Radioactivity Detected Off Northwestern Coast

Small amounts of radioactivity from the Chernobyl nuclear accident have been detected by aircraft off the Pacific Northwest coast, an inter-agency task force said today, and patches of activity are now moving across the continent at high altitudes.

The initial detections were made on samples taken over the weekend, the special task force monitoring the accident said.

Officials at the task force said they “continue to believe there will be no public health risk” in the United States.

“Wind speeds at jet stream levels (about 30,000 feet) have been moving rapidly west to east across the Pacific Ocean and the United States at speeds of over 100 m.p.h.,” the agency said. “Therefore, patches of activity are now moving across North America.”

No radioactivity has been detected at ground level yet. EPA Administrator Lee Thomas told reporters his agency has increased its frequency of analyzing all rain samples to daily testing, and health officials will analyze milk samples twice a week.

Situation Seems ‘Stable’

“The most likely source of early detection near the ground will be in rainwater, particularly from thunderstorms reaching altitudes of 20,000 to 30,000 feet or more,” the task force said.

The task force statement advised potential travelers to the Soviet Union and Europe to “carefully monitor press reports.”

“The situation at the (Chernobyl) plant appears to remain stable with damage at reactor 4 only,” the task force said.

The statement said the U.S. government is pleased that the Soviets are receiving a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency and “hopes that this indicates that the Soviets are now willing to make available the important information the world community requires to safeguard international health and safety.”

Hans Blix, director of the IAEA, arrived in Moscow today but would not say whether he plans to visit the Chernobyl plant.

Foreign Experts Allowed

“I am confident that we will discuss questions related to information” and measures being taken to alleviate the consequences of the accident, Blix said.

Blix, a Swede, was accompanied by agency officials Leonid Konstantinov, a Soviet, and Morris Rosen, an American.

In Hanover, West Germany, a high-ranking Soviet official said today that Kremlin officials will allow foreign experts to inspect the damaged plant.

Boris Yeltsin, Communist Party chief for Moscow, said the Soviet Union “will allow experts to inspect the site of the accident as soon as the radioactivity has decreased to a point where this is possible.”

Tass issued a government statement Sunday thanking nations, individuals and businesses for offering assistance and condolences to the Soviet Union since the accident. The statement singled out Blix and Dr. Robert Gale, a bone-marrow specialist who arrived Friday to help treat accident victims.

Gale begins surgeries, Page 6.