Japan: Earthquake, Tsunami + Nuclear Disasters

[Coast]

I thought that this was going to be inevitable anyway?

Japan says it will shut down reactors at the Fukushima-1 power plant by the end of the year. The announcement comes despite revelations that a natural disaster in March damaged the nuclear facility worse than earlier believed.

Serious troubles continue to beleaguer the operators of the Japanese nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture that was crippled by an earthquake and tsunami. But Prime Minister Naoto Kan told parliament Monday the damaged reactors will be shut down sometime this year.

Kan says the timeline for bringing the four damaged reactors into a state of cold shutdown will not be changed. He insists that will happen in six to nine months.

That timetable is consistent with a plan Tokyo Electric Power Company announced one month ago. But since then it has become apparent that the reactors suffered worse damage than earlier thought. The number one reactor, it is now acknowledged, suffered a meltdown soon after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan.

Japanese experts say the fuel rods inside the reactor were fully exposed to the air and melted. However, the fuel apparently dropped to the bottom of the containment vessel, preventing it from going into a full meltdown stage.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/east-pacific/Japan-Promises-to-Shut-Down-Fukushima-Reactors-By-Years-End-121878009.html

[Red Raven]

Evacuation zone to be extended.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13408055

[Rustynailer]

Saved by the fall into leaked water. The explosion of the molten fuel (rods) as it (they) pored through the bottom of the containment vessel and landed on the cold water in the flooded basement. Obviously scattering and dropping from critical(meltdown) to just plain old hot in the water explosion. That was a good bit of luck.

A bit like Alien with that acid blood of hers...

Anyway at least it did not remain at a critical mass state. A state which would allow the hot metal to melt straight through just about anything including bedrock.

Just about as difficult a job as their is, sorting this one out. Definitely more dangerous than those Alaskan crab fishermen, which are supposed to have the worlds most dangerous job, eh?

Anyway enough of my armchair ramblings, I wish Japan the best of luck in their efforts.

[Coast]

Looks like someone is giving them a kick up the backside:

Tokyo Electric will step up measures to prevent groundwater contamination at the stricken Fukushima nuclear-power plant amid worries that highly radioactive water is leaking from the core of at least one reactor. Company officials say work will begin immediately to build a drainage system that will pump the water to a reprocessing facility where much of the radioactivity can be removed. It will then be re-circulated through the cooling system. Recent data analysis concluded a meltdown of nuclear fuel likely occurred within a day of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the region. The melted fuel is thought to have created holes allowing water to leak from the center of the reactor.

The work is one of the new measures in Tokyo Electric's plan for taking the Fukushima Daiichi plant from crisis to stability. Other measures will be visually apparent at the plant in the coming months. To guard against further damage from a possible tsunami created by future aftershocks, Tokyo Electric will install stone-filled cages along the shoreline to mitigate waves. In early June the company will begin building a large shell around the Reactor-1 building. The temporary building's job is twofold: to keep environmental emissions of radioactive materials down and to shield the damaged building from late summer typhoons. There are also plans to add similar shields around the damaged Reactor-3 and Reactor-4 buildings.

It has been one month since the Fukushima recovery plan was published. Tokyo Electric says it remains on schedule to bring the plant under control sometime between November this year and January 2012. Most work is on track and at least one measure, the installation of remote-controlled water-spraying machinery, is ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, the Japanese government says a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency will arrive in Japan next week to investigate the Fukushima accident. The news was announced by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.

Edano says the 20-person team will be in Japan for about a week and will report its results to a June ministerial meeting in Vienna. It will be led by Mike Weightman, Britain's chief nuclear inspector and head of its nuclear safety and security regulator.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Japan-Revises-Plan-to-Bring-Fukushima-Reactors-Under-Control-121993154.html

[The PIT]

Finally admitted there was a melt down. Damage greater than originally feared sounds like some good spin going on here. Sadly Greenpeace were bang on the ball on this.

[Snowangel-MK]

Japan Confirms Fukushima Nuclear Reactor 4 Leaning And In Danger Of Complete Collapse

http-~~-//2012indyinfo.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/japan-confirms-fukushima-nuclear-reactor-4-leaning-and-in-danger-of-complete-collapse/

Japan has announced that the building is leaning and that they are taking measures to reinforce the structure in order to prevent a collapse that would scatter nuclear rods from the spent fuel pool on the ground around the plant.

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxbm7iJTT8U&feature=related

[Coast]

Looks like the fall out is still considerable:

[Snowangel-MK]

Fukushima May Have Leaked Radiation Before Tsunami...

A radiation alarm went off at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima nuclear power plant before the tsunami hit on March 11, suggesting that contrary to earlier assumptions the reactors were damaged by the earthquake that spawned the wall of water.

http-~~-//www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-19/fukushima-may-have-leaked-radiation-before-quake.html

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

TEPCO now saying that Reactors 2 and 3 also suffered (at least partial) core meltdown

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13497656

[Snowangel-MK]

Super Typhoon Songda Projected To Pass Over Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant

So far the only good news to accompany the Fukushima catastrophe has been that for all the fallout, the radiation has been mostly contained due to Northwesterly winds which have been blowing any radioactivity mostly out and into the Pacific (coupled with relatively little rainfall), as well as the dispersion of irradiated cooling water which promptly enters the Pacific after which it is never heard of or seen again (there is at least a several year period before 3 eyed tuna fish feature prominently in restaurants across the country). This may be changing soon now that Super Typhoon Songda, which according to Weather Underground will form shortly as a Category 5 storm with 156+ mph winds, will take a northeasterly direction and 2 days later will pass right above Fukushima.

[Snowyowl9]

This is far worse than chernobyl.

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2011/05/28/fukushima-how-many-chernobyls-is-it

Radiation still in the ground in north wales from 1986,it takes a hell of a long while to shift.

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/letter-fukushima-mother

[Snowangel-MK]

Storm suspends work at Japan Fukushima nuclear plant

The operator of Japan's crippled nuclear plant has suspended some of its outdoor work due to a tropical storm, just days after it admitted it was not prepared for harsh weather.

http-~~-//www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13595323

[Snowangel-MK]

Fukushima Radiation Jumps To Record Levels, As Tepco Warns That Heavy Rain Will Cause Toxic Pools To Overflow

Things seem to be getting worse at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.Tepco announced radiation readings of up to 4,000 millisieverts per hour at reactor No. 1 -- the highest air radiation yet at that reactor, according to Japan Times. This follows video of steam rising from the reactor floor.

Tepco also warned that pools of radioactive water will overflow by June 20 or sooner if there is heavy rain.

While storage tanks are rushed to the area, the weather forecast for Fukushima is ominous: Thunderstorms and rain throughout the week.

According to Japan Times, doubts are growing as to whether Tepco can bring the plant under control by January as promised.

http://www.businessinsider.com/fukushima-radiation-record-levels-2011-6

Edited June 7, 2011 by MKsnowangel

[picog]

Fukushima Radiation Jumps To Record Levels, As Tepco Warns That Heavy Rain Will Cause Toxic Pools To Overflow

Things seem to be getting worse at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.Tepco announced radiation readings of up to 4,000 millisieverts per hour at reactor No. 1 -- the highest air radiation yet at that reactor, according to Japan Times. This follows video of steam rising from the reactor floor.

Tepco also warned that pools of radioactive water will overflow by June 20 or sooner if there is heavy rain.

While storage tanks are rushed to the area, the weather forecast for Fukushima is ominous: Thunderstorms and rain throughout the week.

According to Japan Times, doubts are growing as to whether Tepco can bring the plant under control by January as promised.

http://www.businessi...d-levels-2011-6

What a disaster — it just goes on and on. I read in the weekend papers that the Japanese govt will not fund long term health monitoring in the hundreds of workers exposed to various levels of radiation. It's a disgrace.

[Snowangel-MK]

What a disaster — it just goes on and on. I read in the weekend papers that the Japanese govt will not fund long term health monitoring in the hundreds of workers exposed to various levels of radiation. It's a disgrace.

A group of pensioners have volunteered to tackle the nuclear crisis now ....

The Skilled Veterans Corps, as they call themselves, is made up of retired engineers and other professionals, all over the age of 60.

They say they should be facing the dangers of radiation, not the young.

It was while watching the television news that Yasuteru Yamada decided it was time for his generation to stand up.

No longer could he be just an observer of the struggle to stabilise the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The retired engineer is reporting back for duty at the age of 72, and he is organising a team of pensioners to go with him.

For weeks now Mr Yamada has been getting back in touch with old friends, sending out e-mails and even messages on Twitter.

Volunteering to take the place of younger workers at the power station is not brave, Mr Yamada says, but logical.

"I am 72 and on average I probably have 13 to 15 years left to live," he says.

"Even if I were exposed to radiation, cancer could take 20 or 30 years or longer to develop. Therefore us older ones have less chance of getting cancer."

http-~~-//www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13598607

[Gray-Wolf]

How Honourable of the old Gent!

[Rainy]

A group of pensioners have volunteered to tackle the nuclear crisis now ....

The Skilled Veterans Corps, as they call themselves, is made up of retired engineers and other professionals, all over the age of 60.

They say they should be facing the dangers of radiation, not the young.

It was while watching the television news that Yasuteru Yamada decided it was time for his generation to stand up.

No longer could he be just an observer of the struggle to stabilise the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The retired engineer is reporting back for duty at the age of 72, and he is organising a team of pensioners to go with him.

For weeks now Mr Yamada has been getting back in touch with old friends, sending out e-mails and even messages on Twitter.

Volunteering to take the place of younger workers at the power station is not brave, Mr Yamada says, but logical.

"I am 72 and on average I probably have 13 to 15 years left to live," he says.

"Even if I were exposed to radiation, cancer could take 20 or 30 years or longer to develop. Therefore us older ones have less chance of getting cancer."

http-~~-//www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13598607

Similar plans in the UK in the 1950s. Booklets issued by Government to farmers indicated that the older generation would be required to start the clear up after a nuclear attack.

[PersianPaladin]

"If we do nothing, even Tokyo could become off limits. There is a huge amount of uranium fuels in the plants, much more than in Chernobyl. This is a terrible situation. The government doesn't tell the truth and people live in a happy-go-lucky..." -Ichiro Ozawa

The following is a partial transcript from The Wall Street Journal Interview with Japan senior political figure Ichiro Ozawa, who is calling on Prime Minister Naoto Kan to step down. Ozawa is a long-time rival within the ruling Democratic Party of Japan and is facing charges of improprieties over his fund-raising organization.

http://online.wsj.co...3512336934.html

Edited June 17, 2011 by PersianPaladin

[Snowangel-MK]

Operators of Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant have suspended an operation to clean contaminated water hours after it began due to a rapid rise in radiation..

A spokesman for the plant operators, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), said engineers were trying to find the cause of the jump in radiation levels. He added that until they knew what was causing the rising levels they would not know when the operation would be able to resume. "But I'd say it's not something that would take weeks," he added. "The level of radiation at a machine to absorb caesium has risen faster than our initial projections," the spokesman said.

Dealing with the radioactive water is a key step to bringing the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant under control, reports the BBC's Roland Buerk from Tokyo. Earlier this week, officials had warned the radioactive pools were in danger of spilling into the sea within a week. It is the rainy season in Japan and the pools of contaminated water could overflow, adding to radiation already released into the sea, adds our correspondent.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13819767

[PersianPaladin]

A 35% Spike in Infant Mortality in Northwest Cities Since Meltdown

Is the Dramatic Increase in Baby Deaths in the US a Result of Fukushima Fallout?

By JANETTE D. SHERMAN, MD

and JOSEPH MANGANO

U.S. babies are dying at an increased rate. While the United States spends billions on medical care, as of 2006, the US ranked 28th in the world in infant mortality, more than twice that of the lowest ranked countries. (DHHS, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. Health United States 2010, Table 20, p. 131, February 2011.)

Cont. here:-

http://www.counterpu...an06102011.html

Edited June 18, 2011 by PersianPaladin

[PersianPaladin]

"Fukushima is the biggest industrial catastrophe in the history of mankind," Arnold Gundersen, a former nuclear industry senior vice president, told Al Jazeera.

Japan's 9.0 earthquake on March 11 caused a massive tsunami that crippled the cooling systems at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan. It also led to hydrogen explosions and reactor meltdowns that forced evacuations of those living within a 20km radius of the plant.

Gundersen, a licensed reactor operator with 39 years of nuclear power engineering experience, managing and coordinating projects at 70 nuclear power plants around the US, says the Fukushima nuclear plant likely has more exposed reactor cores than commonly believed.

"Fukushima has three nuclear reactors exposed and four fuel cores exposed," he said, "You probably have the equivalent of 20 nuclear reactor cores because of the fuel cores, and they are all in desperate need of being cooled, and there is no means to cool them effectively."

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/06/201161664828302638.html

[PersianPaladin]

Many people have written me and asked more or less the same question: “What would you do to help heal the Japanese landscape around the failing nuclear reactors?†The enormity and unprecedented nature of this combined natural and human-made disaster will require a massive and completely novel approach to management and remediation. And with this comes a never before seen opportunity for collaboration, research and wisdom.

The nuclear fallout will make continued human habitation in close proximity to the reactors untenable. The earthquake and tsunami created enormous debris fields near the nuclear reactors. Since much of this debris is wood, and many fungi useful in my coremediation are wood decomposers and build the foundation of forest ecosystems, I have the following suggestions:

Cont:-

http://punkrockperma...ound-fukushima/

Edited June 18, 2011 by PersianPaladin

[john pike]

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?edis=NC-20110311-29877-JPN

updates from rsoe

dial up probably not recommended

I think the question is, how will they stop this?

[PersianPaladin]

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/...10311-29877-JPN

updates from rsoe

dial up probably not recommended

I think the question is, how will they stop this?

11/03/2011??

[Snowangel-MK]

Fukushima news forecast: mostly dark, with showers

Scouring our various sources for news of the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima, Japan this morning brings up several troubling items..

First, as we suspected, Tokyo Electric's plan to filter the radioactivity out of the nasty water that's accumulated by its desperate dumping on the molten reactor cores has failed in the first hours of its implementation. The water's too radioactive for the equipment. A part in the filtration system that was supposed to last a month reached it's radiation exposure limit in five hours.

Much highly radioactive water has already leaked into the Pacific and the groundwater under the nuclear plant, and unless a miracle occurs and a realistic filtration system can be concocted, eventually all of the tens of millions of gallons of accumulated wastewater will wind up in that same place. And if a major aftershock to the 9.0 March 11 earthquake occurs, further structural damage to the reactor and turbine buildings will hasten the flow of the contamination. Plus heaven knows what else.

The damage already done has apparently reached the rivers in the area as well as the sea. According to a Tweet by the Daily Yomiuri, "Shipments of 2 species of fish from a river in Fukushima Prefecture have been halted due to radioactive cesium more than 4x legal limits." The rivers could be picking up the radioactive particles from snow melt off nearby mountains on which fallout from the three mid-March explosions at the reactors has settled.

Meanwhile, 6,000 miles away, inspectors at an airport in France have turned away a shipment of green tea from Shizuoka, Japan, that was found to have more than twice the legal limit of radioactive cesium in it. Shizuoka is on the other side of Tokyo from Fukushima. Cesium has a half-life of 30 years, and contamination from cesium will remain.

http://www.topix.com/jp/fukushima/2011/06/fukushima-news-forecast-mostly-dark-with-showers