Additional 23 workers exposed to high radiations
The health ministry says that another 23 workers at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant may have been exposed internally to over 100 millisieverts of radiation.
The ministry on Tuesday told plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company to immediately release the workers from duty.
The ministry said keeping the employees at the plant may push their exposure over the temporary-set limit of 250 millisieverts. The government relaxed the limit for plant workers from 100 millisieverts after the nuclear accident in March as an emergency measure.
The ministry also instructed TEPCO to have the 23 workers undergo medical exams.
TEPCO previously announced that 2 employees were exposed to over 600 millisieverts. On Monday, the firm said that 6 more workers were thought to have been exposed to up to about 500 millisieverts.
TEPCO is screening about 3,700 workers at the plant for exposure. The tests for about 600 have not been completed.
The ministry is urging the firm to finish the tests by June 20th and submit the results.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 13:37 +0900 (JST)
Fukushima 