Fukushima leaking 300 tons of radioactive water into pacific daily

Radiation-contaminated water has been pouring into the Pacific Ocean from the disabled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant for the past two years, an industry ministry official said on Wednesday. A Japanese government official said an estimated 300 tons of contaminated water is leaking into the Pacific Ocean per day from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant. Japanese authorities are working in crisis mode, attempting to assure the public both at home and abroad that the situation will not further escalate into a widespread environmental catastrophe, RT reported. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday promised to increase government efforts to stem the leakage of radioactive water. Abe put the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in charge of the situation, while demanding that the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) take the necessary steps to deal with the cleanup, which is anticipated to take more than 40 years at a cost of $11bln. The ministry official said the government plans to reduce the leakage amount to 60 tons per day by as early as December, but given the Japanese government’s progress in the cleanup to date that goal may be difficult to achieve. The nuclear plant was severely damaged in an earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011. About 90,000 people within a 20km radius of the plant were forced to evacuate their homes due to the possibility of a full-scale nuclear meltdown.