Highest radionuclides concentration northwest of Fukushina-1-IAEA

VIENNA, March 31 (Itar-Tass) - The highest concentration of
radionuclides in areas adjacent to the emergency Fukushima-1 NPP has been
registsred by experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in
a relatively small area to the northwest of the station, IAEA reported on
Thursday. The highest rate of radioactivity in the contaminated areas
amounted to 25 megabecquerels per square meter on iodine-131 and up to 3.7
MBq per square metre for cesium-137.
Preliminary estimates suggest that in the area of the Iitate
settlement all IAEA acceptable criteria have been exceeded, so the
evacuation of local residents should be carried out, the report says. The
IAEA advised the Japanese authorities to carefully assess the current
situation. The Iitate village, with a population of about 7,000, is
located about 40 kilometres from the troubled Fukushima-1 nuclear power
plant.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano has set a date for an
international conference on nuclear safety. It became known on Thursday
that it is proposed to call the conference in Vienna on June 22-24 at the
level of the heads of government of member state of the agency. Amano has
already sent the invitations to their capitals. The conference will
consider possible revision of existing safety standards.