In early 2008, when a smallearthquake rocked the U.K. town of Grimsby, Van Poppel's minions in the English countryside were jolted into action, pinging instant accounts.
Even under this worst case, though, the direct health consequences of the nuclear accident would be very small compared with the thousands already killed by the earthquake and tsunami, let alone the continued suffering of the survivors.
"If you have a small ripple in density, it would be hard to conclude beyond any reasonable doubt that this was due to the earthquake, " explained Dr Floberghagen.