Workers abandon Japan nuclear plant as crisis worsens
Fukushima nuclear plant workers were ordered to leave the nuclear power plant on Wednesday after radiation levels increased, Kyodo news reported, Kazakhstan Today reports.
Almaty. March 16. Kazakhstan Today - Fukushima nuclear plant workers were ordered to leave the nuclear power plant on Wednesday after radiation levels increased, Kyodo news reported, Kazakhstan Today reports.
A rise in radiation levels at Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant has forced workers to suspend operations, a government spokesman says, BBC News reported.
He was speaking after smoke was seen rising from reactor three. Earlier, a blaze struck reactor four for the second time in two days.
Friday's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, which killed thousands, damaged the plant's cooling functions.
The site has also been hit by four explosions, triggering radiation leaks.
On Wednesday, Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news briefing that workers at the Fukushima Daiichi plant had been withdrawn following the sudden rise in radiation levels.
It is believed that about 50 employees had been working at the plant to try to cool its four reactors and avert a meltdown.
Mr Edano also said that the radiation levels were now falling from 1,000 millisieverts on Wednesday morning to 600-800.
Reuters reports that authorities withdrew 750 workers on Tuesday, leaving only 50.
The plight of hundreds of thousands left homeless by the quake and devastating tsunami that followed worsened overnight following a cold snap that brought snow to some of the worst-affected areas.
While the official death toll stands at around 4,000, more than 7,000 are listed as missing and the figure is expected to rise.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday urged people within 30 km (18 miles) of the facility - a population of 140,000 - to remain indoors, as authorities grappled with the world's most serious nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine in 1986.
Officials in Tokyo said radiation in the capital was 10 times normal at one point but not a threat to human health in the sprawling high-tech city of 13 million people.
Levels dropped to minimal on Wednesday, but nerves were shaken by a 6.0 earthquake, which shook buildings.
But residents have nevertheless reacted to the crisis by staying indoors. Public transport and the streets are as deserted as they would be on a public holiday, and many shops and offices are closed.
About 850,000 households in the north were still without electricity in near-freezing weather, Tohuku Electric Power Co. said, and the government said at least 1.5 million households lack running water. Tens of thousands of people were missing.
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Over 110 summer house communities in Uralsk flooded
Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan
116 summer house communities in the floodplain of the River Ural are inundated, Kazinform News Agency reports.
2,073 families or 6,888 people live at those summer houses in Uralsk, deputy governor of West Kazakhstan Kaliyar Aitmukhambetov said.
As earlier reported, 1,920 homes were flooded in six districts and the city of Uralsk. Owners of 902 homes returned.
Of which 276 homes were condemned as unfit for people to live in, 74 are subject to master overhaul.
75,962 pupils in 108 schools shifted to online learning. 161 evacuation centers were opened in the region. Since the beginning of the floods 13,380 people, including 5,748 children, were evacuated to safer places. Currently, 2,363 people are staying at 14 temporary shelters and provided with food and medical assistance.
The risk of flooding remains at 84 settlements in Uralsk city, Akzhaiyk, Borlinskiy, Baiterek, and Terekty districts along the River Ural. A dam 135 km long and 2-4.5 m wide has been built there since April. 1.1 million sandbags were laid. 1,336 pieces of equipment were deployed in dam fortification efforts.
Above 7,000 people and 3,500 military are involved in mitigating flood aftermath.
According to the emergencies department, 13,044 summer cottages are flooded. 10,647 people, 1,919 pieces of equipment, 213 motor pumps, 194 floating crafts, and 5 helicopters are deployed in rescue and flood relief operations.
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8,821, including 3,885 children from flood-hit regions staying at temporary shelters, Kazakh Emergencies Ministry
Images | Akorda
Kazakhstan continues rescue efforts, flood relief operations and mitigation of flood aftermath in flood-stricken and flood-prone regions, the Kazakh Emergencies Ministry’s official spokesperson Dinara Nurgaliyeva told a briefing.
Since the beginning of the floods 118,180 people, including 44,254 children, were rescued and evacuated. 113,852 farm animals were moved to safer places, she added.
Currently, 8,821 people, including 3,885 children, from flood-hit areas are staying at temporary shelters.
Water was pumped out of 4,370 homes and 2,737 household plots. Over 10.5 million cubic meters of meltwater were pumped away, and over 3.4 million sandbags and 1.4 million tons of inert material were laid.
5,989 homes and 1,091 household plots remain flooded in Akmola, Aktobe, Kostanay, Atyrau, North Kazakhstan.
44,137 people, 4,642 pieces of equipment, 858 motor pumps, 341 floating crafts, 18 aircraft, and volunteers are deployed in rescue and flood relief operations.
A local state of emergency was declared in 38 districts in Aktobe, Kostanay, West Kazakhstan, Akmola, Karaganda, Atyrau, North Kazakhstan, and Ulytau regions.
The Emergencies Ministry urges all to keep flood safety rules, not to leave homes and evacuation centers without permission and not to leave children alone.
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Second wave of floods hits N Kazakhstan region
Images | Ministry of Emergencies of Kazakhstan
Water level has increased on the Sergeyev Reservoir in the North Kazakhstan region. Flood situation in the region remains complicated, Deputy Governor of the region Kanat Duzelbayev said it at a briefing today, Kazinform News Agency reports.
He said water overflow on the Sergeyev Reservoir has decreased to 250 centimeters.
Due to the second wave of flooding, water level rose again with the overflow at 278 centimeters having increased by 21 centimeters," Kanat Duzelbayev said.
He emphasized the situation remains complicated in Kyzylzhar district and Petropavlovsk city.
A number of villages in Kyzylzhar district and micro-districts Podgora, Kozhevenny, Zarechny, Kossogor are still under water, with 2,886 residential buildings affected by the flood. A total of 14,388 people have been evacuated in the region, with 1,037 accommodated in temporary shelters. All of them are provided with meals and essential supplies. 149 families have already received lump-sum social payment. 470 tons of humanitarian aid were sent to the region from Astana, Almaty, East Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda, Zhambyl, Pavlodar, and Akmola regions, as well as from Russia’s Omsk," said Duzelbayev.
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8th-grader plunges from fourth floor window in Astana
An eighth-grader jumped out of a fourth-floor window in the school lyceum no.72 in the Kazakh capital of Astana, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports citing the health and education department of the city.
On April 17, an eighth-grader climbed out of a fourth-floor window in the school lyceum no.72. An ambulance was called immediately to the scene; the child is in the hospital, said the department.
The child sustained a brain concussion, thorax and abdominal injuries, right forearm and right tibia fractures. His condition is regarded as stable. The child is under medical supervision.
A criminal investigation into the accident has been launched.
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Over 12,000 people evacuated in N Kazakhstan due to massive floods
Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Flood situation remains complicated in the North Kazakhstan region, according to Yevgeny Zhuravlyov, press secretary of the local emergencies department, Kazinform News Agency reports.
In his words, the Sergeyev Water Reservoir is full at 149%. Water overflow across the dam crest is 2 meters 61 centimeters. Water level has decreased by 9 centimeters in a day.
He said that water level on the Yessil River is raising, due to which settlements of Kyzylzhar district and some areas of Petropavlovsk city have been flooded.
2,401 residential buildings, 1,115 courtyards remain flooded. 12,235 people including 2,919 children were evacuated in the region. 1,890 people including 591 children have been evacuated in the past day. 26 adults and 8 children have returned their homes, while 12,191 people remain evacuated. 3,590 farm animals were taken to a safe area," he said.
The worst hit areas are Teplichnoye, Pribrezhnoye villages in Kyzylzhar district, where 565 residential buildings have been flooded, and 2,287 people have been evacuated.
In the past 24 hours, water has already reached Bolshaya Malyshka, Sokolovka, Vishnyovka, Olshanka villages, where 317 residential buildings have been flooded. 1,562 people including 299 children have been evacuated.
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Over 111,000 Kazakhstanis rescued from flooded areas in Kazakhstan
Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Rescuers have evacuated 111,194 people including 39,222 children in Kazakhstan since the onset of flooding period, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Flood-relieve efforts involve 33,334 people and 4,066 vehicles as well as 835 water pumps, 275 boats and 11 aircraft.
9.5 million cubic meters of water were pumped out. 2.2 million sandbags and 1.2 million tons of inert materials were prepared.
5,400 houses, 1,607 household territories and 2,035 summer houses remain flooded in five regions. Water was pumped out from 3,503 houses and 2,157 households," Yerassyl Saipash, chief officer of the Civil Defense Committee of the Ministry of Emergencies, said a briefing today.
State of emergency of local scale was declared in settlements of Aktobe, Kostanay, West Kazakhstan, Akmola, Karaganda, Atyrau, North Kazakhstan and Ulytau districts.
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99,920 evacuated from flooded areas in Kazakhstan
Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The Emergency Situations Ministry of Kazakhstan has issued the information on the flood situation in the country as of 5:00pm, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to the Ministry, 99,920 people, including 36,593 children, were evacuated due to floods across the country.
10,015 people returned their homes.
As of 5:00pm, 6,566 people, including 3,194 kids, were accommodated in temporary shelters.
9 million 089 thousand cubic meters of meltwater were pumped away, 1.6 million sack tares or 1.2 million tons of inert material were laid.
Floodwater was diverted from 3,071 houses and 1,931 courtyards.
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