Massive series of text messages and emails with false information about radiation in Vietnam have been diffused in Vietnam, causing worry among people. Nuclear experts have swiftly rejected the rumor.

Many people have received messages via Yahoo Messengers or emails from a person who named himself as the nephew of Prof. Pham Duy Hien, Vice chief of the Institute for Atomic Energy Research.

The message includes the following paragraph: “Radioactive clouds from Japan have come to Vietnam with very high pollution level, that nearly reach the dangerous level to health. The government has not announced the information because it is too afraid of alarming the people. The institute (Institute for Atomic Energy Research) needs to do some more tests”.

Another who named himself as Prof. Hien offered some technical advices to avoid radiation, for example staying at home, having bath with warm salty water, sending warnings to relatives and friends.

Prof. Hien rejected the rumors and said that someone assumed his name.

“There are false information on the Internet about the come of radioactive clouds to Vietnam. Actually, radiation has been diluted when it comes to Vietnam. It doesn’t affect health. People should not be worried,” the expert emphasized.

Dr. Vuong Huu Tan, Director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, confirmed that the rumors are false.

“According to observing stations in Vietnam, radiation in Vietnam is tens of thousands of times lower than Vietnam’s standard and it doesn’t harm human health,” Dr. Tan stressed.

The Ministry of Science and Technology said that as of April 4 evening, Vietnam’s observing stations have detected the third radioactive isotope – Cs-134 – in Vietnam, but with very small content, thousand times less than Vietnam’s standard.

The Ministry also said that radioactive clouds have widely spread in the atmosphere and they have made a circle around the globe.

In related news, Vietnam has to date found no radiation contamination in cooking imported from Japan, according to the Ministry of Health’s Food Safety and Hygiene Department.

The Department said it will continue to keep an eye on the nuclear battle in Japan as well as constantly update information on the situation for promptly and effectively dealing with any radiation contamination of food and inform consumers immediately.

After a nuclear crisis occurred in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami, Vietnam stepped up radiation testing on food and foodstuff imported from Japan and required these products to be certified for radioactive safety by the Japanese authorities.

The Ministry of Health has cooperated closely with the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Foreign Ministry in monitoring radiation safety for food from Japan.

PV