Radiocesium levels in contaminated forests has remained stable, even after heavy rains due to typhoons and localized downpours.

ABSTRACT: In recent years, Japan has suffered serious damage due to natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rains due to tropical storms (typhoons) and localized downpours. To assess the chronological changes in the attenuation of external exposure doses and environmental radiation contamination due to the rainfall associated with typhoons and heavy rains during October to December 2019 in Fukushima, we measured environmental radiation levels in forest areas along the Mt Okura hiking trail in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture, near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. We confirmed that (1) current ambient dose rates of 0.38-0.95 μSv/h in most forest areas were 79.9-84.7% higher than in residential areas; (2) the number of sites along the hiking trail where ¹³⁷Cs was detected

SUBMITTER: Taira Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7645623 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature