Japan nuclear reactor damage still “very serious”

The incident has faded from media headlines, but the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told a news conference in Vienna last week that the situation at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan “remains very serious.”

Denis Flory, IAEA Head of Nuclear Safety and Security, also noted that the damage caused by the March 21 earthquake to core units at the plant has been revised to 55% for Unit 1, and between 25-35% for Units 2 and 3.

Efforts to contain the disaster are now focused on “counter-measures” to slow the flow of contaminated water out to the sea.

On land, radiation monitoring continues for 47 prefectures, but contamination values are lower than they were during the first weeks of the emergency. Restrictions on the distribution and consumption of milk and certain vegetables are now only in place in the Fukushima prefecture and two cities in Ibaraki.