Two prefectures have held major preparedness drills that assume an accident at the Genkai nuclear power plant in western Japan.
Sunday's exercises were the first comprehensive nuclear disaster drills held by prefectural governments since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in March.
In Saga Prefecture, the drill was based on the scenario that an earthquake caused an automatic shutdown of 2 reactors, triggering a total loss of power at the plant and possible leakage of radioactive substances.
Workers at the nuclear plant practiced restoring the supply of electricity using generator vehicles acquired after the Fukushima accident. A record-high number of people -- about 25,000 -- took part in the drill.
The other drill in the adjacent prefecture of Nagasaki simulated a scenario in which a quake caused a leakage of nuclear materials.
The prefecture expanded the evacuation zone to areas within 30 kilometers of the plant from 10 kilometers in previous drills.
On the small island of Takashima, which lies entirely within 30 kilometers of the plant, all of the more than 2,300 residents evacuated by bus, going over a bridge to the mainland, or by ship.
But the bridge could be blocked if evacuation orders are issued to areas within 10 kilometers of the plant. In such an event, the authorities would have to prepare many ships for the evacuation effort.
Sunday's exercises were the first comprehensive nuclear disaster drills held by prefectural governments since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in March.
In Saga Prefecture, the drill was based on the scenario that an earthquake caused an automatic shutdown of 2 reactors, triggering a total loss of power at the plant and possible leakage of radioactive substances.
Workers at the nuclear plant practiced restoring the supply of electricity using generator vehicles acquired after the Fukushima accident. A record-high number of people -- about 25,000 -- took part in the drill.
The other drill in the adjacent prefecture of Nagasaki simulated a scenario in which a quake caused a leakage of nuclear materials.
The prefecture expanded the evacuation zone to areas within 30 kilometers of the plant from 10 kilometers in previous drills.
On the small island of Takashima, which lies entirely within 30 kilometers of the plant, all of the more than 2,300 residents evacuated by bus, going over a bridge to the mainland, or by ship.
But the bridge could be blocked if evacuation orders are issued to areas within 10 kilometers of the plant. In such an event, the authorities would have to prepare many ships for the evacuation effort.
Sunday, November 20, 2011 14:49 +0900 (JST)
No comments:
Post a Comment