Japan has underestimated the risk of tsunamis

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has concluded that Japan has overlooked the risk of tsunami in the design and operation of the Fukushima I. nuclear power plant.

The BBC said that after working for a week in Japan, the IAEA's international inspection team made a draft report on the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The official report will be published. He was at an intergovernmental meeting at the IAEA headquarters in Austria's capital Vienna in June. Its purpose is to strengthen nuclear safety worldwide.

The inspectors pointed out that the biggest problem for the Fukushima I plant was that the designers and operators of the plant did not take into account the risk of tsunamis crossing the seawall and damaging the backup generators. The seawall has a height of less than 6 m, while the height of the tsunami is about 14 m. The Japanese government also admitted this.

'The risk of tsunamis for many nuclear power plants has been overlooked. The designers and operators of nuclear power plants should evaluate the risks of all natural disasters and propose preventive measures , 'the expert team wrote.

The tsunami rushed towards the oil barrels for the No. 5 reactor of the Fukushima I nuclear power plant on March 11. Photo: AP.

It is necessary to monitor the health and safety of workers at the Fukushima I factory as well as the public.

Inspectors also emphasized the importance of independent watchdog in the nuclear industry. Many people have expressed opposition to the Japanese Nuclear Safety Agency under the Ministry of Industry, while the Ministry of Industry supports nuclear power.

Mr. Goshi Hosono, an assistant to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, accepted the draft report and said the government would reconsider nuclear safety monitoring.

On March 11, earthquake tsunamis spilled into the Fukushima I nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan, destroying backup generators that prevented the cooling system of the reactors from working, leading to a risk. molten fuel rods in the reactor core. Despite the spread of radioactive materials, engineers and workers in the factory have raced against time to prevent the phenomenon of melting fuel.