Questions and answers: Japan, Chernobyl disasters by AP

Japan raised the assessment of its nuclear crisis to the most severe rating Tuesday, on the same level as the Chernobyl disaster, the world's worst to date.

Here is a good source to clear up some confusion about Fukushima situation and the related info on the assessment and health and safety concerns.

Questions and answers: Japan, Chernobyl disasters
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15818/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=pZvlStRh



Q1 Has the situation at the Japanese nuclear power plant worsened?

A. No. The heaviest radiation leaks at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex occurred in the first days after the March 11 earthquake-triggered tsunami crippled the plant's cooling systems. Workers are trying to lower temperatures in the overheated nuclear reactors, but still don't have full control. Problems persist, like the leak into the ocean plugged last week, but authorities say the radiation leaks are declining.

Q2 If the situation's not getting worse, why did Japan raise its assessment of the crisis?
Q3 So is Japan's crisis as bad as Chernobyl's?

Q4 Then why the same severity level rating?

A. The IAEA defines a level-7 accident as one in which a large amount of radiation is released into the atmosphere, likely harming human health and damaging the environment over the long-term. That threshold is set at several tens of thousands of terabecquerels - a unit of radiation - of iodine-131, a radioactive element commonly released in nuclear accidents. Leaks at both plants have exceeded that limit, but the Japanese government says Fukushima's are still one-tenth of those released by Chernobyl. The possibility Fukushima's emissions could surpass Chernobyl's is considered small, but still a risk until Fukushima's cooling systems are restored.

Q6 Are only people close to the plant at risk?  Did people die?

Answers are found in this website by AP.
Read more:

Questions and answers: Japan, Chernobyl disasters
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15818/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=pZvlStRh


・Here are the latest reports on the quake victims in Japan.  
http://hearthevoicefromjapan.blogspot.com/

How can we help?

・Save the Children, Japan quake victim
www.savethechildren.org/japanquake

・Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support Website

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Japan-Earthquake-Animal-Rescue-and-Support/207835229228979
OR;
http://japanearthquakeanimalrelief.chipin.com/japan-earthquake-animal-rescue-and-support/

・Japanese Red Cross

http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/l4/Vcms4_00002070.html