J & J Ranch, Stone Mtn, GA

Japan Times, Oct 15, 2014: Radioactivity spikes in No. 1 reactor well water — [Tepco] said there has been a sharp spike in the radioactivity of water samples taken from an observation well built by the sea… located to the east of the damaged No. 2 reactor… The well is positioned close to an underground trench by the sea that is connected to the No. 2 reactor building. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Tepco official Isao Shirai told reporters that the increased radioactivity in the water could be due to higher levels of groundwater caused by recent typhoons mixing with radioactive elements…

NHK WORLD, Oct. 15, 2014: Cesium in groundwater rises at plant after storm — [Tepco] says it has detected high levels of radioactive cesium in groundwater after last week’s heavy rainfall from a typhoon. Highly contaminated water… seeped into soil [and] likely caused radioactive substances in the soil to flow into the groundwater… The officials plan to increase the frequency of water sample tests… to every day to monitor the effects of the heavy rainfall. But they say it will be difficult to take drastic steps because they do not know how far the contaminated water seeped into the ground after the accident.

Yahoo News, Oct. 15, 2014: Radiation increases in Fukushima aquifers after typhoon — The level of radioactive contamination detected in the underground water of the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant has increased after torrential rain [TEPCO] said Wednesday… Rainwater seeped into the sub-soil and mixed with the contaminated fluid coming from the damaged reactors… Plant managers are expected to take samples of groundwater in the area more often to analyse the evolution of the radiation, according to TEPCO. For the moment, additional measures have been ruled out since the depth and scope of the contaminated water leaks are unknown… Large amounts of contaminated water, much of which flows into the Pacific Ocean, are one of the major challenges that are still unresolved in the nuclear power plant…

New test results are available for samples taken Wednesday, one day after Typhoon Vongfong passed over the plant (pdf). Record-high levels of radioactive cesium continue to increase.

See Monday’s results here: Agency: Fukushima workers urgently trying “to prevent groundwater from leaking into ocean” — Levels of nuclear waste surge next to sea — Strontium-90 shatters previous record by over 5 Billion Bq/m3 — Now 25 million times EPA limit Bq/m3 — Now 25 million times EPA limit