22 Oct 2013

Fukushima clean-up delayed until 2017

4:45 pm on 22 October 2013

Japanese officials say plans to decontaminate six towns and villages close to the Fukushima nuclear plant will have to be delayed by up to three more years.

The clean-up of the exclusion zone around the crippled plant was initially due to be completed by next March.

More than 90,000 people remain unable to return home.

Fukushima has been hit by a series of toxic water leaks in recent months. The latest contamination was reported on Sunday after unexpectedly heavy rain, the BBC reports.

On Monday Japan's environment ministry acknowledged the decontamination of towns around the plant is proving much more complicated than originally thought.

Tens of thousands of workers are engaged in the massive clean-up effort, removing millions of tonnes of topsoil and vegetation. But in the most highly contaminated areas work is yet to begin.

The Japanese government predicts residents will be able to return home by 2017 but the BBC reports many have already decided they will never go back.