Japan: Debris causing high radiation?

Concrete pumps head to nuclear plantSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Radiation levels at unit 4 "most probably" came from debris, a Japanese official said NEW: The March tsunami will set a new standard for Japaneses nuclear plantsSamples show high radiation levels in unit 4's spent fuel poolAnother vegetable ban lifted Tokyo (CNN) -- Japanese regulators discounted concerns about damage to the still-potent spent fuel from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant's No. 4 reactor Thursday, saying high radiation levels reported earlier this week "most probably" came from outside debris. A high reading above the pool prompted the plant's owner, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, to take a sample from the spent fuel pool on Tuesday. But the radiation levels are far lower than they would be if there were damage to the fuel rods, said Hidehiko Nishiyama, the chief spokesman for Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Commission. "We need more analysis to identify the precise status of the spent fuel in unit 4," he said. Nishiyama told reporters Thursday evening that the fuel rods have not suffered "any particular damage." Officials are still looking at the readings from that water sample before reaching a final conclusion, but said the radiation reading was "most probably due to debris" blown into the badly damaged housing around the No. 4 reactor.

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