Fukushima n-power plant prepares for typhoon Vongfong

Tokyo, Oct 13 (IANS/EFE) The accident-stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant is bracing itself for the arrival of powerful typhoon Vongfong that made landfall in southern Japan Monday and could reach the plant Tuesday, authorities said.

The plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Monday said it had installed gutters on the upper part of the tanks storing contaminated water from the plant and reinforced and increased their height to prevent any overflow of the water due to the expected rainfall.

As a precautionary measure against the most powerful typhoon to hit Japan this year, employees would be patrolling the plant facilities at all times in order to prevent overflows or an increase in the contaminated water that accumulates in the basements, the company said.

Japan's Meteorological Agency Monday said the super typhoon, that is advancing at 35 km per hour, made landfall in the morning in Kyushu and was expected to arrive in Tokyo early Tuesday from where it would head northeast to the Fukushima plant.

Authorities have issued warnings of torrential rains and landslides and have asked citizens to be prepared for strong winds and waves.

So far, a total of 52 people in nine provinces of the country have been injured in accidents caused by strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Vongfong comes barely a week after the Phanfone typhoon ravaged the Japanese archipelago and left nine people dead, three of them in Okinawa, and three missing.

The Fukushima power plant, that was struck by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011, accumulates tonnes of contaminated water in more than 1,000 tanks which is proving to be one of the biggest hurdles in the dismantling of the plant.

--IANS/EFE

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