California doesn't face fall-out from crippled Japanese reactors

The situation is getting worse at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, where an explosion Monday (Japan time) took the roof off a reactor building. Japanese officials confirm that there's a possibility that two reactors will experience full meltdowns. And some radiation already has been released into the atmosphere. The US Navy has repositioned the San Diego-based carrier Ronald Reagan and other ships that are off Honshu, Japan, helping with the relief effort stemming from Friday's devastating 8.9 earthquake.

But the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says that the crippled reactors don't pose a radiation threat to California and the rest of the West Coast.

"All the available information indicates weather conditions have taken the small releases from the Fukushima reactors out to sea away from the population," NRC said in a statement. "Given the thousands of miles between the two countries, Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S.

Territories and the U.S. West Coast are not expected to experience any harmful levels of

radioactivity.
"During a nuclear event the NRC has requirements to protect populations around reactors.

For instance, the U.S. evacuation standard at 10 miles is roughly equivalent to the 20 kilometer distance recommended in Japan. The United States also uses sheltering in place and potassium iodide, protective measures also available in Japan. United States citizens in Japan are encouraged to follow the protective measures recommended by the Japanese government. These measures appear to be consistent with steps the United States would take.
"The NRC will not comment on hour-to-hour developments at the Japanese reactors. This

is an ongoing crisis for the Japanese who have primary responsibility."

Navy repositions carrier Reagan after 'low level' of radiation detected on air crew members.

Story by Gary Robbins San Diego Union Tribune.