TOKYO, November 17 (RIA Novosti) - Radiation levels in fish caught near Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant are 100 times above normal, local media report.
Japan's Environment Ministry carried out the tests over June-July this year, in the river Niida to the north of the Fukushima power plant, and also in the village of Iitate. The results showed that fish caught in waters in these areas contained levels of radioactive cesium 100 times above the government-set "safe" limits.
The levels found ranged from 4,400 Becquerels per kilogram to 11,400 Bequerels per kilogram , against the maximum "safe" level of 100 Bequerels per kilogram.
The Fukushima nuclear disaster was the worst in 25 years, since the Chernobyl accident in the USSR. It came after North East Japan was hit by a powerful earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011. It will take about 40 years to complete work to dismantle the reactor and clean-up the area.
