Video of new explosion at Fukushima nuclear plant

[Joe234]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/...20042728.shtml
Second explosion at stricken Japan nuke plant


(AP) SOMA, Japan (AP) — The second hydrogen explosion in three days rocked Japan's stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant Monday, sending a massive column of smoke into the air and wounding 6 workers. The plant's operator said radiation levels at the reactor were still within legal limits.

The explosion at the plant's Unit 3, which authorities have been frantically trying to cool following a system failure in the wake of a massive earthquake and tsunami, triggered an order for hundreds of people to stay indoors, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said radiation levels at Unit 3 were 10.65 microsieverts, significantly under the 500 microsieverts at which a nuclear operator must file a report to the government.

The blast follows a similar explosion Saturday that took place at the plant's Unit 1, which injured four workers and caused mass-evacuations.

Japan's nuclear safety agency said 6 workers were injured in Monday's explosion but it was not immediately clear how, or whether they were exposed to radiation. They were all conscious, said the agency's Ryohei Shomi.

The reactor's inner containment vessel holding nuclear rods was intact, Edano said, allaying some fears of the risk to the environment and public. TV footage of the building housing the reactor appeared to show similar damage to Monday's blast, with outer walls shorn off, leaving only a skeletal frame.

More than 180,000 people have evacuated the area in recent days, and up to 160 may have been exposed to radiation.

Earlier Monday, pressure had jumped inside Unit 3, forcing the evacuation of 21 workers. But they returned to work after levels appeared to ease.

Associated Press journalists felt the explosion in the tsunami-devastated port town of Soma, some 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of the reactor. They reported feeling the faint rumble of a blast and the ground shaking.

Four nuclear plants in northeastern Japan have reported damage, but the danger was greatest at Fukushima's Dai-ichi plant. Operators have lost the ability to cool three reactors at Dai-ichi and three more at another nearby complex using usual procedures, after the quake knocked out power and the tsunami swamped backup generators.

Operators have been dumping seawater into units 1 and 3 in a last-ditch measure to cool the reactors. They were getting water into the other four reactors with cooling problems without resorting to corrosive sea water, which likely makes the reactors unusable.

___

Yuasa reported from Tokyo.

[snusjus]

So much for nuclear power plants being the "safest" form of energy. I hope there isn't a complete meltdown; that would be decimating to Japan. So far, only a small amount of radiation has been leaked -- hopefully it doesn't get worse.

[sgreger1]

Amazing picture here:

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/in...1_RTR2JTXO.jpg

Video of it happening here:

Satellite Before And After Photos




Japanese are good at suppressing information too, no one knows how bad the nuclear situation really is. Our Air craft carriers picked up radiation in the air on their way over there which is a bad sign.

[deadohsky]

Amazing picture here:

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/in...1_RTR2JTXO.jpg

Video of it happening here:

Satellite Before And After Photos




Japanese are good at suppressing information too, no one knows how bad the nuclear situation really is. Our Air craft carriers picked up radiation in the air on their way over there which is a bad sign.

That is a crazy video, i saw it earlier. I was five minutes late for work tonight because i was watching a bunch of videos like that lol. It's an amazing amount of power behind that water.

[Joe234]

3rd reactor loses cooling at Japan nuclear plant
The operator of a quake-stricken nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan says a third reactor has lost its cooling capacity, which could lead to overheating and an explosion similar to two blasts at its other reactors.
Tokyo Electric Power Co. official Takako Kitajima said Monday that plant workers were preparing to inject seawater into the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant's Unit 2 to cool down its reactor following the loss of its cooling system. Kitajima said officials are also set to take other steps, including a release of pressure through ventilation if the reactor overheats. (AP)
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...041862,00.html


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Tests detect radioactivity on 17 U.S. Navy crew members in Japan

(CNN) -- Tests detected low levels of radioactivity on 17 U.S. Navy helicopter crew members when they returned to the USS Ronald Reagan after conducting disaster relief missions in Japan, the military said Monday.
No further contamination was detected after the crew members washed with soap and water, the Navy said.
In addition, the Navy said the U.S. 7th Fleet has temporarily repositioned its ships and planes away from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after detecting low level contamination in the air and on its planes in the area, the Navy said.
One ship was operating about 100 miles northeast of the power plant when "airborne radioactivity" was detected, the Navy said.
The Navy's statement, however, provided some perspective, noting that the maximum potential radiation dose received by ship personnel when it passed through the area was "less than the radiation exposure received from about one month of exposure to natural background radiation from sources such as rocks, soil, and the sun."
On Sunday, the USS Ronald Reagan started delivering aid in the coastal regions of Japan's Miyagi prefecture.
Crew members, in conjunction with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces, conducted 20 sorties delivering aid pallets.
Eight U.S. and Japanese helicopters were used to distribute the pallets, according to Sgt. Maj. Stephen Valley of U.S. Forces Japan.
Workers are scrambling to cool down fuel rods and prevent a full meltdown in three reactors at the earthquake-hit plant.
Radioactive steam has been released intentionally to lessen growing pressure in the reactors.

[Frosted]

m e l t d o w n

[Bigblue1]

Hydrogen my ass. Does anybody really believe that was just hydrogen going up. Gimme a break. This thing is out of control.

[Darwin]

A hydrogen explosion is actually the most likely explanation. The ancillary buildings and equipment were at least partially wrecked in the quake and so lots of problems with high-pressure this, that, and the other are being experienced. Reactor containment vessels are much tougher customers and little short of an actual nuclear weapon going off inside one would breach it. In extremis a core meltdown is possible but again a containment structure breach is very unlikely. A meltdown would certainly be a financial disaster for the affected electrical company but an apocalyptic Chernobyl style wholesale contamination of the countryside is wildly unlikely.

[Bigblue1]

http://www.infowars.com/cover-up-of-...tion-underway/

[sgreger1]

ZOMG A MONTHS WORTH OF RADIATION IN ONLY AN HOUR... That's like... 2 whole chest xrays!


There are going to be some clouds of radioactive particles floating around but nothing to be worried about really. The amount of radiation we're talking about here is similar to
the amount an xray technician gets or someone who has to get frequent diagnostic imagine test for a medical condition or something.


The explosions were hydrogen and every scientists I have heard chime in on the matter agrees that that's what it was. The question is, how did this all happen in the first place? These facilities were designed to be able to function in the event of a catastrophe like this happening, particularly they are built so that if they lose power, the cooling systems have enough juice to continue cooling the core long enough for them to slow down the reaction and bring it to a hault. That takes several days, so when these things were built, there was a backup system so things like this didn't happen. I have heard more than one nuclear scientist make mention of how odd it is that a power outage caused the cooling systems on all these reactors to shut down, they are designed to function even in the absence of the main power source. Either this is one of those BP moments where it was just a perfect storm of things messing up, or there may be more to the story. Apparently even in an earthquake/tsunami and without power the facility should be able to keep the cooling systems on long enough to avoid a meltdown.

[Darwin]

I don't think that the Fukushima plant was directly affected by the tsunami but it was shaken like a rag doll in the mouth of God's own rat terrier. Nobody is better than the Japanese at building to minimize earthquake damage but this event was unprecedented--a 9.0 is about as extreme as is theoretically possible in terms of the Earth's potential tectonic disturbances. It might of course be possible to build a facility that would survive such an extremity intact but my guess is that it would never actually be built because of the fantastic expense.

[Joe234]

Third Reactor at Fukushima Nuclear Plant Explodes



Third Reactor at Fukushima Nuclear Plant Explodes

http://abcnews.go.com/International/...ry?id=13131123


ALERT!!! - A 3rd Blast Now Reported At 2nd Reactor at Fukushima Facility...!

U.S. stocks finish in the red as Japan remains in focus

http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/14/mark...york/index.htm

We have two possible scenarios according to CNN's Anderson Cooper. Either 3 Three Miles Islands or 3 Chernobyls.

Japan's prime minister: Risk of further release of radioactive material from nuclear power plant remains "very high."

New blast shakes nuclear plant
http://www.cnn.com/

The United States Geological Survey has revised the magnitude of March 11 Japanese #quake to 9.0 http://on.cnn.com/hg0lJl - @cnnbrk

[Joe234]

4th Reactor on Fire

4th Reactor on Fire


By The Associated Press, Monday, March 14, 10:12 PM


TOKYO — Japan spokesman says 4th reactor at damaged nuclear plant on fire, more radiation released.


Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Japan spokesman says 4th reactor at damaged nuclear plant on fire, more radiation released

[Premium Parrots]

thanks for the updates. I hate watching the news.

[Joe234]

Radiation levels at N-plant a threat to health: Kan

Evacuation to 30 km

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Radiat...e1-673565.aspx




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