Tokyo, Oct 25(ANI): Japanese citizens have been warned that more radioactive hot-spot like the one discovered in Kashiwa city, Chiba Prefecture, can be found where rainwater accumulates.
Masahiro Fukushi, a professor of radiation science at Tokyo Metropolitan University, also urged people to go out and take readings of such places in their neighborhoods on their own, instead of waiting around for the government's surveys.
"The condensation process will allow high cesium level to be attained in any place where rainwater accumulates in a limited area. Typical examples are side ditches, openings near downspouts and soil under evergreen trees," the Japan Times quoted Fukushi, as saying.
"As we now have the knowledge of where we can find hot spots, such as areas under downspouts, we should work together to monitor such places. I think this is where citizen volunteer efforts must come into play," he added.
Fukushi also said that Kashiwa's residents should not worry too much about the hot spot, as the highest radiation reading at the site was 15 microsieverts per hour.
He believes that it is unlikely to harm anyone because most people will be unlikely to stand around the site for extended periods.
"Even if a person walked through the site on every day (since March 11), the total exposure dose should not be a cause for fear," he added.
The Science Ministry had earlier confirmed that the source of the radiation is probably fallout from the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.
The nuclear power plant was damaged by the devastating March 11 9.0-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami.
It has been releasing large amounts of radioactive material, and the nuclear emergency level is currently on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, described as the world's worst ever-peacetime nuclear event. (ANI)
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