Government officials stamped down fears of acid rain and nuclear clouds resulting from a leak from one of the nuclear plants in Japan following an 8.9-magnitude earthquake last week.
The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), sought to allay the public's fears as warnings of radioactive clouds and acid rains circulated through text messages.
The PNRI said it had been conducting tests of the air since the first explosion at the Fukushima power station on Saturday, a day after a deadly quake and tsunami struck Japan.
"Based on (our) monitoring, there has been no increase in the levels of radioactivity since the time of the Fukushima event," the agency said in an emergency response bulletin Monday. The bulletin came hours after a second explosion at the Fukushima plant.
The PNRI also allayed fears of radiation clouds coming over to the Philippines. And should there be one, "the plume from the site of the incident will not pass Philippine territory as of March 14," PNRI said.
“It does not make sense,” said weather forecaster Raymond Ordinario when asked to react to text messages warning the public of possible contaminated rainfall caused by radiation emitted from a leak inside the Fukushima plant.
In another press briefing on Monday afternoon, attended by President Aquino, Health Secretary Enrique Ona stressed that the public need not panic about suffering from radiation exposure resulting from the damages to a Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.
"The Philippines is safe from radiation," Ona said.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20110314-325382/Science-officials-No-threat-of-nuclear-clouds-acid-rain-in-PH
The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), sought to allay the public's fears as warnings of radioactive clouds and acid rains circulated through text messages.
The PNRI said it had been conducting tests of the air since the first explosion at the Fukushima power station on Saturday, a day after a deadly quake and tsunami struck Japan.
"Based on (our) monitoring, there has been no increase in the levels of radioactivity since the time of the Fukushima event," the agency said in an emergency response bulletin Monday. The bulletin came hours after a second explosion at the Fukushima plant.
The PNRI also allayed fears of radiation clouds coming over to the Philippines. And should there be one, "the plume from the site of the incident will not pass Philippine territory as of March 14," PNRI said.
“It does not make sense,” said weather forecaster Raymond Ordinario when asked to react to text messages warning the public of possible contaminated rainfall caused by radiation emitted from a leak inside the Fukushima plant.
In another press briefing on Monday afternoon, attended by President Aquino, Health Secretary Enrique Ona stressed that the public need not panic about suffering from radiation exposure resulting from the damages to a Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.
"The Philippines is safe from radiation," Ona said.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20110314-325382/Science-officials-No-threat-of-nuclear-clouds-acid-rain-in-PH
