Radioactivity Rises in Japanese Forests near Fukushima

Tokyo, Dec 16 (Prensa Latina) Levels of radioactive cesium rose in forested areas of northeastern Japan after the nuclear accident which ravaged the Fukushima plant, published Nikkei daily today.

According to the note, the prefecture of Miyagi showed the results of a probe that showed how the radioactive isotopo remains accumulated in the soil and grows due to decomposition of leaves fallen from contaminated trees.

The forests are the most affected zones by radioactive emissions from Fukushima, as the dense vegetation and its extensión make the decontamination labor difficult, specified the text.

According to the measurements made in forests 60 and 120 kilometers from the plant, respectively, half of the leaves studied showed a level of 26 thousand becquerels per kilo in June, 2012 and rose to 42 thousand becquerels a year later.

The report underlined that the cesium in the soil samples of up to ten centimeters deep went from 721 to three thousand becquerels.

The scourge of seism and tsunami suffered by Japan on March 11, 2011, left 15 thousand 854 people dead, three thousand 276 persons disappeared, 50 thousand were displaced and serious damages to the agriculture, livestock and fishing sectors of the country.