MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--Summer fun is back for some of the children of Fukushima Prefecture struggling for a return to normalcy after the 2011 nuclear disaster: They now have a new play fountain.
MINAMI-SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--Summer fun is back for some of the children of Fukushima Prefecture struggling for a return to normalcy after the 2011 nuclear disaster: They now have a new play fountain.
The new water attraction made a big splash with the children of Minami-Soma on July 20, the first day of summer vacation. It was built in a decontaminated park so children could play without the fear of radiation exposure.
The fountain was built by a local civics group that goes by the name Minna Kyowakoku (Everybody’s republic). The artificial pond measures 17 meters in diameter and is about 15 centimeters deep.
Minna Kyowakoku, which started a fund-raising campaign for the project in May, received donations totaling about 12 million yen ($120,000) through the Internet and other venues from more than 500 individuals and organizations across the nation.
Until it was cleared last year, the south of the city used to lie within the 20-kilometer no-entry zone following the accident in March 2011 at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.