Jakarta: Authorities have begun evacuating residents near Indonesia’s Jakarta industrial zone after detecting high levels of Cesium-137, a synthetic radioactive isotope.
According to Qatar News Agency, radiation task force spokesperson Bara Hasibuan stated that cleanup operations have been completed at 20 of the 22 affected sites. The contamination issue was initially traced back in August to a shipment of shrimp that was headed to the United States, which led to the implementation of stricter import regulations.
Cesium-137 is known for its association with nuclear incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima. It is also utilized in industrial applications, including oil drilling.