'No immediate threat on Japan's radiation"
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRC) provincial action officer Galo Ibardolasa allayed fears of radiation threat by a damaged nuclear reactor in disaster-hit Japan, the world's third-largest economy.
The 'hoax' text messages circulating across the country warned the public of the possible effects of nuclear leak and radioactive waste in Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) operated Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
One of the text messages allegedly from BBC News read: Japan government confirms radiation leak at Fukushima nuclear plant. Asian countries should take precautionary measures. Remain indoors first 24 hours. Close doors and windows.

"Swab neck skin with betadine where thyroid area is, the radiation hits thyroid first. Radiation may hit the Philippines starting 4pm today (March 14). Please send to your loved ones," the text scare stated.
Ibardolasa, in radio interview, said "as of now, the Philippines is safe from radiation leak since the explosion of the Japan's nuclear plant. The wind direction and water current are not moving towards the Philippines from Japan."

After an explosion at the Fukushima nuclear plant's No. 1 reactor, the Japanese government declared an atomic emergency and evacuated thousands of people living within the 20 kilometer radius zone of the facility, 240 km north of Tokyo.

Australia's nuclear safety agency, ARPANSA, said there was no immediate risk outside a 20-kilometre exclusion zone around the plants. United Nations atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency also declared the radiation levels normal.

Last Friday, Japan faced its worst crisis after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, nearly 8,000 times stronger than last month's New Zealand quake, devastated the northeast regions of the country. Hundreds of people were also killed and missing and a huge number of houses, cars and buildings were swept away by a 10-meter tsunami followed by more than 150 aftershocks.