Soma, Japan - Radiation is spewing from damaged reactors at a crippled nuclear power plant in tsunami-ravaged northeastern Japan in a dramatic escalation of the 4-day-old catastrophe. The prime minister has warned residents to stay inside or risk getting radiation sickness.
In a nationally televised statement, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said radiation has spread from the three reactors of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in one of the hardest-hit provinces in Friday's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and the ensuing tsunami. He told people living within 12 miles (20 kilometers) of the plant to evacuate and those within 19 miles (30 kilometers) to stay indoors.
"The level seems very high, and there is still a very high risk of more radiation coming out," Kan said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said early Tuesday that a fourth reactor at the Fukushima Dai-ichi complex was on fire and that more radiation was released, but officials announced later in the day that the fire was extinguished.
"Now we are talking about levels that can damage human health. These are readings taken near the area where we believe the releases are happening. Far away, the levels should be lower," Edano said.
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Wikipedia: "Radiation poisoning, radiation sickness or a creeping dose, is a form of damage to organ tissue caused by excessive exposure to ionizing radiation. The term is generally used to refer to acute problems caused by a large dosage of radiation in a short period, though this also has occurred with long term exposure..
Radiation exposure can also increase the probability of developing some other diseases, mainly cancer, tumours, and genetic damage."
From my knowledge Radiation is cumulative. The flash of an X-ray is of course not much of a health risk as it was a flash of exposure. If your in it, in your closed door house, your still in it. If your outside, your in it. You car.. in it.. In the military they have an allowed exposure, not sure what it is called, but basically it's like this: If you go into a radioactive area and say your allowed 1,000 rads, as soon as you reach 500 you "get the hell out of dodge" cause your likely to pick up another 500 getting out of the radioactive area. So while the PM is, in other articles on the subject, moving people away within 30km's those people are not likely to be allowed back, ever. This is my belief and I could be wrong. I think the facilities are in full melt down myself.