VIENNA (Kyodo) Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday that levels of radioactive iodine-131 measured in the village of Iitate, about 40 km from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, have dropped below levels requiring an evacuation order.
In a briefing, the experts explained that based on analyses of several dosimeters, iodine-131 levels in Iitate fell to an average of 7 mega-becquerels per sq. meter in 15 soil samples taken between March 19 and 29.
"This value is lower than what was reported Wednesday," said Gerhard Proehl, an IAEA radiation expert, adding that iodine-131 decays by 8 to 9 percent a day.