Radioactive water leaks at crippled Fukushima plant: Japan’s TEPCO

The operator of Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant says workers have spilled several tons of rainwater that may be contaminated.

A spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said the leakage came during a transfer of radioactive water between tank holding areas.

“Work crew started operating the pump around 10:38 am. At 11:50 am, they found water was spilling from the manhole on top of the tank,” the spokesman said.

The troubled company has estimated that roughly four tons of collected rain water might have escaped.

“The water itself was rain water. But it was from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and could contain radioactive materials,” the spokesman noted, adding, “The water seeped into the ground.”

The extent of contamination is unclear. The utility is sampling the water to check radiation levels.

TEPCO has long struggled to control waste water at the plant. It has huge amounts of polluted water stored at hundreds of tanks.

Some tanks have leaked highly radioactive water, which might have been washed into sea.

Fukushima nuclear power station was damaged in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It has suffered nuclear meltdowns and hydrogen explosions since then.

A report released by a Japanese parliamentary panel later said the incident at the Fukushima nuclear plant was not only due to the tsunami, but also a “man-made disaster.”

The report criticized the “government, regulatory authorities and Tokyo Electric Power Company” for being devoid of “a sense of responsibility to protect people’s lives and society.”