The transmission of information to the authorities is essential in case of severe nuclear accident

After an accident has occurred the media and the public want information and now with the new information technologies and social networks the public can be informed very quickly and even before the state authorities themselves. The risk is the rise of a strong psychological pressure yielded by the media on the authorities to supply information and the spread of inaccurate or even false information. It is absolutely necessary that the team in charge of the communication to the public could bring as much information as available in the shortest possible time. It is also necessary that the authorities should be informed of the actions made or planned by the plant operator in order to anticipate the public need for information. The feedback experience from the Fukushima accident shows that the collect, the transmission and the selection of information take time and that, even in the best ever situation, an accident will generate confusion and lack of information inevitably. (A.C.)