Japan Weighs Giving Nuclear Crisis Chernobyl-Level Rating

[kristopher]

Japan Weighs Giving Nuclear Crisis Chernobyl-Level Rating

Monday, April 11 2011

(Tokyo) -- Japanese nuclear officials are considering a worst-case rating for a crippled power plant. Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission estimates he radiation released by damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant reached new highs for several hours recently. The latest leak would mean raising the crisis on an international scale to Level Seven from its current Level Five....

http://mystateline.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=244597

(Copyright 2011 by VERTEXNews/Newsroom Solutions)

Not sure of the sourcing for this, I've seen it no where else.

[kristopher]

1. second source

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1122208/1/.html

TOKYO: Japan may raise the severity of its nuclear accident to seven - the top level on an international scale - from five, the Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday, as workers battled to contain the crisis.

...The calculation prompted Japan to consider upgrading the accident to the highest level - something that has only be given to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster - Kyodo said, citing unnamed government sources.

According to the INES, level 7 accidents release radioactive material of more than tens of thousands terabecquerels of radioactive iodine 131.

Haruki Madarame, chairman of the government-run commission, said it has estimated that the release of 10,000 terabecquerels of radioactive materials per hour continued for several hours, the report said...

More at: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1122208/1/.html

[kristopher]

2. Also in WSJ nt