Nuclear radiation from Japan reaches Pakistan: PAEC

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Traces of airborne radioactive iodine, believed to have originated from the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, have been detected in Pakistan.

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) said in a press release that like many other countries — including the United States, China, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Scotland- very small traces of airborne radioactive iodine had been detected in Pakistan as well.

The detection was made by the highly sensitive surveillance systems used for this purpose by the PAEC, the Daily Times reports.

However, the radiation reaching Pakistan is extremely diluted because of large distances from Japan and air mixing along the path, the statement said.

The amounts of radioactive iodine detected in Pakistan are tiny and billions of times lower than levels that could endanger public health or environment, therefore, no precautionary measures of any kind are needed.

"Radioactivity from Japan’s earthquake-hit nuclear power plant has reached Pakistan, but the levels recorded do not pose any danger to people or the environment,” said Dr Jamshaid Zaidi, a Pakistani nuclear scientist.

Earlier this week, the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) had ordered a safety review of the atomic power plants in the country in the wake of radioactivity emission at the Fukushima power plant, and warned that additional measures might be required at the Karachi and Chashma nuclear power plants.