JAPAN: Foreigners evacuate Tokyo as post-earthquake explosion at nuclear plant sends low levels of radiation towards the city

Record ID: 465466

  • Title: JAPAN: Foreigners evacuate Tokyo as post-earthquake explosion at nuclear plant sends low levels of radiation towards the city
  • Date: 16th March 2011
  • Summary: NARITA AIRPORT, TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 15, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF NARITA AIRPORT TERMINAL 1 CLOSE VIEW OF TERMINAL SIGN COACH ARRIVING AT AIRPORT/PASSENGERS GETTING OFF INTERIOR VIEW OF AIRPORT TERMINAL PASSENGERS CROWDED INSIDE TERMINAL WIDE VIEW OF FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD CLOSE VIEW OF FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD WIDE VIEW OF CHECK-IN DESKS PEOPLE QUEUING AT CHECK-IN DESKS WOMAN ON PHONE AT CHECK-IN DESK CHECK-IN STAFF WORKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANASTASIA CHILADZHYAN, 27-YEAR-OLD DANCER FROM RUSSIA, SAYING: "For safety and because I have no show, I have no work for the moment in Japan, and of course for safety, to see family. Of course they worry very much." (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) CHEUNG YAN YUNG, UNIVERSITY STUDENT FROM HONG KONG, SAYING: "At that time I couldn't call my family and they were really worried about me. My family want me to go home as soon as possible and my flight is tomorrow but I am here just in case." (SOUNDBITE) (English) GUNTA BRUNNER, 25-YEAR-OLD CREATIVE DIRECTOR FROM ARGENTINA, SAYING: "Everyone is going out of the country today I think, because it's like with an earthquake you can survive without many problems because Tokyo and everything is prepared. With (the) tsunami, if you are in the middle of Japan or in Tokyo it's not a problem. But with the radiation it's like you cannot escape and you can't see it." CROWDS INSIDE AIRPORT TERMINAL
  • Embargoed: 31st March 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA3GD06Y3JMN5ONBQ55WC2QHBLV
  • Story Text: Many foreigners in Japan on Tuesday (March 15) were crowding into Tokyo's Narita Airport hoping for flights out as a new explosion at a nuclear power plant hit by Friday's earthquake sent low levels of radiation floating towards Tokyo.
    Fears of radiation contamination in the air far outstripped threats from the earthquake and the tsunami.
    Several countries have issued travel warnings in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
    The U.S is warning its citizens to avoid any non-essential travel to Japan. France is advising its citizens to leave the Tokyo region citing the risk of further earthquakes and uncertainty over damaged nuclear plants. Germany's foreign ministry says its nationals in the Yokohama/Tokyo area or near nuclear plants should consider if they need to stay in Japan.
    Twenty-seven-year-old dancer Anastasia Chiladzhyan from Russia said safety was the main reason for her departure from Tokyo's Narita airport on Tuesday.
    "For safety and because I have no show, I have no work for the moment in Japan, and of course for safety, to see family. Of course they worry very much." Chiladzhyan said.
    University student Cheung Yan Yung from Hong Kong said his worried family urged him to come home after the earthquake and tsunami struck. Cheung said: "At that time I couldn't call my family and they were really worried about me. My family want me to go home as soon as possible and my flight is tomorrow but I am here just in case."
    Gunta Brunner, a 25-year-old creative director from Argentina, said the radiation risk from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was foremost in his thoughts.
    "Everyone is going out of the country today I think, because it's like with an earthquake you can survive without many problems because Tokyo and everything is prepared. With (the) tsunami, if you are in the middle of Japan or in Tokyo it's not a problem. But with the radiation it's like you cannot escape and you can't see it," he said.
    An expert from the Institute of Applied Energy said detected radiation in Tokyo and other areas surrounding Fukushima prefecture were higher than normal levels but not harmful to human health.
    The U.N. weather agency says Japan winds were dispersing radioactive material over the ocean, and there was no danger for Japan or the region for now.
    The World Health Organisation says Japan is taking all the right measures to protect its population from radioactivity, including evacuations, sheltering and building stocks of potassium iodide.
    The U.N. agency said on Tuesday that Japan has not asked it to send experts in radiation contamination but its network of experts was on standby.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register