NEW DELHI: Khabarovsk, the largest city in Russia‘s far east, is under a state of emergency after a nuclear radiation leak was detected.
According to news reports, the authorities found high radiation levels near a power pylon located about 2.5 kilometers away from residential areas.
No injuries or exposure to radiation have been reported, and officials have assured that there is no immediate threat to the citizens’ health, as stated by the local branch of Russia’s consumer safety watchdog, TASS.
The radioactive material has been safely contained in a protective container and transported to a designated waste storage facility within Khabarovsk.
However, the cause of this concerning radiation spike in the city remains unexplained by the Russian authorities.
The state of emergency will remain for another three days as the law enforcement agencies investigate the origin of the leak.
A person wearing a nuclear protective mask was observed in a with a radiation reader showing escalating levels as he moved towards a ‘waste dump’. The device alarmed at 0.45 microsieverts, with a peak reading of 5.99 displayed on the screen. Despite the video evidence indicating potentially harmful radiation levels, it took approximately a week before any action was taken or the public was informed about the situation.
An initial report from a ‘boy’ on 28 March was submitted to the Russian special services, leading to the belated declaration of a state of emergency. Andrey Kolchin, the head of civil defence in the city, confirmed the discovery of the radiation source, resulting in the cordoning off of the area and the urgent implementation of emergency measures.