"It is returning closer to the normal level."Tokyo (ANTARA News/AFP) - The level of radiation in Tokyo fell Tuesday afternoon after rising above normal levels in the morning due to radiation emmitted from a quake-hit nuclear power plant, metropolitan officials said.
Tokyo officials said they detected 0.809 of a micro-sievert between 10:00 am (0100 GMT) and 11:00 am in the capital, some 250 kilometres (155 miles) southwest of the troubled Fukushima plant on the Pacific coast.
The normal level is about 0.035-0.036 micro-sieverts. A chest X-ray typically involves a dose of 20 micro-sieverts.
"We monitored a higher than normal amount of radiation in the morning in Tokyo. But we don`t consider it to be at a level where the human body is affected," said Sairi Koga, an official of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The level fell to an average 0.075 micro-sieverts four hours later, he said.
"It is returning closer to the normal level. But we need to keep a close watch on it," health and welfare official Keiichi Nakaya said.
The central government warned Tuesday that radiation levels near the quake-stricken nuclear plant were now harmful to human health, following two explosions and a fire earlier in the day.
(Uu.G003/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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