Russia declares ‘state of emergency’ after radiation leak with potentially lethal contamination detected in Khabarovsk
A RUSSIAN city declared a state of emergency today after a mystery radiation leak.
High radiation levels were found near a pylon just 1.5 miles away from residential buildings in Khabarovsk, according to reports.
Authorities have not revealed the cause behind the leak - but said it has been "removed and placed in a protective container" and taken to a radioactive waste storage facility.
And a state of emergency will remain in place for at least three more days - as law enforcement agencies probe the leak.
It appears to have taken a week for authorities in the city to act on the leak after a youngster is said to have reported a high radiation reading on March 28.
Footage emerged showing a man wearing a nuclear protective mask and holding a radiation reader that quickly rose as he walked over what was described as a “waste dump”.
The reader sounded an alarm at 0.45 microsieverts - the unit that measures radiation - and the highest reading on the screen was 5.99.
But the man was heard saying there was a reading of 20 - enough to potentially increase cancer risk, damage DNA, damage foetuses and threaten the health of children.
On Friday, authorities cordoned off the area - but the source of the potentially lethal radiation leak is still not known.
Andrey Kolchin, the head of civil defence in the city, said: "A source of increased radiation levels was discovered… the area was cordoned.
"It was decided to introduce a state of emergency in Khabarovsk to carry out work faster."
No one has been injured or exposed to radiation - and "there is no threat to the health of citizens", Russia's consumer safety watchdog reportedly said.
A source at Radon nuclear agency said: "The radiation source was removed and placed in a protective container, transported to a radioactive waste storage facility.
"There is no environmental pollution and no threat to society."