Nuclear fall-out of natural disasters

Whereas the loss of human life has not been significant in the recent earthquake in Japan, which was centred off the coast of Niigata 160 miles northwest of Tokyo...

Whereas the loss of human life has not been significant in the recent earthquake in Japan, which was centred off the coast of Niigata 160 miles northwest of Tokyo, it has attracted global attention due to an estimated 1,200 litres of water containing radioactive material that has leaked from Tokyo Electric Power Co8217;s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant.

As per initial estimates, even though the contaminated water has reached the sea, there appears to be no cause for worry. The quake has also resulted in small amounts of radioactive materials 8212; cobalt-60, iodine and chromium-51 8212; escaping into the atmosphere. But while it is too early to comment on the potential after-effects of this leak on the local population in particular and the environment in general, the incident definitely raises concerns about the safety of nuclear installations, given the vagaries of nature, be it from an earthquake or a tsunami.

In Japan8217;s case this was not the first time a nuclear installation was affected by an earthquake. May 26, 2003 saw an earthquake with its epicentre almost within a 50-km radius of the nuclear site of Tohoku Electric Power in Onagawa. Immediately after, automatic safety devices were triggered by the tremor, causing the power plant to trip in accordance with Japanese safety procedures. This time, however, things were different because the quake was stronger than what its reactors had been designed to withstand.

The massive earthquake that occurred in the Kashmir valley on October 8, 2005, had its epicentre close to Pakistan8217;s most sensitive nuclear facility, the Kahuta uranium enrichment complex. In this case the reactors were probably not damaged but cracks developed in missile silos and storage facilities took a hit too. A few sources reported that there was a 15 to 20 per cent damage to Pakistani nuclear facilities and storage sites in the Northern Areas, especially in Skardu and Chitral.

All these incidents point to an indisputable fact. The real challenge is to guard nuclear installations from natural calamities. However, the recent earthquake in Japan has shown that nothing can be taken for granted, that even an earthquake with an intensity close to seven can shake a nuclear reactor and create a nuclear leak.

In the case of India, the nuclear facilities close to Chennai have been designed to withstand a tsunami assault. During the Bhuj earthquake, the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station situated near Surat kept operating safely. However, this does not mean that all Indian nuclear installations can withstand all calamities all the time. Securing these plants may be an expensive business, but the country cannot afford to compromise on its safety standards.

The writer is a research fellow at IDSA