More evacuees return to homes near nuclear plant
Monday, March 28, 2011 10:40 +0900 (JST)
An increasing number of residents have reportedly returned to their homes in suburban areas surrounding the troubled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Residents living between a 20 and 30 kilometer radius of the plant are under instructions to stay indoors to avoid possible radioactive contamination.
Last week, the central government advised residents to voluntarily leave the areas. It said that providing basic necessities was difficult and living in those areas had become hard.
It also ordered local municipalities to be prepared to evacuate residents soon should an evacuation instruction be issued.
But the Fukushima Prefectural government says many residents who had evacuated to shelters in other areas, appear to be returning their homes.
They include elderly residents who are suffering from exhaustion and others who are concerned about their homes.
The prefectural government will ask the central government to boost the delivery of necessities and the dispatch of medical staff to the areas.