If the containment systems fail, a catastrophic radioactivity release to the environment could occur.

如果控制系统出现故障从而导致辐射释放到环境中，一场灾难将可能发生。

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Since the storage pools are not located within containment, a catastrophic radioactivity release to the environment could occur.

既然贮存池不再正常工作，一场释放到环境中的放射性灾难就可能发生。

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Given the large quantity of irradiated nuclear fuel in the pool, the radioactivity release could be worse than the Chernobyl nuclear reactor catastrophe of 25 years ago.

由于池中有大量的辐照核燃料，放射性释放可能比25年前的切尔诺贝利核反应堆灾难更糟。

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The resulting release of radioactivity forced residents of several towns near the plant to flee their homes, and a 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) zone around the plant remains closed to the public.

CNN: Obama affirms strong economic, security ties with Japan

The six-reactor Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was badly damaged after the 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami knocked out cooling systems to reactors, leading to meltdowns and the release of radioactivity.

BBC: Japan panel: Fukushima nuclear disaster 'man-made'