Fukushima maybe more inhabitable as Japan lifts 4 year evauation orders

Tokyo, July 12  The Japanese government on Tuesday lifted an evacuation order for two areas in Fukushima, affected by radiation from the 2011 nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi complex, enabling the return of more than 10,000 residents to the city of Minamisoma as reported in Japantoday

The government is in the process of gradually lifting evacuation orders issued to areas within a 20-kilometer radius of the plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. and in certain areas beyond the zone amid ongoing radiation cleanup efforts.

Eight municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture have areas defined as evacuation zones, which are divided into three categories based on their radiation levels. The most seriously contaminated area is called a zone “where it is expected that the residents have difficulties in returning for a long time.”

In Minamisoma, the government lifted evacuation orders for areas except for the difficult-to-return zone. As of July 1, the areas had a registered population of 10,807, or 3,487 households.

To encourage evacuees to return, the central government and the city reopened hospital facilities, built makeshift commercial facilities and prepared other infrastructure.

The nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant, caused by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, was the worst since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine.

Radiation cleanup activities have finished in residential areas, but will continue for roads and farmland until next March.

The government hopes to lift the remaining evacuation orders affecting areas other than the difficult-to-return zones by next March, officials said.

(IANS)