The nuclear radiation hoax

Some of you may have received a text message or found out about this on Facebook news feed and Twitter. Whats its all about? read this,

A nuclear power plant exploded in Fukumi. Do not go out if it rains later today and tomorrow. If you are going out, wear a raincoat or use an umbrella because if you get rained on it’s said to be dangerous. There is tendency that your skin will be burned, you will go bald or will get cancer. Please pass.

Or, a variation of the message

Japan govt confirms radiation leak at Fukushima nuclear plants. Asian countries should take necessary precautions. Remain indoors first 24hrs. Close doors n windows. Swab neck skin with betadine where thyroid area is, radiation hits thyroid first. Take extra precaution, radiation may hit Phil at startng 4pm 2day. Pls send to ur loved ones.

Its was originally made to alert the Philippines citizens, but because it was also posted on social network newsfeed; it spread like wildfire to others unrelated. What ever friggin’ kind of mesage you got or read, its a HOAX!

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), had concluded that the news was a mere hoax with no strong proof to support it.

Why is it a hoax again? Here are the reasons:

• The plume from the site of the incident will not pass Philippine territory as of March 14.
• It does not make sense because the location of the explosion is too far, so it does not affect the local rainfall.
• The wind pattern in Japan showed that the Philippines are unlikely to be hit by any radioactive fallout from Fukushima.
• Acid rain is formed when gaseous substances like sulphur and nitrogen mix and react with water in the clouds. Radioactive materials were in metal form so it would not react with water.
• United Nations atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency has declared the radiation levels from the Fukushima nuclear power plant normal.

And one more thing from me, mentioned earlier that you have to swab neck skin with betadine where thyroid area is, radiation hits thyroid first. Well FYI, Betadine is:

• A solution, sold over-the-counter (OTC) for cleaning minor wounds[1] and used in hospitals to prepare a patient’s skin prior to surgery. Solutions are 10% povidone-iodine in water.
• A ‘surgical scrub’, which is a mixture of povidone-iodine and detergent, sold OTC as a skin cleaner and disinfectant hand wash and used for cleansing hands prior to surgery and other aseptic procedures.
• Betadine is used in hospital settings as part of a regimen for PEP. Betadine may be used topically for surficial infections of the human rectum.
• Betadine 0.7% is used for sore throat by rinsing the throat without swallowing it.
• For lacerations in horses (legs, knees, hocks, pasterns), betadine is widely used to prevent infections. It can be used to disinfect thrush in the medial sulcus of the hoof.

Source: wiki

I don’t see anti-radiation properties, but then again, I may miss something big here so feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. Hit the comment section!

And so this is another tale of!~

Cool story source: Main source of story from politics.inquirer.net, others tell the same story, but Ordinario is cool 😀

I end this post with this quote by weather forecaster Raymond Ordinario,

Kung sino man nagpapakalat nito, baka nananakot lang (Whoever is spreading this is probably just scaring people)