The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 1

AGE 34 Pages 132nd Year 40c Thursday 1 May 1986 250 Spencer Melbourne, 60 0421 (Classified 604 1 144) THE Chernobyl wofsq yt to M. MWWWWaMMMeBMMMMMMMMMeeeesmMMMMSeeemBM US scientists warn of calamity as fire rages REASON FOR. toMECDttCERH COOLPBE WORSE reasonable not The BEST UNACCEPTABLE RAPlATiOd UNOFFICIAL ICIEdTiFiC REPORT f) i US satellite photographs show Western observers believe HYlffi I explosion could have occurred A at either upper biological level JKJEjW 1 (S-kA shield or in water pipelines. JKlmttam IhVJJO The fire is burning at 4000 jggl Yl I By TIM COLEBATCH WASHINGTON, 30 April. The destroyed Soviet nuclear reactor at Chernobyl is burning out of control, according to American intelligence experts, and the greatest danger to human life could be still to come.

Despite Soviet claims that radiation emissions from the reactor have stabilised US scientists say the evidence suggests it is out of control and could end in an environmental calamity. US intelligence sources say the reactor is burning uncontrollably. The nuclear reactor has melted down; its fuel rods and their surrounding graphite core are both on fire. The Chernobyl plant is laid out on a north-south axis, and it was the southernmost reactor that caught fire. US intelligence sources later reported that a second reactor had experienced, or is experiencing, a malfunction.

intelligence reports on the first reactor which are based on satellite photographs, say the top of the reactor building has been blown off and only "ragged fragments" of its walls are still standing. Intelligence sources estimate that the radiation released into the atmosphere at Chernobyl is already 100,000 times the amount released in the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island, the worst nuclear safety breakdown in US history. Western European countries have called on Moscow to release more information about the nuclear crisis, and West Germany called on the Kremlin to close down all reactors similar to those at Chernobyl. Despite Soviet assurances that the situation is under control, Weste-rn countries were reported to be starting to implement plans to evacuate their nationals from Kiev and Minsk, the two largest cities near Chernobyl. The director of the US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, Mr Kenneth Adelman, said the Chernobyl fire was burning at a Terrified' students plead to leave USSR By JOHN STEVENS LONDON, 30 April.

The British embassy in Moscow is preparing for the immediate evacuation of British students in the fallout area of the Soviet nuclear disaster in Ukraine. About 70 university students at Kiev, 110 kilometres south of the burning Chernobyl plant, and 30 on a British Council course at Minsk, about 300 kilometres north, will return within the next few days, an embassy spokesman said. The students requested their evacuation after a meeting on Tuesday night. Some said they were confused, worried and even terrified about the possible risk of remaining. In Warsaw today, the Polish Government restricted milk sales as a precaution against illness from radioactivity and urged people to pay special attention to hygiene.

Fallout in Poland had not reached dangerous levels, the Government stressed. However, children and pregnant women could be at risk if they drank milk from cows which had eaten contaminated grass, authorities said. Housewives were being told to ensure that green vegetables were scrupulously washed in the preparation of food. In Vienna, higher than normal levels of radioactivity were reported today from parts of Austria, and authorities in the southern Carinthia province advised mothers to keep babies indoors. There was no danger and the measures were precautionary, the authorities said.

In Moscow, British embassy staff said it was difficult to give formal advice to the students requesting evacuation because of the absence of Soviet information about radiation levels. The embassy is asking Soviet officials to waive the usual rule for visiting students requiring them to seek approval for travel 10 days in advance. A special plane may be flown to Kiev. Other foreigners are reported to be leaving Kiev even though Soviet authorities are minimising the danger. One British student, Susan De-benden, said in a television interview with the BBC: "There is a lot of panic because we haven't had any information to confirm we are in any danger.

We are getting a lot of very bad news and rumors." Another student, Sioban Bremner, said: "Many of us are not drinking the water and we are judging the food with a very wary eye." A Scottish teacher at Kiev University, Miss Rhona Branson, told 'The Times': "I don't know whether we should be drinking the water. It is a very eerie feeling. My Soviet students said there are pills to put in it to make it OK, but how am I to know if tuey are right?" Miss Branson, aged 29, said she had heard from local people with contacts in the Energy Ministry that up to 33 people may have died in the accident. Life in the Ukrainian capital, a city of more than two million people, was continuing as normal, she added. Catherine Boras, a language student, said: "We are all terrified.

We don't know what to do. We just want to come home as soon as possible." The Soviet media continue to be silent about health precautions. Worse still could be in store. Mr Adelman warned yesterday that if the core burns down to the level of the adjoining river, there could be "serious, serious problems with The Chernobyl plant, housing four 1000-megawatt nuclear reactors and one of the largest nuclear power plants in the Soviet Union, sits at the junction of the Uzh and Pripyat rivers, 100 kilometres north of Kiev and 725 kilometres south-west of Moscow. The rivers flow together to fill the reservoir for Kiev, a city almost the size of Melbourne.

The reservoir, which extends about 80 kilometres south, empties into the Dnieper River which flows, at least a kilometre wide, through Kiev and winds nearly 1000 kilometres though the Ukraine to the Black Sea. The Dnieper is the main river of a huge area of the Soviet Union and provides water for tens of millions of people. If significant levels of radioactive wastes get into the Kiev reservoir, scientists say, the results are likely to be disastrous for Kiev, its residents, and towns and communities all the way down to the Black Sea. Some of the republic's largest cities, including Cherkassy, Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye, are down river from the accident site. Scientists have also warned of extreme perils if the radioactive fallout gets into the food chain.

The area around Chernobyl is north of the Ukraine's wheat-growing heartland, but is noted for dairying and growing rye. Scientists say the scale of the catastrophe far the worst in the history of nuclear power is partly explained by two vital differences between the Chernobyl reactors and those generally used in the West. At Chernobyl, the fuel rods in which the nuclear reactions take place are enclosed in solid blocks of graphite instead of water. Second, the Chernobyl reactor sits in an ordinary sheet-metal factory building rather than inside a double insulation of thick steel encased in metres4htckcon-crete, as in the West This explains why so little radiation escaped from Three Mile Island, whereas so much escaped from Chernobyl. US senators briefed by the CIA said yesterday they had been told that the 1700-tonne graphite core was "burning much like The nuclear fuel rods within it were also melting, emitting highly radioactive gases.

Senator Malcolm Wallop said the initial explosion created "extraordinarily high levels of radiation, some of which are high enough to cause instantaneous There were believed to be 1000 workers on duty at Chernobyl at the time, as well as 2000 construction workers building two additional units. The main plume of radioactive gases apparently moved northwest across 'White Russia' and the Baltic states before setting off radiation alerts in Scandinavia on Sunday. The fallout levels recorded in Scandinavia were far above normal but still harmless. Scientists say the real dangers are in the vicinity of the plant. Apart from those who have already Hied, many will have already received doses of radiation which will ultimately prove lethal: iff not in the short term, then in thyroid or bone marrow can 4 Steam headers 5 Main circulation pumps 6 Water Reactor 2 Steam to pipelines 7 N-experts speculate on the cause yK I ijwwsmj.

CH1KNOBTI NWC11A1 KIACTOK POPULATION: jT mfmmma feiataMP 2.4 m. 'fcVi. CHERKASSY Espies I POPULATION: V. IfWIlia Appro. 200,000 V- POPULATION: 1.14m 1 Scientists say that if significant XMfOKOXiirtrS) levels of radioactive wastes POPULATION: 844,000 get into the Kiev reservoir.

the results will be disastrous fsu for some of the Ukraine's kakhovka largest cities. beservoi POPULATION: l.l3m SEA Lower biological shield that if there had been an Initial explosion it would have occurred either in the cooling system or at the top of the core immediately below the top biological shield. What could have caused such an explosion Is anybody's guess. INSIDE PAGE 2: Now diary. PAGE 6: Countdown to a disaster; Ring of steel protects Australia.

PAGE 7: Blaze and a blast destroys N-plant. PAGE 11: Radiation, the slow, painful killer. PAGE 13: Editorial, Tanner's view. Lateral biological shield 9 viet authority, B. A.

Semenov, said: "The design feature of having more than IMS individual primary circuits increases the safety of the reactor system a serious loss-of-coolant accident is practically According to this article, the loss of one of ltM cooling circuits would have little effect on operations, which could continue until repairs were possible during a shutdown. So what did happen? James Landis suggested that several tubes could have become plugged, or pumps failed, or blockages In a small part of the core caused overheating and the Soviets did not have instrumentation to detect it From early reports on Tuesday of casualties needing medical treatment, Mr Robotham had speculated that the disaster had started with a chemical or steam explosion. Yesterday he said temperature of about 4000 degrees Celsius. He dismissed Soviet claims that only two people had died as "frankly American sources offered no estimates of the number of casualties. But reports from Moscow quoted Western diplomats as saying an unofficial report from Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, that more than 2000 people had died appeared to be "in the right The report, by UPI, quoted a well-connected Kiev resident as saying that 80 people had been killed when the reactor exploded, and 2000 had died since.

An eastern bloc diplomat said special Soviet army teams trained to deal with nuclear contamination had been sent to Chernobyl. Reports quoting a medical worker said at least 1000 people had been flown to Moscow for treatment, and a Soviet Foreign Ministry official was quoted as saying: "We have a serious medical problem." Some 50,000 people live within a 30-kilometre radius of the plant. Soviet authorities have now evacuated the area completely, but many residents are feared to have received doses of radiation which will prove fatal within days, months, or even years. pinning the proposed shift to continental-based defence of Australia are "unclear and "Before putting the concept into practice, Australia must realise that Indonesia cannot continue to let others aim arms at its back," the paper warns. "Every country has its limit for tolerating unfriendly acts.

If this limit is passed, friendship is no I longer worth keeping. Friendship can not be bought, not even by assistance in any form. Publication of the article ha disturbed Australian foreign a fairs analysts who see it as further evidence of the slide in relation with Jakarta in recent weeks. Reiner leaves Victoria's director-general, Alan Reiher, is to leave transport ministry to take ujj overseas post PAC Murphy's 'detectii The credibility of a man clal to have worked as a "dete for Mr Justice Murphy tacked by the Federal ment Pi The. NSW Chief Magistrate, Mr Briese, has ezpressd regret at the comments made about him by the Premier, Mr Wran PAGE NZ defence ties The Defence Minister, Mr Beazley, has reaffirmed Australia's defence ties with New Zealand.

PAGE 34 Mr the an ming tftive" 3 is at-vern- IGES water pipes 3 Drum Upper biological shield 8 the temperature rising up from 27 degrees Celsius, the temperature at whi ch the water goes into the reactor, until the 241 tonnes of uranium and 17M tonnes of graphite tarts to melt and a small fire begins to burn. The small fire becoi nes a big fire and the temperatun rises to 4Mt degrees and meltdown follows. According to James Landis, senior vice-preside nt of Stone and Webster, a Boston-based engineering firm thajt builds nuclear plants, this is tl le worst kind of accident and anj reactor that has graphite Is sus The Soviets, how ver, thought otherwise. The maisive loss of coolant, which all Western experts agree caused the plant to overheat, was considered impossible in the Soviet Union. In an article on the Soviet nuclear power progra In the June 1183 'Bulletin of th International Atomic Energy i gency, a So Indons or moving through "Actually.

Australia' percep- tion of threats from the north has no firm ground," the paper said. "It has been shaped fed by the dis- appointment caused because the Republic of Indones lia has gained Moluccas, Iri- control of the South an Jaya and East could have served fronts. fimor, which as Australian "From geographi Ic viewpoints actually Australia is a very secure country and the best defence sys- tern for it is friendship with all its neighbors without having preju- dice, especially with Indonesia. PAGE 17: Cabinet decides to wait before taking donesla action en In- low. separator Australia 'aiming arms' Bang sen The closest television has ever come to art.

By DAVID ELIAS In the absence of an official explanation from the Soviet Union, nuclear authorities around the world have been left to speculate on how the meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power station occurred. This speculation has covered accidents ranging from an explosion in the upper parts of the hermetically sealed graphite reactor to a simple blockage causing a malfunction in the water cooling system. What is certain Is that the cooling system ceased to operate. The radiation protection officer at Melbourne University, Mr Ralph Robotham, said: "Once that happened the events were as inevitable as a Greek tragedy." Without the water coolant running through the graphite separators, there is nothing to stop at us, say threatened except via the island chains to the north and north east. During a recent visit to Jakarta, the Defence Minister, Mr Beazley, emphasised to Indonesian leaders that although the Dibb report discussed the scenario of an invasion via the Indonesian archipelago, Australia did not regard Indonesia itself as a threat.

The Indonesian newspaper said Australia was developing a new defence system because it predicted "that in the next 10 years Indonesia will have the capacity to conduct an invasion of It quoted Australian press reports that Australia was developing "the range and striking power to hit enemy forces originating in Phillips angry Wayne Phillips criticises the Australian selectors after being left out of the squad to tour India. PAGE 34 Joseph quits North Melbourne general manager Ron Joseph has resigned. PAGE 34 A Massachusetts school board has dumped books by Mark Twain, John Steinbeck and Charles Dickens fivm the syllabus because they are too boring. cers that will come to light years later) Continued: PAGE 7 The paper is regarded as the mouthpiece of the Indonesian mil-fitary establishment, headed by General Benny Murdani. General Murdani has been one of the strongest critics of Australia in the row sparked by press allegations of corruption in the Suharto regime.

The depiction of Australia as a potential military aggressor suggests the failure of Australian officials to explain to Indonesia the rationale behind the defence review. The review, headed by defence analyst Mr Paul Dlbb, has proposed a big restructuring of continental-based defences to recognise the historical reality that the country has never been City anarchy A United Nations body warns that rapid growth in Asia and the Pacific is spawning megacities which face anarchy. PAGE IS Aquino's plea Mrs Aquino has asked the Asian Development Bank to help her government overcome poverty in the Philippines. PAGE 3 Stocks up Stocks rose 1.4 points yesterday. The Australian dollar is worth 73.8 US cents.

PAGE 25 By MARK BAKER, diplomatic correspondent Indonesia's official military newspaper has accused Australia of building its armed forces to strike back at an from Indonesia. The paper, 'Angkatan Bersen-jaia', claims Australia's defence review is designed "to aim their arms" at Indonesia's back. If also claims that Australia perceives threats from the north because of its disappointment at -Indonesia winning control of East Timor, Irian Jaya and the South -Moluccas "which could have 'served as Australian The long article, published on Monday, says the scenarios under- iHL-iMa I Royal Commission The Royal Commission headed by Mr Justice Stewart is expected to cpnfirm the authenticity of the NSW police tapes. PAGE 3 Obscene calls K. housewife has used the Free? Uoin of Information Act to discov- er the name of a person suspected of 1 making obscene telephone qjis.

PAGES Oyer resigns chairman of the ABC, Mr Ken resigned yesterday after -three years In the Jcb. PAGE 3 1fM I Amusement 29-29 Arte 14 Business Age 25-29 Comics, Crosemra 19 Editorial 19 Lew List 24 Letters 12 Umreee Kxmm 9ms the 19 Ci Me faifrr 99 reisnnef nrtfrrr 90 TtieAme'mteteteteteleee PA992 I I'M I CITY: Morning driz ile clearing to fine. Expected top 15 (yesterday 15.3). TOMORROW: Fine. Bang St Olufsen's stereo television is the state of the art It has the world's best picture, the world's finest sound and is undoubtedly the world's most beautiful.

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