QUẢNG NGÃI — A rehearsal on responding to a nuclear radiation incident was held on Thursday at Dung Quất PTSC Port in the central province of Quảng Ngãi’s Bình Sơn District.

Organised by the provincial Committee for Response to Nuclear and Radiation Incidents, the rehearsal put forward a simulated situation: at 7am, the port’s Customs officers were examining a package from an imported shipment when they discovered a strange cylindrical yellow object.

In the simulation, customs officers noticed that the object carried a symbol of three black propellers, similar to the radioactive warning sign. Immediately, the customs officers asked those involved in the inspection process to keep a safe distance. At the same time, they took pictures of the object and reported it to customs leaders to notify the Quảng Ngãi Province Department of Science and Technology.

Next, the Department collects data on the strange object, suspected to be radioactive, and takes further steps to ensure the safety of people nearby. Using a specialised instrument, technicians stand at a distance of 10 metres and detect elevated levels of radiation, triggering a level two alert of the provincial response method.

The next step is for department leaders to report the situation to Quảng Ngãi Province People’s Committee, ask for the launch of a provincial-level response plan, inform local authorities and deploy human forces.

Simulated test results indicate that the mysterious object contains radioactive isotopes that have contaminated the surrounding area. The radioactive substance is in the form of an orange powder that have been scattered around.

The Committee for Response to Nuclear and Radiation Incidents officers then use safe means to collect the radioactive material and take it into secure storage.

The rehearsal was considered quick, fast and accurate, with special attention paid to radiation safety for the incident response forces as well as people living in the area. — VNS