Damages to DNA

In the event of a nuclear disaster, radioactive materials are released to the atmosphere, the surrounding ground and nearby water systems (rivers and ocean).

The last two nuclear disasters should teach us some good lessons. The Chernobyl, Ukraine in the USSR catastrophic nuclear accident occurred on 26 April 1986. The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear meltdown occurred on 11 March 2011, following earthquake and tsunami.

What lessons have we learnt?

1. Radioactive wastes and emissions can go anywhere, and appear anywhere, even in our foods - leafy vegetables such as spinach, and milk
2. In the event of a nuclear disaster, it is expected to find high levels of radioactive materials in the atmosphere
3. The rain will wash down air-borne radioactive materials onto land, rivers and the sea
4. There are reports of radiation contaminating food sources from Japan 
5. China has reported radiation in her domestically grown vegetables
6. There are no reports of human deformities or increased in congenital malformations from Japan or China
7. Plant DNA is more susceptible to damage compared to human DNA; we expect to see more damages to plants and the foods which farmers grow
8. Scientists have predicted a rise in thyroid problems and cancers but they are no reports yet
9. Water systems remain contaminated for quite some time following a nuclear disaster. Turnover for a water system or body of water depends on how it is fed and how adequately it is drained
10. Ocean currents will carry radioactive materials in the sea, a long distance from the nuclear disaster site
11. Many countries have reported a rise in detected radioactivity of their seawater, indicating contaminated seawater
12. Which way radioactive materials in the sea travel depends on currents, how planet Earth turns, the seasons and tides
13. If we don't monitor the seawater near us, we won't know whether our seawater around us is contaminated or not
14. There are limits set for background radioactivity for seawater and foodstuff
15. Detecting increasing amounts of radioactivity in seawater means contamination by a far away or nearby source

External links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=126469
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/japan-finds-more-foods-tainted-by-radioactive-material
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-24/threat-to-japanese-food-chain-multiplies-as-cesium-contamination-spreads.html
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7342301.html