Nuclear disaster guidelines to be expanded
News On Japan via NHKReloaded -- Oct 04
Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has called for expanding evacuation areas in case of nuclear disasters. It's also considering distribution of iodine tablets to people near nuclear power plants.
The agency on Wednesday presented a draft of revised guidelines for dealing with nuclear disasters.
It calls for expanding evacuation areas around nuclear plants from the current 10 kilometers to 30.
The number of municipalities covered by the guidelines is to increase from the current 45 in 15 prefectures to 135 in 21 prefectures. The municipalities are to reestablish by March 2013 their plans for handling nuclear disasters.
The plan calls for consideration of instructing people to stay home during nuclear disasters, and distributing iodine tablets to people within 50 kilometers of nuclear plants to protect them from radioactive plumes that could cause thyroid damage.
Since iodine tablets can have side effects, it would be necessary to explain their risks before distribution and to decide how to compensate for such effects.
Source: NHKReloaded
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