After a tsunami and earthquake hit the Daiichi nuclear power plant in the Fukushima Prefecture on the 11th March 2011, causing catastrophic damage and leading to the meltdown of three of the plants six reactors, few studies have actually looked into the effects on local flora and fauna of the massive levels of radiation emitted in the area.
In February 2013, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that “a breakdown of data, based on age, gender and proximity to the nuclear plant, does show a higher cancer risk for those located in the most contaminated parts.”
And other species living in the region fair no better.
In June, CBC reported that high levels of radiation had been discovered in the groundwater, as much as 30 times over the standard deemed safe by the government, and an article on iScience Times described a study that found that 12% of moths in the area were suffering from serious mutations.
And an article on Grist has actually displayed some photos taken by local Japanese residents near to Fukushima to show the state of the mutated crops that have grown since the disaster. It appears that the agricultural sector has taken a severe hit due from the radiation, with some fruits and vegetables appearing twisted and bloated. It is unknown what affect eating any of the produce would have on the body.
Here is a small selection of the photos, with many moreavailable here.
By. James Burgess of Oilprice.com
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