Friday, March 9, 2007

Major Nuclear Accidents

Sept. 30,1999:
Japan's worst nuclear accidents ever occurred at a uranium-reprocessing facility in T okaimura, NE of Tokyo, when workers accidently overloaded a container with uranium , there by exposing workers & area residents to extremely high radiation levels.
Apr.26, 1986:
In the worst nuclear accidents in the history of nuclear power, fires and explosions resulting from an unauthorized experiment at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near Kiev USSR (now in Ukraine), left at least 31 dead in the immediate aftermath and spread radioactive material over much of europe. An estimated, 135000 peoplewere evacuated from the region, some of which was uninhabitablefor years . as a result of these radiation released, tens of thousands of excess cancer deaths(as well as increased birth defects) were expected.
Jan.6, 1986 :
A cylinder of nuclear material burst after being improperly heated at a KerrMcGee plant at Gore,Oklahoma,USA . 1 worker died , 100 were hospitalized.
Apr. 25, 1981 :
Some 100 workers were exposed to radiation during repairs of nuclear plant at Tsuruga , Japan .
Feb.11, 1981 :
8 Workers were contaminated when 1,00,000 gallons of radioactive coolant fluid leaked into containment building of Tva's Sequayah 1 plant in Tennessee,USA.
Mar. 28, 1979 :
The worst commercial nuclear accident in the US . occured as equiptment failures and human mistake led to to a loss of coolant and a partial core meltdown at the Three Mile Island reactor in Middletown, Pennsylvana.
Mar. 22, 1975:
Fire at the Brown's ferry reactor in Decatur , Alahama ,USA, caused dangerously lowering of water cooling levels.
Jan. 21,1969:
A coolant malfunction from an experimental under ground reactor at lucens Vad , switzerland ,released radiation into a cavern, which was then sealed.
Oct.5 ,1966:
A sodium cooling system malfunction caused a partial core meltdown at the Enrico Femi demonstration breeder reactor , near Detrot, Michigan,USA,killed 3 workers .Radiation contaminated.
Jan.3 ,1961:
A reactor at a federal installation near the Idaho Falls , Idaho USA, killed 3 workers .Radiation contaminated.
Oct. 7, 1957:
A fire in the windscale plutonium production reactor N of Liverpool,England , released radioactive material ; later blamed for 39 cancer deaths.

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