Japanese authorities impose no-fly zone above blast-hit nuke plant

[bananas]

Source: RIA Novosti

The Japanese Transport Ministry declared a no-fly zone within the range of 30 km from the blast-hit Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant, the Kyodo news agency said on Tuesday.

The ban does not include planes and helicopters involved in rescue efforts and delivering aid to quake-hit areas.

Fears of a large-scale nuclear disaster remain high in Japan as the country continues relief operations following a devastating earthquake and tsunami that have killed nearly 6,000 people and left thousands missing.

Cooling systems of the Fukushima plant failed following the earthquake, resulting in blasts in units one and three on Monday. Early on Tuesday, the 4th reactor was hit by a blast, which resulted in leak of radioactive isotopes.

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Read more: http://en.rian.ru/world/20110315/163011443.html

[denbot]

1. Other then information suppression what does this accomplish?

I doubt if this is anything other then spin control.

[PoliticAverse]

3. The same thing people being kept outside 30km radius accomplishes. n/t

[bananas]

4. Prevents planes from flying through the fallout plumes

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. "to prevent planes spreading the radiation further afield"

Japan also announced a 30-km no-fly zone around the reactors to prevent planes spreading the radiation further afield.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12740843

I wonder how much 'spreading' a plane or helicopter can really do; if there's so much radioactive material in the air that significant amounts can actually stick to the surface of aircraft, this would be a far bigger release than they've been letting on about. But aircraft do also take in a certain amount of external air for their in-cabin systems, I think, so perhaps they're worried about the air the crew and passengers breathe. I did wonder if it was mainly about getting less media photography of the site, though.

[boppers]

6. Oddly enough, the best solution is to spread it.

We all get dosed every day, what keeps us alive is that the doses are spread out and small.

[Sherman A1]

2. Makes sense to me as the situation

continues to deteriorate.