Underwater robot gave first images of the molten nuclear reactor inside the affected Japanese nuclear power plant “Fukushima”.
The photos show a large number of hardened lava, and in it the remains of the reactor unit. The power plant was badly damaged by a tsunami in 2011, causing the most serious nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
More than 200,000 people were forced to leave their homes for fear of radioactive contamination. Part of the damaged reactors are still highly contaminated with radiation, and robots play a crucial role in cleaning them up.
Tokyo electric power company (Tepco) stated that images are the first photos since the disaster in 2011.
“There is a high probability that the hardened objects are a mixture of molten metal and fuel,” — said in a statement.
The location of the radioactive fuel in each of the damaged reactors is an important part of the cleaning process station, which is expected to take decades. Photographs were taken using a small, remotely operated underwater robot nicknamed “Little sunfish”.
The disaster killed and missing more than 18,500 people. Currently against three former executives of the company TEPCO conducted a forensic investigation on charges of negligence.
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