Japanese rice first detected radiation exceeding safety standards

The Japanese government banned exports of rice from an area near the nuclear plant in Fukushima, radiation has been pouring since it was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan on March 11.

For the first time since the disaster, rice was found radiation levels exceeding the Japanese standards of safety.

In the affected area, about 60 kilometers from the nuclear plant, there are 154 rice farmers, who produce annually about 192 tons of product.

The ban on shipments comes after it was discovered that a harvested crop by a farmer in the area contained 630 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram, compared with the limit of 500 becquerels imposed by the government.

"The rice in question was found before it was sent. There is in circulation a single grain of the plot," said Osamu Fujimura chief of staff at a news conference.

Japan's rice harvest in autumn was put under the magnifying glass near the plant, after the areain excessive levels of radiation found in beef, vegetables and seafood.

The manager of the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co, which works with the government hopes to stabilize the reactors at the Fukushima central end of the year.

A new earthquake hits eastern Turkey, the third in 4 weeks

The quake's epicenter was located in the town of Mollakasim, located northwest of the city ofVan, which has become a "ghost town" stricken from the cold.

An intense earthquake was recorded today in eastern Turkey and is the third since late October, when a powerful earthquake killed hundreds of victims in the same area.

The quake had a magnitude of 5.2 degrees, according to the Kandilli Observatory. Preliminary reports have not mentioned casualties or damage.

The earthquake's epicenter was located at the town of Mollakasim, located northwest of Van.

The two previous earthquakes that occurred on 23 October (7.2 degrees) and September 9(5.7 degrees), caused landslides and fatalities in the city of Van, which became practically a "ghost town" according to the local governor, Munir Karaloglu.

low temperatures

Many residents have abandoned van because of the fear of new collapses of buildings damaged by the series of earthquakes.

"Virtually none of the buildings currently in use," said Karaloglu. Survivors of the tragedy sufferedthe cold that plagues eastern Turkey and lack sufficient blankets or warm clothing, he said.

Temperatures have fallen over night at -15 ° C in cities like ercise, where there have beencases of deaths of children due to pneumonia.

Several countries, including the United States and Israel have sent prefrabricadas shops and homes to try to alleviate the emergency.