Ukraine war: Moldova ships in one million iodine pills amid fears of nuclear disaster

euronews.com:

Moldova has imported one million iodine pills as fighting rages around a nuclear power station in neighbouring Ukraine.

But the country -- with a population of 2.5 million people -- insists locals should not panic.

Shelling has intensified near Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - the largest of its kind in Europe - with the UN warning fighting could "lead to disaster".

Now Moldova, which borders Ukraine and is 480km from the power station, has shipped in iodine pills donated by Romania, to be taken in case of a nuclear emergency. 

The tablets can prevent radioactive elements from building up in the body. 

They work to stop radioactive iodine from being absorbed into people's thyroid glands, which can develop cancer if infected by radiation. 

But Moldova's government says it has seen no increase in radiation levels and said people must wait for official instruction before taking the pills, which are being stored at local medical facilities.

However, in the event of a nuclear disaster, iodine pills will be first issued to people unable to evacuate or take shelter such as emergency workers, Moldova's National Agency for Public Health said.

Moldovan authorities advise citizens to take cover in cellars or basements, or evacuate the area, in the event of a nuclear emergency. 

On 10 August, Moldova's environment agency published radiation levels that it said were below the country's "warning limit" of 0.25 microsieverts (μSv) per hour. 

It published figures of 0.10 μSv/hour and 0.17 μSv per hour recorded at two power stations in Moldova.

In a public statement, the environment agency said: "Following the appearance of some press materials concerning the tense situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, for the correct