Japan: Earthquake, Tsunami + Nuclear Disasters

[VillagePlank]

Look at this!

If that's not a total meltdown 3000 ft mushroom cloud tell me what is. That's not superficial damage, that's the worst it gets.

What you're seeing there is the outer building blowing up after the engineers relieved some pressure from the internal core - which is necessary to reduce the risk of the core fracturing under the very high pressures going on there. The steam released reduced to it's constituent components, hydrogen and water, containing some radioactive material, and the hydrogen went up. What's gone bang here is the outer shell that 'keeps the weather off'

It is unlikely that the nuclear material would explode in a similar manner to a nuclear weapon. In a weapon the primary idea is to get to critical mass as soon as you possibly can, using explosives or a gun-type design. The features making fission capable of mass-murder in an instant simply are not present in nuclear power stations.

Fire in the open air is the biggest risk in my view (Chernobyl)

Edited March 15, 2011 by VillagePlank

[Beverley Lass]

Pics of Devastation

Some of the most dramatic pics of the

aftermath of the Tsunami here.

Incredible and awful.

B.

PS I think the latest aftershock has now been rated 6.2

Edited March 15, 2011 by Beverley Lass

[The PIT]

Reports of one of the cores has cracked hence the spike of radiation as it de-pressurised.

Two more large aftershocks today a 6.0 and 6.2.

Some sick puppy caused a panic by sending a fake text sadly they won't be caught but if they were they want dropping into the reactor.

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

Pics of Devastation

Some of the most dramatic pics of the

aftermath of the Tsunami here.

Incredible and awful.

B.

PS I think the latest aftershock has now been rated 6.2

the 6.2 shock you mention isn't an aftershock as far as I'm aware, there was a 6.2 West of Tokyo this afternoon, quite a long way fron the fault that has undergone the initial earthquake, you can se it in this link

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/140_35.php

[The PIT]

the 6.2 shock you mention isn't an aftershock as far as I'm aware, there was a 6.2 West of Tokyo this afternoon, quite a long way fron the fault that has undergone the initial earthquake, you can se it in this link

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/140_35.php

Same area but was felt in Tokyo so yes an aftershock.

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

Same area but was felt in Tokyo so yes an aftershock.

Being felt somewhere doesn't constitute an aftershock. The fault line which produces the quake says whether it's an aftershock or a new quake. This is on a different fault system, so I would assume a different quake, if anyone else here knows for definite, could you let us know?

[milkmaid]

echo what was said about the bravoury

a freind and i were talking about it in the car at lunch time and we both said how brave

[Snowangel-MK]

A spokesman for Japan's meteorological agency says he does not know if there is a link between the strong earthquakes on Tuesday - including one of 6.0 magnitude - and Friday's massive 9.0-magnitude tremor. He says the epicentres were quite far apart.

BBC reporter Clive Myrie, in Yamagata, says that it has started to snow, which will make access to remote areas affected by the quake even more difficult. More snow is forecast over the coming days.

[HighPressure]

What you're seeing there is the outer building blowing up after the engineers relieved some pressure from the internal core - which is necessary to reduce the risk of the core fracturing under the very high pressures going on there. The steam released reduced to it's constituent components, hydrogen and water, containing some radioactive material, and the hydrogen went up. What's gone bang here is the outer shell that 'keeps the weather off'

It is unlikely that the nuclear material would explode in a similar manner to a nuclear weapon. In a weapon the primary idea is to get to critical mass as soon as you possibly can, using explosives or a gun-type design. The features making fission capable of mass-murder in an instant simply are not present in nuclear power stations.

Fire in the open air is the biggest risk in my view (Chernobyl)

The video of this explosion relates I believe to the second one and not the 3rd which occurred yesterday and of which no video footage has emerged. Its really difficult now to get clear picture of what is actually happening inside these reactors? I think that meltdown or at least partial meltdown has occurred in one if not more reactors. But what does damage to containment vessel really mean? Is the fuel still contained or is it escaping?

[Snowangel-MK]

Here is the full statement from Tepco on the blast at Fukushima's reactor four earlier today.

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11031504-e.html

The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says that, in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Japan, there are still concerns about the number four reactor at Fukushima. Officials fear the water level is still too low, meaning the spent fuel rods stored there are exposed to the atmosphere.

Edited March 15, 2011 by MKsnowangel

[Jason T]

Amazing how we all complain about silly things, until something like this happens to make you appreciate exactly what you have and that LIFE is really to short for NONSENSE.

How japan is going to recover if they ever can god only knows

Edited March 15, 2011 by silver line

[Snowangel-MK]

The video of this explosion relates I believe to the second one and not the 3rd which occurred yesterday and of which no video footage has emerged. Its really difficult now to get clear picture of what is actually happening inside these reactors? I think that meltdown or at least partial meltdown has occurred in one if not more reactors. But what does damage to containment vessel really mean? Is the fuel still contained or is it escaping?

The following is the known status as of Tuesday evening for each of the six reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant and the four reactors at the Fukushima No. 2 plant, both in Fukushima Prefecture;

Fukushima No. 1

-- Reactor No. 1 - Cooling failure, partial melting of core, vapor vented, hydrogen explosion, seawater pumped in.

-- Reactor No. 2 - Cooling failure, seawater pumped in, fuel rods fully exposed temporarily, damage to containment system, potential meltdown feared.

-- Reactor No. 3 - Cooling failure, partial melting of core feared, vapor vented, seawater pumped in, hydrogen explosion, high-level radiation measured nearby.

-- Reactor No. 4 - Under maintenance when quake struck, fire caused possibly by hydrogen explosion at pool holding spent fuel rods, pool water levels feared receding.

-- Reactor No. 5 - Under maintenance when quake struck.

-- Reactor No. 6 - Under maintenance when quake struck.

Fukushima No. 2

-- Reactor No. 1 - Cooling failure, then cold shutdown.

-- Reactor No. 2 - Cooling failure, then cold shutdown.

-- Reactor No. 3 - Cold shutdown.

-- Reactor No. 4 - Cooling failure, then cold shutdown

http-~~-//bravenewclimate.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/tepco_status_4.jpg

Edited March 15, 2011 by MKsnowangel

[The PIT]

Being felt somewhere doesn't constitute an aftershock. The fault line which produces the quake says whether it's an aftershock or a new quake. This is on a different fault system, so I would assume a different quake, if anyone else here knows for definite, could you let us know?

Mag 9.0 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

Mag 6.2 OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

Mag 6.0 EASTERN HONSHU, JAPAN

The Mag 6 won't be the same fault though as you said.

[Snowangel-MK]

Aftershocks have continued to shake Japan, days after the massive magnitude 9 earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami on Friday. More than 20 have been larger than magnitude 6.0. The BBC News website has plotted the termors on a map so you can see when and where they have struck:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12748215

There have been hundreds of smaller tremors, but more than 20 have been larger than magnitude 6 Use the slider to find out how many tremors there have been each day since 10 March.

[The PIT]

Now it's snowing which will hamper aid as well. If the earthquake doesn't get them it's wave, if ain't the wave it's the radiation, if it ain't the radiation it's the snow and cold. Can't god send them a bit of warmth and give them some sort of break.

[HighPressure]

The following is the known status as of Tuesday evening for each of the six reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant and the four reactors at the Fukushima No. 2 plant, both in Fukushima Prefecture;

Fukushima No. 1

-- Reactor No. 1 - Cooling failure, partial melting of core, vapor vented, hydrogen explosion, seawater pumped in.

-- Reactor No. 2 - Cooling failure, seawater pumped in, fuel rods fully exposed temporarily, damage to containment system, potential meltdown feared.

-- Reactor No. 3 - Cooling failure, partial melting of core feared, vapor vented, seawater pumped in, hydrogen explosion, high-level radiation measured nearby.

-- Reactor No. 4 - Under maintenance when quake struck, fire caused possibly by hydrogen explosion at pool holding spent fuel rods, pool water levels feared receding.

-- Reactor No. 5 - Under maintenance when quake struck.

-- Reactor No. 6 - Under maintenance when quake struck.

Fukushima No. 2

-- Reactor No. 1 - Cooling failure, then cold shutdown.

-- Reactor No. 2 - Cooling failure, then cold shutdown.

-- Reactor No. 3 - Cold shutdown.

-- Reactor No. 4 - Cooling failure, then cold shutdown

http-~~-//bravenewclimate.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/tepco_status_4.jpg

Thanks for that, it was starting to do my head in so nice to see it written down clearly.

[claret047]

Good evening folks.

We know that the press and to a certain extent other sectors of the media like to sensationalise to sell copy etc whilst at the same time vested interests produce an equally unbalanced opinion to the other extreme.

Please find below a link from what I believe is to be a magazine possibly ering towards the vested interests. Not being an expert I am uncertain who to believe, perhaps the truth lies somewhere between what some of the newspapers are foretelling and what this article is stating.

I would be intersted in the views of those far more expert than I.

http://www.theregist...ysis/page3.html

Whilst writing could I also draw your attention to a message that I have just added to the link below, following our local football club's determination to do what it could to help those currently suffering so badly. It would be wonderful if anyone from Netweather would like to also donate to this very worthy cause.

http://forum.netweat...l/page__st__153

Currently the last post in the above thread.

Many Thanks

Kind regards

Dave

Edited March 15, 2011 by claret047

[Snowangel-MK]

Thanks for that, it was starting to do my head in so nice to see it written down clearly.

Your welcome, it's easier to understand it when you read it like this....

http://bravenewclima...co_status_4.jpg

[PB22]

Now being reported that reactor number 4 at Fukushima is on fire.

[Wilxy]

Now being reported that reactor number 4 at Fukushima is on fire.

hope they can stop it its just unfair really

[stewfox]

Good evening folks.

We know that the press and to a certain extent other sectors of the media like to sensationalise to sell copy etc whilst at the same time vested interests produce an equally unbalanced opinion to the other extreme.

The media hype re nuclear disaster was a joke up to 24hrs ago.

It now has got worse

Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear , is all very bad

[Snowangel-MK]

There has been a fresh fire at the quake-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northern Japan.

The new blaze began at reactor four. The plant has already been hit by four explosions, triggering radiation leaks and sparking health concerns.

2210: Tepco has confirmed that a fire broke out at reactor four in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Smoke is pouring from the reactor, a spokesman told reporters.

2249: Officials at the plant say the new fire broke out because the initial blaze had not been extinguished, AP reports.

2314: A spokesman for the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has said: "At around 0545 today, our employee carrying batteries to the control room discovered smoke billowing from the building of reactor 4 [at Fukushima Daiichi]."

2320: The Japanese government is now saying the fire in reactor 4 is "under control", according to the AFP news agency.

2327: Minoru Ogoda, a spokesman for the Japanese nuclear safety agency, tells AFP: "We have received information from [the Tokyo Electric Power Company] that the fire and smoke is now invisible and it appears to have gone out of its own accord."

Edited March 15, 2011 by MKsnowangel

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

http://www.theregist...ysis/page3.html

In many ways the writer in the register is correct, in that the number of deaths -- to date, is zero, but there is a big BUT, if a containment vessel does crack, the there is a problem with radioactivity due to the chemistry of the isotopes produced, the chemical reactions, nothing to do with radioactivity would help propagate the radionuclides far and wide. We just have to hope that they have it well enough under control.

[snow raven]

any news on the effort to rescue survivers of the Earthquake & Tsunami?

Or is the West relieved to move news focus away from the middle east rumbles to report every puff of smoke from the nuclear plant? (sorry if I seem a bit cynical but...)

[Snowangel-MK]

any news on the effort to rescue survivers of the Earthquake & Tsunami?

The latest official death toll from the quake and tsunami stands at nearly 3,400. Conditions for those still alive in the rubble worsened as a cold front arrived today, further pushing down temperatures. Snow is forecast over the next few days.

http-~~-//www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/234746/Survivors-emerge-from-quake-rubble/

Information on the International rescue teams efforts here..

http-~~-//www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12745746