Colourant used to trace leak at Japan’s Fukushima

04/04/11 11:43 CET

world news

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After earlier efforts to stop a leak at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant failed, workers are now trying a different method as they attemp to stop radioactive water escaping from a concrete pit.

The new approach involves pouring a coloured liquid in a tunnel that leads into the pit. They will then try to trace exactly where the leak is coming from. Plugging the hole with a highly absorbent polymer did not work.

From our correspondent :

Meanwhile, a three-day search operation which ended on Sunday, recovered more than 70 bodies. Japan’s Self-Defence Force, Coast Guard and police were joined by the US military as they searched by water and air. However, more than 15,000 people are still unnaccounted for since the earthquake and tsunami.

Searching within the 20 kilometres exclusion zone near Fukushima has been suspended due to radiation concerns.

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More about: Earthquake, Japan, Nuclear accidents, Tsunami

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