The capsule, which contains cesium-137, a material used in gauges for mining, went missing somewhere along a more than 800-mile stretch of mostly rural road.
Emergency officials in Western Australia on Saturday warned that a tiny, radioactive capsule was on the loose, with a harried hunt underway along a lengthy stretch of highway for what was essentially a toxic needle in a haystack.
Despite its small size, the capsule is dangerous, the department warned. “Exposure to this substance could cause radiation burns or radiation sickness,” it said, cautioning people not to touch it or move it if they come across it. Anyone who sees the capsule should stay 5 meters away from it and report it, the department said.
It’s possible the capsule has been missing for a couple of weeks. It departed the mine on Jan. 12 and was thought to have arrived on Jan. 16, but its disappearance was discovered Wednesday when it was missing from the package it was transported in, with the gauge inside “broken apart” with screws and a bolt missing, the department said. Officials believe the capsule fell off the back of a truck, according to the Associated Press.
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