Pravda is reporting that massive landslides in Kyrgyzstan threaten to contaminate major areas of the country, including vital rivers and watersheds.
Russian EMERCOM is attempting to coordinate aid, but there is a significant risk that not only Kyrgyzstan but much of Central Asia could be affected
by extensive radiological contamination.
english.pravda.ru
A possible nuclear ecological disaster in the republic may cause immense damage to the whole Central Asia
Kyrgyzstan, which has been recently shocked with a national revolution, is currently dealing with a danger of a serious ecological disaster. A massive
landslide has recently occurred near the town of Mailu-Suu, in the area, where spent nuclear fuel depositories are situated. Huge layers of soil
blocked a mountainous river, which made the water in the river flow on the territory of the factory. According to experts' estimates, the volume of
the landslide made up 300,000 cubic meters. Specialists of the republic's EMERCOM do not approach the disastrous area over the threat of another
possible landslide.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
Isolation and safe processing of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste have tended to be neglected due to political and economic instability in
the region.
Rains and flooding in areas where radioactive materials have been stored are threatening to breach the aging and neglected facilities, resulting in
the release of dangerous nuclear materials into the environment.
While aid efforts are underway, there is a very real possibility that what may seem to be a local problem could become a major disaster for the entire
region.
Background information on
Kyrgyzstan and
radioactive waste.
[edit on 4/15/2005 by Majic]
[edit on 4/15/2005 by Majic]
[edit on 4/15/2005 by Majic]
me 
