Radioactive particles to hit Europe today, German expert says
Air currents are expected to bring radioactive particles from Japan to Central Europe on Wednesday, though radiation levels will be negligible, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) said Wednesday.
In recent days experts have measured the spread of radioactivity from the nuclear crisis at Fukushima first in California, then in Iceland, head of the BfS gauging station near Freiburg, Erich Wirth, told broadcaster MDR INFO.
“And from there it’s no longer far off from Central Europe,” he said.
Still, the radioactivity will be “very, very low,” he added.
“Practically the contamination won’t rise,” he told the station.
So far levels have not risen in Germany, the expert said, adding that the great distance between the country and Japan would likely mean only a slight increase in radioactivity.
Japan continues to struggle to contain a nuclear meltdown following a massive 9.0-earthquake and tsunami on March 11. Citizens living nearby have been evacuated and this week officials in Japan measured high levels of radioactivity on vegetables grown in the country.
Last week reports said that fears over radiation had prompted a rush on Geiger counters in Germany, where manufactures said they were sold out of the radiation measuring devices.
DAPD/ka
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In recent days experts have measured the spread of radioactivity from the nuclear crisis at Fukushima first in California, then in Iceland, head of the BfS gauging station near Freiburg, Erich Wirth, told broadcaster MDR INFO.
“And from there it’s no longer far off from Central Europe,” he said.
Still, the radioactivity will be “very, very low,” he added.
“Practically the contamination won’t rise,” he told the station.
So far levels have not risen in Germany, the expert said, adding that the great distance between the country and Japan would likely mean only a slight increase in radioactivity.
Japan continues to struggle to contain a nuclear meltdown following a massive 9.0-earthquake and tsunami on March 11. Citizens living nearby have been evacuated and this week officials in Japan measured high levels of radioactivity on vegetables grown in the country.
Last week reports said that fears over radiation had prompted a rush on Geiger counters in Germany, where manufactures said they were sold out of the radiation measuring devices.
DAPD/ka
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