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Evacuees visit homes in Fukushima no-go zone

10 Comments

Residents of Kawauchi town inside the 20-km no-go zone around the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant made brief visits to their homes on Monday. It was the second time they had been allowed back since being evacuated in March.

NHK reported that 227 residents from 92 households, who are currently living in temporary housing, were allowed to go back in their own cars to retrieve personal items. In the only previous visit, only two people per household were allowed to go home by bus and they were only permitted to bring out one bag of personal items, NHK said.

This time, whole families -- clad in white protective gear -- returned to their homes and loaded up their vehicles with winter clothes and heaters, NHK reported. They were advised by government officials to stay no longer than four hours.

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beangry

And with plutonium in the area, this is unconscionable.

Extremely minute amounts have been found in the area inside the plant, not much to worry about outside with plutonium. There's other isotopes to worry about; plutonium is way down the list.

This tells me the govt is dealing with people who havent got a clue what radiation is or how it can harm them.

No offense, but I am sure they know a hell of a lot more about dealing with/living with radiation than you or I. Who are you to tell these people they can't have some small necessities? The items can be decontaminated, you know. Give these people a break, they've been through enough pain already without people calling them stupid.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How are they allowed to bring stuff back. Shouldn't it be radioactive?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I read one guy had a borrowed truck so he could bring his bed back.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It was still sad to know this kind of situation but this is a welcome development that Kawauchi residents were allowed to get in by their own cars.

I also like to take this opportunity, there are people who might know my relatives' whereabout/situation, please kindly inform me through this site. I am looking for my relatives, Mori Seiichi and family of Futaba Machi. I never got a chance to contact them since the disaster. Thanks.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Of course there's the radiation risk, but it's up to the individual to choose whether to go or not, so there's no criticizing the gvt for this one, just people's stupidity. However, given that radiation occurs naturally (in granite for example) a few hours shouldn't do much harm.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Good luck Gilberto. Hope they are safe, and hope the mods do not remove your message.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I read one guy had a borrowed truck so he could bring his bed back.

Did he put it in a gym?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

"This time, whole families—clad in white protective gear..."

A poncho, allergy mask, and shower cap don't really constitute protective gear in my book. Might help them against airborne dust particles, but that's it. And does the stuff they bring back not have to be decontaminated first?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"ective gear—returned to their homes and loaded up their vehicles with winter clothes and heaters, NHK reported. They were advised by government officials to stay no longer than four hours."

I'm astonished at people's stupidity. Who goes back to Chernobyl for winter clothes? This tells me the govt is dealing with people who havent got a clue what radiation is or how it can harm them. This is worse Han going through a mountain o garbage for a tiny piece of cheese, but just as contaminated. And yes they will have exposue too on those clothes.

@smith inJapan,

Right, the suits do not protect againt gamma last time I checked. And with plutonium in the area, this is unconscionable.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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