Abstract
Resettlement Program of Rongelap Island in Rongelap Atoll of Marshall Islands has been started since July 1998. Radiological investigation and its information will be urgently important for the people of Rongelap. The Rongelap Atoll was severely contaminated by radiological fallout due to the USA nuclear test of 15Mt March 1 1954. The 64 persons, who were evacuated by plane and boat from the island March 3, got 1.9 Gy for whole body. The Atomic Energy Committee of USA approved the return of the people of Rongelap to their atoll in February 1957. Two hundred and fifty people were returned to Rongelap Island on 29 June of the year. However in May 1985 they were reevacuated by their own will as a result of their fear of the radioactive contamination of Rongelap described in the 1982 DOE report of the northern Marshall Islands radiological survey. Rongelap Island were investigated on July 6-12 1999. Portable whole-body counting of Cs-137 was also carried out for workers. The present investigation finds that remarkable risk dose not exist in Rongelap Island from the radiation protection point of view. [J Radiat Res 44:378 (2003)]
