Radiation sources found after quake

“Thirty-five of the radiation sources have been recovered, and the location of another 15 has been confirmed, but they have not yet been recovered,” Wu told reporters in Beijing.

“Three are buried in rubble and another 12 are in dangerous buildings, which staff cannot go into,” he added. “At present, tests from the scene show that there has yet to be an accidental release of radiation.”

The disaster area is home to China’s chief nuclear weapons research lab in Mianyang, as well as several secretive atomic sites, but no nuclear power stations.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said he had no information to suggest that the radioactive sources identified by China were a hazard to people but he said such a possibility was always worrisome.

“Anytime you have nuclear material, or other potential hazardous material, out there, you want to make sure everything’s done to be able to contain (it),” he said.