TEPCO Must Pay Fukushima Evacuees

Tokyo Electric Power Co. has been ordered to pay evacuees a little something for their troubles—"little" being the operative word, complain many. Starting April 28, each family will receive about $12,000; individuals will get about $9,000, the AP reports. While some say it's a good start, others are unhappy with an amount they see as too small. "One million yen doesn't go very far," says one mother of three. "If it was dependent on the size of the family I'd understand, but it's not."

About 48,000 households within 19 miles of the plant are eligible for the payments. The tens of thousands of displaced residents are living in shelters or rented apartments, and don't know when or if they'll be able to return home. Some have had to replace essentials, including clothes and food, left at home when they fled; others have lost their jobs. "I'm not satisfied," says another mom. "We've had to spend money on so many extra things and we don't know how long this could go on." (More Tepco stories.)