as well on nuclear safety, seismological activity, and the on-going disaster recovery efforts in Japan. The video

of the briefing is available here.


Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) has provided the IAEA with further information about the hydrogen explosion that occurred

today at the Unit 3 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. A hydrogen explosion occurred at Unit 3 on 14 March at 11 :01 am local Japan time.

All personnel at the site are accounted for. Six people have been injured.

The reactor building exploded but the primary containment vessel was not damaged. The control room of Unit 3 remains operational.



Based on information provided by Japanese authorities, the IAEA can confirm the following information about the status of Units 1, 2, 3 and 4

at Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant.

All four Units automatically shut down on 11 March. All Units have off-site power and water levels in all Units are stable. Though preparations

have been made to do so, there has been no venting to control pressure at any of the plant's Units.

At Unit 1, plant operators were able to restore a residual heat remover system, which is now being used to cool the reactor. Work is in progress

to achieve a cold shutdown of the reactor.

Workers at Units 2 and 4 are working to restore residual heat removal systems.

Unit 3 is in a safe, cold shutdown.

Radiation dose rate measurements observed at four locations around the plant's perimeter over a 16-hour period on 13 March were all normal.

Japan Earthquake Update (14 March, 2011, 03:00 UTC)

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) has informed the IAEA that there has been an explosion at the Unit 3 reactor at the

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The explosion occurred at 11:01 am local Japan time.

The IAEA is seeking further information on this development.

Japan Earthquake Update (14 March 2011, 00:30 UTC) - Clarified

Based on information provided by Japanese authorities, the IAEA can confirm the following information about the status of Units 1, 2 and 3

at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Unit 1 is being powered by mobile power generators on site, and work continues to restore power to the plant. There is currently no power via off-

site power supply or backup diesel generators being provided to the plant. Seawater and boron are being injected into the reactor vessel to coolthe reactor. Due to the explosion on 12 March, the outer shell of the containment building has been lost.


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p p q

Unit 2 is being powered by mobile power generators on site, and work continues to restore power to the plant. There is currently neither off-

site power supply nor backup diesel generators prov iding power to the plant. The reactor core is being cooled through reactor core isolation cooling,

a procedure used to remove heat from the core. The current reactor water level is lower than normal but remains steady. The outer shell of

the containment building is intact at Unit 2.

Unit 3 does not have off-site power supply nor backup diesel generators providing power to the plant. As the high pressure injection system and

other attempts to cool the reactor core have failed, injection of water and boron into the reactor vessel has commenced. Water levels inside the

reactor vessel increased steadily for a certain amount of time but readings indicating the water level inside the pressure vessel are no longer

showing an increase. The reason behind this is unknown at this point in time. To relieve pressure, venting of the containment started on 13 March

at 9:20 am local Japan time. Planning is underway to reduce the concentration of hydrogen inside the containment building. The containment

building is intact at Unit 3.

The IAEA is seeking information about the status of spent fuel at the Daiichi plant.


The Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that radioactiv ity levels at the site boundary of the Onagawa nuclear power plant have returned

down to normal background levels. The first (ie lowest) state of emergency was reported at the plant earlier on Sunday after an increased level

of radioactivity was detected at the site boundary. Investigations at the site indicate that no emissions of radioactivity have occurred from any of

the three Units at Onagawa. The current assumption of the Japanese authorities is that the increased level may have been due to a release

of radioactive material from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.



Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) that venting of the containment of reactor Unit 3 of the

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started at 9:20 am local Japan time of 13 March through a contro lled release of vapour. The operation

is intended to lower pressure inside the reactor containment.

Subsequently, following the failure of the high pressure injection system and other attempts of cooling the plant, injection of water first and sea

water afterwards started. The authorities have informed the IAEA that accumulation of hydrogen is possible.

Japanese authorities have also informed the IAEA that the first (i.e. lowest) state of emergency at the Onagawa nuclear power plant has been

reported by Tohoku Electric Power Company. The authorities have informed the IAEA that the t hree reactor Units at the Onagawa nuclear power

plant are under control.

As defined in Article 10 ofJapan's Act on Special

Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness ,

the alert was declared as a consequence of radioactivity readings exceeding allowed levels in the area surrounding the plant. Japanese authorities

are investigating the source of radiation. The IAEA has offered its "Good Offices" to Japan to support the nation's response to the 11 March

earthquake and tsunami. One IAEA capability intended to help member states during crises is the Response and Assistance Network ( RANET).

The network consists of nations that can offer specialized assistance after a radiation incident or emergency. Such assistance is coordinated by

the IAEA within the framework of the Assistance Convention.


Japan Earthquake Update (13 March 2011, 02:35 CET) - Corrected




19/22

An earlier version of this release incorrectly described pressure venting actions at Units 1, 2 and 4 at the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant.

Venting did not occur at these Units.

Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that Units 1, 2 and 4 at the Fukushima Daini retain off-site power. Daini Unit 3 is in a safe,

cold shutdown, according to Japanese officials.

Japanese authorities have reported some casualties to nuclear plant workers. At Fukushima Daiichi, four workers were injured by the explosion at

the Unit 1 reactor, and there are three other reported injuries in other incidents. In addition, one worker was exposed to higher-than-normal

radiation levels that fall below the IAEA guidance for emergency situations. At Fukushima Daini, one worker has died in a crane operation accident

and four others have been injured.

In partnership with the World Meteorological Organization, the IAEA is providing its Member States with weather forecasts for the affected areas

in Japan. The latest predictions have indicated winds moving to the Northeast, away from Japanese coast over the next three days.



Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that the explosion at Unit 1 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant occurred outside the

primary containment vessel (PCV), not inside. The plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), has confirmed that the integrity of

the primary containment vessel remains intact.

As a countermeasure to limit damage to the reactor core, TEPCO proposed that sea water mixed with boron be injected into the primarycontainment vessel. This measure was approved by Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safet y Agency (NISA) and the injection procedure began at

20:20 local Japan time.

Japan has reported that four workers at Fukushima Daiichi were injured by the explosion.

NISA have confirmed the presence of caesium-137 and iodine-131 in the vicinity of Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1. NISA reported an initial increase

in levels of radioactivity around the plant earlier today, but these levels have been observed to lessen in recent hours.

Containment remains intact at Fukushima Daiichi Units 1, 2 and 3.

Evacuations around both affected nuclear plants have begun. In the 20-kilometre radius around Fukushima Daiichi an estimated 170 000 people

have been evacuated. In the 10-kilometre radius around Fukushima Daini an est imated 30 000 people have been evacuated. Full evacuation

measures have not been completed.

The Japanese authorities have classified the event at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 as a level 4 "Accident with Local Consequences" on the

International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). The INES scale is used to promptly and consistently communicate to the public the

safety significance of events associated with sources of radiation. The scale runs from 0 (deviation) to 7 (major accident).

Japan has also confirmed the safety of all its nuclear research reactors.


IAEA Director General's Update on Tsunami and Earthquake Emergency Response (12 March 2011, 19:00 UTC)

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano provided a videostatement on the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. Director

General Amano expressed his sincerest condolences for the lives and homes lost, and said: "My heart goes out to the people of my home country


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20/22

as they rise to the challenge of this immense tragedy."

Director General Amano notes the current effort to prevent further damage to Unit 1 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

In response to the situation, Director General Amano also explained the IAEA's dual role to use emergency communication channels to

exchange verified, official information between Japan and other IAEA Member States, as well as to coordinate the delivery of international

assistance, should Japan or other affected countries request it.

The video statement can be accessed here.


Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) has informed the IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) that there has been an explosion

at the Unit 1 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and that they are assessing the condition of the reactor core.

The explosion was reported to NISA by the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), at 0730 CET. Further details were not

immediately available.

Japanese authorities have extended the evacuation zone around the Fukushima Daiichi plant to a 20-kilometre radius from the previous 10 kilometres.

At the nearby Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant, the evacuation zone has been extended to a 10-kilometre radius f rom the previous

three kilometres.

The authorities also say they are making preparations to distribute iodine to residents in t he area of both the plants.

The IAEA has reiterated its offer o f technical assistance to Japan, should the government request this. The IAEA continues to liaise with the

Japanese authorities, and is in full response mode to monitor the situation closely around the clock as it evolves.


Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) that, starting at 12 March 9:00 am local Japan time, they

have started the preparation for the venting of the containment of t he Unit 1 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant through a controlled release

of vapour. The operation is intended to lower pressure inside the reactor containment.

Evacuation of residents living within ten k ilometres of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is report ed to be under way. An area with a radius

of three kilometres around the plant had already been evacuated.

The evacuation of residents living within three kilometres of the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant is also under way.

The IAEA's IEC continues to liaise with the Japanese authorities, and is in full response mode to monitor the situation closely around the clock as

it evolves.


Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) that officials are working to restore power to the cooling systems

of the Unit 2 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Mobile electricity supplies have arrived at the site.

Japanese officials have also reported that pressure is increasing inside the Unit 1 reactor's containment, and the officials have decided to vent

the containment to lower the pressure. The controlled release will be filtered to retain radiation within the containment.


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Three reactors at the plant were operating at the time of the earthquake, and the water level in each of the reactor vessels remains above the

fuel elements, according to Japanese authorities.

The IAEA's IEC continues to liaise with the Japanese authorities, and is in full response mode to monitor the situation closely round the clock.

IAEA Director General Expresses Condolences Following Japan Earthquake (11 March 2011, 20:50 CET)

"I would like to express my condolences and sympathies to the people of Japan who have suffered from this earthquake and to the Government

of Japan," said IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano.

Japan Earthquake Update (11 March 2011, 20:30 CET)

Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) that today's earthquake and tsunami have cut the supply of off-

site power to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. In addition, diesel generators intended to provide back-up electricity to the plant's

cooling system were disabled by tsunami flooding, and efforts to restore the diesel generators are continuing.

At Fukushima Daiichi, officials have declared a nuclear emergency situation, and at the nearby Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant, officials

have declared a heightened alert condition.

Japanese authorities say there has so far been no release of radiation from any of the nuclear power plants affected by today's earthquake

and aftershocks.



Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) that they have ordered the evacuation of residents within a

three-kilometre radius of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and told people within a 10-kilometre radius to remain indoors.

The Japanese authorities say there has so far been no release of radiation from any of the nuclear power plants affected by today's earthquake

and aftershocks.

"The IAEA continues to stand ready to provide technical assistance of any kind, should Japan request this," IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said.



The IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre has received information from Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) that a heightened state

of alert has been declared at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. NISA says the plant has been shut down and no release of radiation has

been detected.

Japanese authorities have also reported a fire at the Onagawa nuclear power plant, which has been extinguished. They say Onagawa, Fukushima-

Daini and Tokai nuclear power plants were also shut down automatically, and no radiation release has been detected.

The IAEA received information from its International Seismic Safety Centre that a second earthquake of magnitude 6.5 has struck Japan near the

coast of Honshu, near the Tokai plant.

The IAEA is seeking further details on the situation at Fukushima Daiichi and other nuclear power plants and research reactors, including

information on off-site and on-site electrical power supplies, cooling systems and the condition of the reactor buildings. Nuclear fuel




22/22

requires continued cooling even after a plant is shut down.

The IAEA is also seeking information on the status of radioactive sources in the country, such as medical and industrial equipment.

The World Meteorological Organization has informed the IAEA that prevailing winds are blowing eastwards, away from the Japanese coast.

All IAEA staff in Japan, both in the Tokyo office and in nuclear facilities, are confirmed to be safe.


The IAEA's Incident and Emergency Centre received information from the International Seismic Safety Centre (ISSC) at around 08:15 CET thismorning about the earthquake of magnitude 8.9 near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

The Agency is liaising with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to confirm further details of the situation. Japanese

authorities reported that the four nuclear power plants closest to the quake have been safely shut down.

The Agency has sent an offer of Good Offices to Japan, should the country request support.

Current media reports say a tsunami alert has been issued for 50 countries, reaching as far as Central America. The Agency is seeking

further information on which countries and nuclear facilities may be affec ted.

955Share

Responsible/Contact:Division of Public Information| Last update: 19 March 2011

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