smiths wrote:5.30am: @tukky_nt RT @Reuters: FLASH: #Japan nuclear authorities say high possibility of meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi No. 1 reactor - Jiji. RT @TomokoHosaka: Japan nuclear safety commission official says meltdown at nuclear power plant possible, AP confirms. #earthquake #jpquake
5.20am: Kyodo news has just reported that the Fukushima nuclear plant might be experiencing nuclear meltdown.
Japan finds radioactive material leak at quake-hit Fukushima plant TOKYO, March 12, Kyodo
Radiation rose to an unusually high level in and near Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant Saturday following the powerful earthquake that hit northern Japan the previous day, the nuclear safety agency said, making it the first case of an external leak of radioactive substances since the disaster.
While the agency denied the radiation amount will pose an immediate threat to the health of nearby residents, the impact of the quake appeared to widen as the agency added the area close to the Fukushima No. 2 nuclear plant as a zone that requires evacuation.
Given the adjacent No. 2 plant also has quake-triggered malfunctions, the operator of the two plants in Fukushima Prefecture is set to release pressure in containers housing their reactors under an unprecedented government order, so as to avoid the plants sustaining damage and losing their critical containment function.
But the action would involve the release of steam that would likely include radioactive materials.
The amount of radiation reached around 1,000 times the normal level in the control room of the No. 1 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 plant, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said.
The agency also said radiation has been measured at more than eight times the normal level near the main gate of the plant.
The authorities expanded the evacuation area for residents in the vicinity of the No. 1 plant from a 3-kilometer radius to 10 km on the orders of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who visited the facility.
The government also declared that the Fukushima No. 2 plant is under a state of atomic-power emergency, in addition to the No. 1 plant, and expanded the evacuation area to include the vicinity of the No. 2 plant.
The instruction covers residents living in a radius of 3 kilometers of the Fukushima No. 2 plant. Those living in a radius of 3-10 kilometers of the plant have also been advised to stay inside.
how could it be that they don't KNOW for sure if it's melting or not. WTF happened ? Hard to believe ECCS has failed. now. this long after the control rods went in. this is weird.
Press Release (Mar 12,2011) Impact to TEPCO's Facilities due to Miyagiken-Oki Earthquake (as of 10AM)
Below is major impact to TEPCO's facilities due to the Miyagiken-Oki Earthquake that occurred yesterday at 2:46PM. *new items are underlined
[Nuclear Power Station] Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: Units 1 to 3: shutdown due to earthquake Units 4 to 6: outage due to regular inspection * The national government has instructed evacuation for those local residents within 10km radius of the periphery. * Measurement of radioactive material (Iodine, etc.) by monitoring car indicates increasing value compared to normal level. One of the monitoring posts is also indicating higher than normal level. We will continue monitoring discharge of radioactive material from exhaust stack and discharge canal, etc. * Considering the increasing pressure with in the reactor containment vessel of Unit 1, the national government has instructed us to implement measures to reduce the pressure of the reactor containment vessel (partial discharge of air containing radioactive materials) in order to fully secure safety.
Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station: Units 1 to 4: shutdown due to earthquake * The national government has instructed evacuation for those local residents within 3km radius of the periphery and indoor standby for those local residents between 3km and 10km radius of the periphery. * At present, we have decided to prepare implementing measures to reduce the pressure of the reactor containment vessel (partial discharge of air containing radioactive materials) in order to fully secure safety. These measures are considered to be implemented in Units 1 to 4 and accordingly, we have reported and/or noticed the government agencies concerned.
FYI offical name: the Miyagi Ken-Oki Earthquake
By 1964 there were 1.5 million mobile phone users in the US
Sponge Bob, temporary power has reportedly been restored but some other gear isn't working right. They're relieving pressure as they can; some reports indicate this worked, but details remain unclear. TEPCO (an ex-client of mine) to the contrary, it's hard not to interpret cesium release as clearly indicating some fuel exposure/damage. comment by another expert at 12:58 AM
------------- The falling water levels mentioned are a result of the steam/gas venting operations. Water levels will be restored once charging pumps power supplies are restored. comment by Delayed Neutron at 12:56 AM ----------------------- @Andrew Even if fuel rods are exposed, it does not mean they would start melting right away," said Tomoko Murakami, leader of the nuclear energy group at Japan's Institute of Energy Economics.
"Even if fuel rods melt and the pressure inside the reactor builds up, radiation would not leak as long as the reactor container functions well."
TEPCO confirmed that water levels were falling but it was working to avert any exposure of the nuclear fuel rods.
"There is a falling trend (in water levels) but we have not confirmed an exposure of nuclear fuel rods," a TEPCO spokesman said comment by Mannapete at 12:54 AM ----------------------- Does anyone know why the Reactor Pressure Vessel could not be depressurized? And why temp power has not been restored?
Seems like some of these guys having this live conversation may have ties to the industry.
It seems to me like its fairly official. Seems like a melt down has begun. When you find liquid cesium running around that means it is melting from the way I understand it.
alwyn wrote:montmorillonite bentonite, kelp, miso soup, chlorella, sea salt, no sugar....things to eat in case of fallout...let us hope it does not come to that.
and also
So useful and strong is sodium bicarbonate that at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, researcher Don York has used baking soda to clean soil contaminated with uranium. Sodium bicarbonate binds with uranium, separating it from the dirt; so far, York has removed as much as 92 percent of the uranium from contaminated soil samples. I started writing about baking soda after discovering that the United States Army recommends the use of bicarbonate to protect the kidneys from radiation damage.
8.35am: The nuclear plant's operators say four people were injured in the explosion, Kyodo news agency reports.
NHK is advising people in the Fukushima area to stay inside, close doors and windows and turn off air conditioning. They have also been advised (presumably if caught outside?) to cover their mouths with masks, towels or handkerchiefs
7.56am: My colleague Justin McCurry in Japan says explosion reported at Fukushima Daiichi (No 1) reactor at 15:36 local time (06:30GMT). TV footage shows smoke rising from plant.
7.52am: Japanese media reporting that explosion heard at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi plant around 0630 GMT - more soon
ABC News just interrupted the Jimmy Kimmel show to report the explosion, and that the roof has collapsed on one of the reactors, and that presumably a meltdown is beginning.
Probably at about 00:40 am Pacific time.
Holy shit.
"He who wounds the ecosphere literally wounds God" -- Philip K. Dick
9.03am: Chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano has told a press conference that he cannot confirm that the explosion at the nuclear power plant was the reactor, saying details of the incident remained unclear. He said authorities were prepared for the worst emergency but urged people to remain calm and not to listen to rumours. He also asked them to conserve electricity.
I guess we should keep our fingers crossed ......
"He who wounds the ecosphere literally wounds God" -- Philip K. Dick
Considering that this facility is most likely structurally damaged getting this under control may be fairly close to impossible. If it cannot be contained I have no idea how they will ever get it under control.
eyeno wrote:Considering that this facility is most likely structurally damaged getting this under control may be fairly close to impossible. If it cannot be contained I have no idea how they will ever get it under control.
well, they can air drop concrete all over it, slow, but do-able.
if this get's any worse I'm going to be very surprised, I wouldn't have expected total failure of all protection systems. particularly since they should have been able to maintain water flow based on what's been reported. the quake must have screwed up internal pipes or something...
NHK live english video feed is talking about the ECCS. all 19 emergency diesel generators failed.
By 1964 there were 1.5 million mobile phone users in the US
