New Hydrogen Blast at Fukushima and 1000 Bodies Found and Radioactive Particulates Found 60 Miles From Japan's Nuclear Plant
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx6IS0vrZOk&feature=youtu.be]
UPDATE @8:46 pm: 3 Injured 7 Missing in Explosion at the Unit 3 reactor of Fukushima says AP
UPDATE @ 8:15 :International Atomic Energy Agency says,
Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) has informed the IAEA that there has been an explosion at the Unit 3 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
The explosion occurred at 11:01AM local Japan time.
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BBC reports Hydrogen blast at Fukushima but containment wall has held. The video above shows the explosion.
Pentagon officials reported that helicopters flying 60 miles from the plant picked up small amounts of radioactive particulates — still being analyzed, but presumed to include Cesium-137 and Iodine-121 — suggesting widening environmental contamination.
Tokyo stock market falls sharply as Japan starts new week. It’s central bank pumping $85.5 Billion into market.
Earthquakes continue to rock Japan the latest a little after 6pm our time. This was a 5.8. Here is a constantly updating map of earthquakes.
Voice of America Bureau Chief Steve Herman is reporting that 1000 bodies have been found on Ojika Peninsula. He’s also reporting that a tsunami alert is in Sendai. Other sources say 2000
Webtools and Phone aps that might be useful.
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Outstanding updates for us, Kym. Thank you. You sort and organize the vetted info very well. Keep up the good work, you and your site rock for Humboldt. peace… skips
Outstanding updates for us, Kym. Thank you. You sort and organize the vetted info very well. Keep up the good work, you and your site rock for Humboldt. peace… skips
It sounds like the best case scenario is that they avert a complete meltdown by continuing to pump in seawater and boron and let it boil off, venting the radioactive steam as needed to prevent the reactor vessel from rupturing from the pressure. This venting of radioactive steam could continue, on and off, for months, even a year or more. And, again, that’s if everything goes as well as it possibly can from this point forward.
And the worst case scenario? Total meltdown, with massive radioactive fallout and many people sickened in the short term, then many thousands of excess cancer deaths for the next several decades.
So much for “safe, clean, and too cheap to meter.”
It sounds like the best case scenario is that they avert a complete meltdown by continuing to pump in seawater and boron and let it boil off, venting the radioactive steam as needed to prevent the reactor vessel from rupturing from the pressure. This venting of radioactive steam could continue, on and off, for months, even a year or more. And, again, that’s if everything goes as well as it possibly can from this point forward.
And the worst case scenario? Total meltdown, with massive radioactive fallout and many people sickened in the short term, then many thousands of excess cancer deaths for the next several decades.
So much for “safe, clean, and too cheap to meter.”
In this era of hyper-partisanship, any sign of bipartisan cooperation is usually welcome. But this particular Obama-Republican flirtation might have come at an awkward moment, in light of recent events in Japan…
An article from McClatchy, about the attempt by Republicans to revive the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site, included the following little nuggets:
“…They want to revive the site as part of a broader plan that calls for building 200 new nuclear plants by 2030. Under that plan, the nation would begin building nuclear plants on an unprecedented scale: Currently, the nation gets 20 percent of its electricity from 104 nuclear reactors…
…Obama, though, has become a fan of nuclear power, reflecting how much things have changed since the “no-nukes” days of the 1970s. He regards nuclear power as an important part of his push for “clean energy.”
And nuclear power is moving up on the agenda on Capitol Hill after the president talked it up in his State of the Union speech. Since then, Republicans have repeatedly cited nuclear power as an issue that could result in their cooperation with the White House.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/03/13/110282/yucca-mountain-still-alive-under.html
So they can’t come to an agreement on a budget, or health care, or any number of other pressing issues, but the one thing Obama and the Republicans can agree on is nuclear power?
Not good.
In this era of hyper-partisanship, any sign of bipartisan cooperation is usually welcome. But this particular Obama-Republican flirtation might have come at an awkward moment, in light of recent events in Japan…
An article from McClatchy, about the attempt by Republicans to revive the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site, included the following little nuggets:
“…They want to revive the site as part of a broader plan that calls for building 200 new nuclear plants by 2030. Under that plan, the nation would begin building nuclear plants on an unprecedented scale: Currently, the nation gets 20 percent of its electricity from 104 nuclear reactors…
…Obama, though, has become a fan of nuclear power, reflecting how much things have changed since the “no-nukes” days of the 1970s. He regards nuclear power as an important part of his push for “clean energy.”
And nuclear power is moving up on the agenda on Capitol Hill after the president talked it up in his State of the Union speech. Since then, Republicans have repeatedly cited nuclear power as an issue that could result in their cooperation with the White House.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/03/13/110282/yucca-mountain-still-alive-under.html
So they can’t come to an agreement on a budget, or health care, or any number of other pressing issues, but the one thing Obama and the Republicans can agree on is nuclear power?
Not good.
The president promoted the issue again last month in his 2012 budget, which called for spending another $36 billion on loan guarantees to help build more nuclear plants.”
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/03/13/110282/yucca-mountain-still-alive-under.html
I wonder how many rooftop solar systems and wind turbines you could build with $36 billion?
The president promoted the issue again last month in his 2012 budget, which called for spending another $36 billion on loan guarantees to help build more nuclear plants.”
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/03/13/110282/yucca-mountain-still-alive-under.html
I wonder how many rooftop solar systems and wind turbines you could build with $36 billion?
And here we go again: Now a third reactor is overheating.
Another nuclear reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan has lost its cooling capabilities, the country’s chief Cabinet secretary said Monday.
The problem was detected in the plant’s No. 2 reactor Monday afternoon, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters.
Water levels were falling and pressure was building up inside, he said, and officials were working on a plan to release pressure and also inject seawater into that reactor.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/14/japan-quake-live-blog-rescuers-from-all-over-pitch-in-to-help/?hpt=T1
And here we go again: Now a third reactor is overheating.
Another nuclear reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan has lost its cooling capabilities, the country’s chief Cabinet secretary said Monday.
The problem was detected in the plant’s No. 2 reactor Monday afternoon, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters.
Water levels were falling and pressure was building up inside, he said, and officials were working on a plan to release pressure and also inject seawater into that reactor.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/14/japan-quake-live-blog-rescuers-from-all-over-pitch-in-to-help/?hpt=T1
The New York Times seems to have very up to date information. Things are not looking good.
The New York Times seems to have very up to date information. Things are not looking good.
Thank you, Kim, for your excellent coverage.