Antinuclear

Fukushima: the cost in lives lost

Fukushima: thousands have died, thousands more will die, Ecologist, Dr Ian Fairlie 17th August 2015 Summing up Fukushima

“………About 60 people died immediately during the actual evacuations in Fukushima Prefecture in March 2011. Between 2011 and 2015, an additional 1,867 people [2] in Fukushima Prefecture died as a result of the evacuations following the nuclear disaster [3]. These deaths were from ill health and suicides.

From the UNSCEAR estimate of 48,000 person Sv, it can be reliably estimated (using a fatal cancer risk factor of 10% per Sv) that about 5,000 fatal cancers will occur in Japan in future from Fukushima’s fallout. This estimate from official data agrees with my own personal estimate using a different methodology.

In sum, the health toll from the Fukushima nuclear disaster is horrendous. At the minimum

• Over 160,000 people were evacuated most of them permanently.
• Many cases of post-trauma stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety disorders arising from the evacuations.
• About 12,000 workers exposed to high levels of radiation, some up to 250 mSv
• An estimated 5,000 fatal cancers from radiation exposures in future.
• Plus similar (unquantified) numbers of radiogenic strokes, CVS diseases and hereditary diseases.
• Between 2011 and 2015, about 2,000 deaths from radiation-related evacuations due to ill-health and suicides.
• An as yet unquantified number of thyroid cancers.
• An increased infant mortality rate in 2012 and a decreased number of live births in December 2011.

Non-health effects include

• 8% of Japan (30,000 sq.km), including parts of Tokyo, contaminated by radioactivity.
• Economic losses estimated between $300 and $500 billion.http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2989686/fukushima_thousands_have_died_thousands_more_will_die.html

August 19, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized