Authorities in the eastern city of Khabarovsk, Russia, have declared a state of emergency following the detection of a radiation leakage in the vicinity. According to TASS, a reputable Russian news outlet, elevated levels of radiation were identified in close proximity to a power pylon situated approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from residential zones.
Russian authorities have confined off Khabarovsk following the detection of a radiation leak on Friday, with no injuries reported. A state of emergency has been declared in the city due to nuclear contamination, as reported by the Mirror.
No individuals have been harmed or exposed to radiation, and there is no danger to the citizens’ health, according to the report. The cause of the worrisome radiation in Khabarovsk has not been specified by the Russian authorities. Nonetheless, officials have ensured its containment and transfer to a secure storage site for radioactive waste, as stated by Firstpost.
On Friday, an unidentified source of radiation was carefully extracted and secured in a specialized container before being transported to a secure facility for radioactive waste. Despite this action, a state of emergency will continue in the Industrialny area of the city for another three days as authorities work to determine the origin of the leak, as reported by The Mirror. Khabarovsk, a city close to the Chinese border, is home to approximately 630,000 residents.
Sources from Firstpost indicate that there was a one-week delay before authorities took action in response to the leak.
A recently released video depicts a worrying increase in radiation levels in Khabarovsk, with the delayed response causing concern. The footage shows an individual in a nuclear protective mask carrying a radiation reader, which shows escalating readings as they navigate through a designated “waste dump” area. The alarm on the radiation reader went off at 0.45 microsieverts, with the highest reading seen on the screen being 5.99. However, the person in the video claims that there was a reading of 20.
According to the Mirror’s report, a reading of 20 microsieverts is potentially dangerous and could elevate the risk of cancer, damage DNA, harm fetal development, and pose a threat to the health of children. It has been reported that the dangerous radiation source in Khabarovsk was known about for approximately a week before any action was taken or the public was informed. A young individual who took an initial reading on March 28 had alerted Russian special services, but it was not until recently that a state of emergency was declared. Andrey Kolchin, the head of civil defense in the city, confirmed the delay in response.
He stated: “A source of increased radiation levels was discovered….the area was cordoned.”
