TOKYO, March 15, 2011 (AFP) - A higher than normal level of radiation was detected in Japan's capital Tokyo on Tuesday, but a city government official said it was not considered at a level harmful to human health.
"We monitored a higher than normal amount of radiation in the morning in Tokyo. But we don't consider it to be at a level where the human body is affected," said Sairi Koga, an official of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The central government warned Tuesday that radiation levels near a quake-stricken nuclear plant are now harmful to human health, following two explosions and a fire earlier in the day.
The plant is 250 kilometres (155 miles) northeast of Tokyo.
Another city official said 0.809 of a micro-sievert was measured between 10 am (0100 GMT) and 11 am in Tokyo. Jiji Press said this figure was 20 times higher than on Monday.
A chest X-ray typically involves a dose of 20 micro-sieverts.
