Nuclear Radiation Downwind?

Nuclear Radiation Downwind?

Begin quote:
'Precautionary measure'

"The Khushab heavy water plant was under annual maintenance and was under shutdown status," the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission said in a statement.

"All necessary steps were taken, including evacuation of personnel as a precautionary measure.

"The situation was immediately brought under control, and two workers lost their lives while controlling the incident. There is no threat to public life."

It said the leaking gas has now been burned off.

The plant at Khushab is not subject to International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, unlike other nuclear plants in Karachi and at Chashma in Punjab. "endquote

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7337026.stm

Having lived through the era of both Chernobyl and Three Mile Island it might be necessary for anyone living downwind to monitor the radiation levels in plants, milk, and food of all kinds grown directly downwind of this radiation leak. After Chernobyl, for example, most milk in Europe wasn't safe to drink for about 2 years because of radiation contamination especially in the northern countries like Finland and Sweden. So radiation detectors are important now for those who don't want serious problems later. However, with everything going on already in Pakistan it might already be too late.

However, for countries or cities in Pakistan downwind it might be a problem. The nearest town I could get a wind report from was Sargodha, Pakistan and as of right now as I write the wind is NE12mph as of Tuesday at 4:45pdt April 8th 2008. So if the prevailing wind is the same in Kushab then whoever is downwind should try and get their air and plants and cows milk tested if possible to prevent harm to humans. Also, all livestock should be tested depending on what actually was released and burned as a gas in to the atmosphere.

However, if you are on the ground there and understand circumstances that I don't here in the US then I also understand.