discharge of water from Fukushima into the sea suspended after an earthquake struck nearby

At the end of February, the operator Tepco began a new operation to discharge water previously treated to eliminate most of its radioactive substances into the Pacific Ocean.

A measure taken “as a precaution”. The operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant announced on Friday March 15 that it had suspended its process of discharging treated water from the site into the sea, after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck nearby. The earthquake, which occurred off the coast of Fukushima department, did not cause a tsunami.

On February 28, the operator Tepco began a new operation to discharge into the Pacific Ocean water stored on the plant site, previously treated to eliminate most of its radioactive substances, with the exception of tritium, which is only dangerous in high concentrated doses. This fourth phase of discharge at sea since last summer was due to end on Sunday, according to the initial schedule.

The operator detected “no anomaly”

Checks made, the operator announced a few hours later that“no anomaly” had not been detected: “Monitoring station readings remain normal.” Shortly after the earthquake, the Japanese Nuclear Safety Authority (NRA) also indicated on its website that no anomaly had been identified at the nuclear installations in Fukushima.

Located on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the Fukushima Daiichi power plant was devastated in 2011 by a gigantic tsunami caused by a magnitude 9.0 underwater earthquake off the coast of Fukushima. This power plant is now being dismantled, a colossal and extremely complex project which is expected to last several decades.

Beijing in particular has strongly criticized the discharge of treated water from the plant into the sea, although this process has been validated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). China responded by suspending all imports of Japanese seafood since last summer, and was followed by Russia a few months later.