Radiation fears rise as Russia downplays wildfire hazard
The Kremlin has a long history of downplaying disasters in a bid to appear in control. State-run television has focused on official efforts to battle the flames.
Russians fear worst as fires reach Chernobyl fallout zone – NZ Herald News, By Miriam Elderm 12 Aug 2010, Radiation levels near Chernobyl could rise and pose long-term health dangers as deadly forest fires spread to land contaminated by the world’s largest nuclear-reactor disaster, Russian environmentalists said yesterday
Activists said that the effect of the flames, fanned by the hottest weather in the region in 1000 years, is bound to be serious.
“This is radiation that will be dangerous for the local population living near the fires and firefighters managing the fires,” said Vladimir Chuprov, head of Greenpeace Russia’s energy unit.
“What is not clear is what could be the danger of the combined radiation effect and toxic effect of the smog. No one knows how these effects multiply each other.”………..
The local emergencies ministry in Snezhinsk, the site of a major nuclear research centre, said the fires there had been extinguished by yesterday. Yet fires still threaten Mayak, a major nuclear storage and reprocessing site in Chelyabinsk, where a nuclear accident in 1957 also left the grounds littered with nuclear residue.
Russians are, however, growing weary of official statements.
The Kremlin has a long history of downplaying disasters in a bid to appear in control. State-run television has focused on official efforts to battle the flames. Russians fear worst as fires reach Chernobyl fallout zone – World – NZ Herald News
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