11 Mar 11, a 9.0 earthquake struck Japan, triggering a monster tsunami. Among the damages caused by the twin disasters were Japan's nuclear rector plant. With their cooling system damaged and the back up generators swept away, several of the reactor overheated. Subsequent attempts to cool the reactors induced hydrogen explosions which blew off the roof of one of the plant near Fukushima. At the time of this writing, radioactive steam has been released into the environment and the crisis has yet to be resolved. The radioactive materials spewed into the air may contaminate food and water resources. As a parent, I am most concerned as children and unborn babies are most at risk of possibly developing various kinds of cancer such as thyroid cancer, bone cancer and leukaemia. Children and foetuses are especially vulnerable.
The radioactive material is held in air by minute moisture droplets. It can be directly inhaled or get into the body through food and water. Radioactive material will be washed down by rain into the sea and onto soil, and eventually contaminate crops, marine life and drinking water. Children are especially vulnerable because of cow's milk. Grazing cows will pick up radioactive material that lands over a wide area of pasture. These radioactive particles very easily are concentrated and pass into the milk.
