From Preparedness to Resilience: The IAEA’s Role in Responding to Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies

The center is staffed by 29 permanent experts, with more than 200 staff on standby in the event of a serious nuclear or radiological emergency, regardless of the cause.

The center remains operational 24/7, ready to go into fully operational mode if a report is received that meets established criteria, such as declaring an emergency at a nuclear power plant.

The center is ready to respond and inform Member States and the public in any scenario that may be relevant to nuclear safety and security. For example, on January 1st of this year, at 07:10 UTC, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. Just over an hour later, the IAEA Emergency Response Manager received a message via from the Agency’s Unified Incident and Emergency Information Exchange (USIE) System: six of Japan’s nuclear power plants had been potentially affected. Fortunately, no abnormalities were reported; Detailed inspections were carried out by Japan to ensure that no plant functions had been compromised or damaged. At noon that day, an update was received from Japan that all of the country’s nuclear power plants were operating normally. This message was published on USIE and countries received the information within seconds. The IAEA also promptly released an update via social media, assuring the public that it was in contact with Japanese authorities, that there was no cause for concern, and that monitoring would continue.

This immediate notification, proactive disclosure of information, and ongoing communication with national authorities — even in the absence of public safety impacts, as in the example above — exemplify best practices in disaster risk reduction. These lessons have been honed through responses to past emergencies, such as the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

“More than 1,500 users from 173 Member States and 21 international organizations now rely on IAEA platforms and systems for immediate notification and assistance in a nuclear emergency. Over the years, the IEC has managed to build an agile and responsive system that can quickly respond to any event,” said Carlos Torres Vidal, Director of the IAEA Incident and Emergency Center.

Although major nuclear accidents are very rare, the potential for incidents or emergencies remains — especially as radiation sources are used in a variety of contexts, from medicine to industry.

For example, earlier this year in Liberia, a radioactive source was discovered in a stormwater sewer at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, the country’s largest hospital. The IAEA’s immediate intervention averted a potential radiological incident, allowing the hospital to continue its operations without interruption. Read the full story.

Disasters can also worsen: for example, an earthquake can hamper efforts to respond to a nuclear emergency. It is essential to identify, classify and prepare for rapid action in response to different hazard scenarios. Like pandemics and natural disasters, nuclear and radiological emergencies do not recognize borders, increasing the need for international coordination and information sharing.