Jun 15, 2010- AFP
HONG KONG - A NUCLEAR plant in China's southern Guangdong province has
recorded a small leak, the Hong Kong government said on Tuesday, after
the incident was exposed by a US-based radio station.
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The incident was revealed after Washington-based
Radio Free Asia quoted a 'Hong Kong expert source' as saying that
the plant's unit experienced an abnormal situation on May 23. The report
also said a large amount of radioactive iodine was released into the air.
It said the plant's management had kept the incident secret and only later
reported it to authorities in Beijing.
CLP disputed the report and said the leak was so minor it did not fall within an international nuclear rating or warrant immediate notification. But it added that it had reported the incident to state nuclear safety authorities. The Hong Kong Observatory said its radiation monitoring stations had detected no abnormality since May 23. Albert Lai, vice chairman of the Civic Party, a Hong Kong pro-democracy group, urged the government and CLP to explain why the public was not informed until the incident was exposed by the media. 'We wonder if the officials and relevant bodies had been notified. We will meet with the government today to demand an explanation for the public,' Mr Lai said. |