Thousands of Animals Left to Die Around Fukushima
When the roughly 80,000 people were cleared from a 20 kilometer exclusion zone around the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan, they were forced to leave behind their animals.
The area is off-limits to all but the specialized rescue teams since the reactors broke down after the devastating earthquakes and tsunami of March 11.
At least two dogs and a cat can be seen on webcams, roaming around the radioactive remains of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. But thousands more are left behind in the surrounding areas.
For the first few weeks animal rescue groups were allowed to go into the evacuation zones at their own risk and feed the animals, but since April 22nd a strict “Do Not Enter” policy was enacted. Although some animal rescue groups are attempting to enter the exclusion zones, nuclear emergency laws prohibit them from doing so. Japanese authorities noted that at this point there is nothing they can do for the animals.
The stranded animals are on their own and as some of them are tied down or locked inside, thus unable to reach water or food sources, the future is not looking bright for them.
(via darth)
