Japan: Explosion at Fukushima nuclear power plant
According to the Daily Beast:
Japan’s nuclear crisis seems to be getting worse, as officials say they think partial meltdowns have occurred at two reactors damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, and four others experienced serious cooling problems. They also said they were bracing for a second explosion, similar to the one that happened at the No. 1 reactor at Fukushima Daiichi Saturday when they vented hydrogen from the overheating plant, as they try to release pressure at the second failing reactor. The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said as many as 160 people may have been exposed to radiation around the plant, and the Japanese news media said three workers at the station were suffering from radiation sickness. Though officials insist that the radiation leaks were small and didn’t pose a major health risk, they did distribute iodine tablets to keep the thyroid gland from being exposed to radiation.
First off, how many countries have been hit with a triple whammy like Japan has? A huge 8.9 earthquake, killer tsunamis, and now potential nuclear disasters are crushing down on Japan. Nations from around the world are speeding towards Japan to offer humanitarian aid, rescue personnel and expertise, food, medical supplies, blankets, technical advice. Japan has not faced anything like this disaster since WWII.
The nuclear disaster threat is serious not only to Japan and its population, but to countries around the world. The complications of what has gone wrong is far beyond the expertise level of most lay persons. The nuclear reactors shut down automatically during the quake. Some of the reactors have been crippled, some cannot be turned back on. It is a huge mess. Some attempts have been made to cool down the reactors to avoid disaster by using sea water and boric acid to cool the reactor. Once this is done, the billion dollar facility must be scrapped. According to ndtv.com:
Tokyo: Japanese officials struggled on Sunday to contain a widening nuclear crisis in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and tsunami, saying they presumed that partial meltdowns had occurred at two crippled reactors and that they were bracing for a second explosion, even as they faced serious cooling problems at four more reactors.
The emergency appeared to be the worst involving a nuclear plant since the Chernobyl disaster 25 years ago. The developments at two separate nuclear plants prompted the evacuation of more than 200,000 people. Japanese officials said they had also ordered up the largest mobilization of their Self-Defense Forces since World War II to assist in the relief effort.
“The possibility that hydrogen is building up in the upper parts of the reactor building cannot be denied. There is a possibility of a hydrogen explosion,” Mr. Edano said. He stressed that as in the No. 1 unit, the reactor’s steel containment would withstand the explosion.On Saturday, Japanese officials took the extraordinary step of flooding the crippled No. 1 reactor at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 170 miles north of Tokyo, with seawater in a last-ditch effort to avoid a nuclear meltdown. That came after an explosion caused by hydrogen that tore the outer wall and roof off the building housing the reactor, although the steel containment of the reactor remained in place. (Watch: Explosion at Fukushima nuclear power plant)
Then on Sunday, cooling failed at a second reactor — No. 3 — and core melting was presumed at both, said the top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano. An explosion could also rock the No. 3 reactor, Mr. Edano warned, because of a buildup of hydrogen within the reactor
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/03/japans-earthquake—the-aftermath/100023
Hard to imagine, even after seeing pictures.
Is the Red Cross the best place to make a donation?
And now a volcano: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=13127200
@pinko
That doesn’t surprise me at all. The 2 are usually go hand in hand.
BTO, not sure. I would think so. I saw that the American REd Cross was working closely with the Japanese Red Cross.
Big Dog, I can’t even imagine, even seeing the pictures. One of the comments said it reminded them of the aftermath of Katrina.
That area still hasn’t recovered, even 6 years later. Somehow the pictures of this seem worse and I can’t even say why.
Good collection of organizations accepting funds for Japan relief here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hnQ2ysZ8dDAV3IPXbBQNQnXaZLFA?docId=6694265f7abc4ef68fb7ac41f918b99b
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* Stricken Japan nuclear plant rocked by 2nd blast (AP)
AP – The second hydrogen explosion in three days rocked a Japanese nuclear plant Monday, sending a massive cloud of smoke into the air and injuring 11 workers. The blast was felt 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, but the plant’s operator said the radiation levels at the affected unit were still within legal limits.
* Tide of 1,000 bodies overwhelms quake-hit Japan (AP)
I have heard there is a third explosion now.
http://www.10news.com/news/27191823/detail.html
Something else to think about.