Japan: 9.0 Earthquake-Tsunami-Nuclear Reactor Developments #1

[Nova]

OH NO!!!!!
I have learned to have a tremendous amount of respect for the Japanese culture. I have read where the people are lining up patiently to purchase food. We are not seeing the looting and lawlessness we witness in the US. We could all learn a lot from watching them.
God bless them!!!

I praised the Japanese people and their culture earlier in this thread.

But every culture has positive and negative attributes.

The Japanese have strong senses of honor and decorum that serve them well after a disaster. But it also made them all too ruthlessly loyal 75 years ago when their leaders decided to conquer Eastern and Southeastern Asia.

(ETA: This post sounds unduly harsh under the circumstances, but I do think we should be cautious is praising the virtue of civic obedience. Nonetheless, if one had to pick a place to endure such a catastrophe anywhere in the world, Japan might well be the top choice.)

 

[Peliman]

So it continues, reactor #2 reporting exposed fuel rods. I hope the radiation can be contained in this one as well.

(Reuters) - Water levels have fallen far enough to partly expose fuel rods at reactor No.2 of Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant which was hit by a massive earthquake, Jiji news agency reported on Monday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/japan-nuclear-rods-idUSTKB00733420110314

 

[tehcloser]

(Reuters) - Nuclear fuel rods at a quake-stricken Japanese nuclear reactor are now fully exposed, Jiji news agency said, quoting the plant's operator, Tokyo Eletcric Power Co .

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/japan-quake-rods-idUSTKB00733720110314

 

[Trident]

[Q]"TOKYO (AP) - Tokyo Electric Power Co. says three workers have been injured and seven are missing after an explosion at the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant.
http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=14241627[/Q]

 

[hockeymom]

Its so confusing to try and sort through all this information. Is it being downplayed? I think this is unchartered territory for everyone and they just don't know what to say or expect. Either way,I don't think its very good.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

I just heard on FOX that several of our military personnel returned to their boat and were contaminated. They were evaluated and decontaminated and everything was ok - but still the military is moving our boats away from the "downwind" of these plants.

What's that tell ya?

 

[SuziQ]

I just heard on FOX that several of our military personnel returned to their boat and were contaminated. They were evaluated and decontaminated and everything was ok - but still the military is moving our boats away from the "downwind" of these plants.

What's that tell ya?

If it wasn't for this and the Associated Press reporters reporting they felt the blast 25 miles away....we wouldn't know much at all. I want someone independent getting and giving information on these plants. I don't want to see the owner giving out non info like I did yesterday.

 

[peeples]

I 100% agree SuziQ... thanks wasn't enough... an independent source needs allowed in and allowed to report at least to the heads of states and countries if not the public.....

 

[tehcloser]

Obama is speaking at an elementary school right now, I hope he doesn't read "My Pet Goat". *snicker.

 

[gypsyblue]

I agree it is being downplayed,

scary...

and we are being told it would dissipate before hitting the US, but then we have this...

While federal officials expected little danger in the United States from Japanese plumes, they were taking no chances. On Sunday, Energy Department officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the agency was working on three fronts. One main player is the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Officials said they had activated its National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center, which draws on meteorologists, nuclear scientists and computer scientists to forecast plume dispersal.

Separately, energy officials said the agency was readying plans to deploy two-person monitoring and sampling teams, if necessary. The teams would travel to consulates, military installations and Navy ships to sample the air in a coordinated effort to improve plume tracking.

Finally, the department was preparing what it calls its Aerial Measuring System. Its detectors and analytical equipment can be mounted on a variety of aircraft. Officials said the equipment and monitoring team are staged out of the department’s Remote Sensing Laboratory at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, and are on two-hour call.

“We’re on top of this,” a department official said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/world/asia/14plume.html?_r=2

 

[gypsyblue]

Obama is speaking at an elementary school right now, I hope he doesn't read "My Pet Goat". *snicker.

:floorlaugh:

 

[Quiche]

Shoot, exposed fully exposed rods equal full meltdown. This is just devastating.


ooops, I have a link http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110314/110314_japan_nuclear/20110314/?hub=CP24Home

 

[Quiche]

So, the #1 reactor had a hydrogen explosion a couple of days ago, the #3 reactor had a similar explosion last night (for us), and now the #2 reactor has lost its cooling pumps and has fully exposed its fuel rods.

Imo, if they lose one, they all go. What a frightening mess.

 

[Allusonz]

So, the #1 reactor had a hydrogen explosion a couple of days ago, the #3 reactor had a similar explosion last night (for us), and now the #2 reactor has lost its cooling pumps and has fully exposed its fuel rods.

Imo, if they lose one, they all go. What a frightening mess.

I don't believe anyone truly understands what the ramifications of all of this will be short, mid or long term

I must agree though they will probably all go into meltdown. Oh wow terribly sad

 

[Herding Cats]

The news (MSNBC and FOX) have stated that there is a meltdown occuring. FOX just did a weather report, and stated that if the vapors get into the jet stream, the entire west coast may be at risk. However, all of Tokyo is now at risk, as the local winds are blowing from north to south.

In other words, all hell has broken loose.

God help us all.

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[Quiche]

Some different information--

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/world-holds-breath-hoping-rods-will-cool-20110314-1bujw.html


The technicians at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant would be operating from a shielded control room and relying on equipment that remotely monitored the reactor vessel, experts said.

They were in a ''separate bunker some distance away that can survive a nuclear incident and where the people can keep working'', John Price, an adjunct professor at Monash University and a former member of the safety policy unit of the National Nuclear Corporation UK, said.


and also

The Japanese government said in a statement last night that radiation levels around the No. 3 reactor had not risen after yesterday's hydrogen blast - another indication that the core had not been breached.

But the US 7th Fleet, which was close to Japan, repositioned its ships further from the reactor complex at Fukushima, after it detected elevated levels of radiation.

 

[peeples]

"They were in a ''separate bunker some distance away that can survive a nuclear incident and where the people can keep working'', John Price, an adjunct professor at Monash University and a former member of the safety policy unit of the National Nuclear Corporation UK, said."

Thank goodness they are safe.. but I imagine they are scared to death for their families

 

[mysteriew]

I agree it is being downplayed,

scary...

and we are being told it would dissipate before hitting the US, but then we have this...

While federal officials expected little danger in the United States from Japanese plumes, they were taking no chances. On Sunday, Energy Department officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the agency was working on three fronts. One main player is the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Officials said they had activated its National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center, which draws on meteorologists, nuclear scientists and computer scientists to forecast plume dispersal.

Separately, energy officials said the agency was readying plans to deploy two-person monitoring and sampling teams, if necessary. The teams would travel to consulates, military installations and Navy ships to sample the air in a coordinated effort to improve plume tracking.

Finally, the department was preparing what it calls its Aerial Measuring System. Its detectors and analytical equipment can be mounted on a variety of aircraft. Officials said the equipment and monitoring team are staged out of the department’s Remote Sensing Laboratory at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, and are on two-hour call.

“We’re on top of this,” a department official said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/world/asia/14plume.html?_r=2

I don't think they really know what is going to happen, but are trying to downplay it to prevent panic. They don't really have that many examples of this kind of disaster, so most of what they are saying is theoretical not experience. There was Chernobyl in the past, but Russia severely limited and even lied about what was happening there. And there was three mile island, which was smaller and IMO the info was whitewashed.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

Just a little thing that I tend to do. I listen to what every outlet (media) is saying. BUT I WATCH more of what the governments involved and especially our MILITARY does are far as movements, deployments, type of gear worn, etc.

Remember only believe HALF of what you see and NOTHING that you hear!

I will be paying close attention to our military movements in the next day or two.


FOX is now reporting - Japan: It is likely meltdown is underway in three reactors.
15 of our warships have been "temporarily" moved out of "harm's way".

THIS IS NOT GOOD.

 

[peeples]

Well for the panic thing... I heard this morning on CNN that some people are panicking in Japan...I was only half awake though and now the kids are playing Wii so i can't watch or listen.......