people, RadSafe crews had visited Rongelap by amphibious plane, found the radiation levels dangerously high and had left to report their findings. of advice: Before they left, they left the people with one word "Don't drink the water." Nearly one day after the Americans had been evacuated, craft of the Task Force converged on Rongelap, and later Ailinginae Atoll, to the southwest, where some 18 Rongelapese had been temporarily visiting. On Rongelap, as on the other islands, the people were reportedly told they must leave the island immediately, or they would ''die". They were allowed to take only those personal possessions which they could carry and as they hurried to board the craft which would take them away, RadSafe personnel monitored the village and the people themselves with radiation detection devices. At this point, individual readings ranged from 10 millirads per hour to 240 millirads per hour (see Appendix No, 4). At H+50 hours, 16 of the people with the highest readings were air evacuated to Kwajalein and at H+51 the remaining Rongelapese were aboard ship and also bound for Kwajalein. Seven hours later at H+58 the 18 Rongelapese on Sifo Island of Ailinginae were evacuated from their radioactive location. During the same period, ships reached Utirik Atoll, and after a survey of the island evacuation was begun at H+55 hours and by 10:53 a.m., Bikini time, at H+78 hours, or three days and 6 hours after "Bravo" had exploded, the last exposed people were taken from their islands. 10146849 83