Tokyo — Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco) said on Thursday it faces another US lawsuit over the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, with the latest one demanding at least $5bn in compensation. A total of 157 US residents who were supporting Fukushima victims at the time filed the class action suit in a California district court earlier this month against the utility and a US company. A massive tsunami triggered by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake smashed into Tepco’s Fukushima Daiichi power plant on Japan’s northeast coast on March 11 2011. The giant waves overwhelmed reactor cooling systems and sent three into meltdown, spewing radiation over a wide area in the world’s most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986. The plaintiffs, who joined aid efforts along with US troops shortly after the disaster, claim they were exposed to radiation because of the improper design, construction and maintenance of the plant. They were seeking $5bn to cover the cost of medical tests an...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.