PDA

View Full Version : Earthquake, Tsunami hit Japan



Pages : [1] 2

dando
03-11-11, 07:08 AM
8.9 quake hits Japan followed by tsunami, followed by a 4.5 quake on the main island in Hawaii and tsunami expected to hit ~8am ET. :eek:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704399804576193650432765520.html?m od=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories

-Kevin

cameraman
03-11-11, 07:17 AM
The damage in Japan is immense. The helicopter video of the wave front washing over cities in stunning.

cameraman
03-11-11, 07:25 AM
They have lost cooling at one of the nuclear plants in Japan. State of emergency declared but no radiation leakage yet.

chop456
03-11-11, 08:38 AM
60 dead already. Maybe a less funny thread title?

"Queensland gets awesome new lake! Film at 11!"

extramundane
03-11-11, 08:55 AM
Sweet Jesus. Some of the photos are frightening.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/03/11/world/asia/20110311_japan-3.html

Insomniac
03-11-11, 10:02 AM
This is looking pretty bad.

NismoZ
03-11-11, 10:09 AM
I am immediately struck by how much we already know and can see about an event that JUST Happened. Pictures and video are unlike anything I've seen! The aerial shots of those waves sweeping everything away are awe inspiring. What manufacturer had all those cars ready for shipment swept away? (better buy one already shipped if you were considering one!) "One of our TRAINS is missing!?" ...100 on a boat unaccounted for? Wow:(

TKGAngel
03-11-11, 10:11 AM
Its going to get worse before it gets better.

Those photos are haunting. They reflect the fury of Mother Earth and how powerless we are against it. I will take my snowstorms any day over any of this.

Thoughts and prayers are with everyone over there right now.

Insomniac
03-11-11, 11:03 AM
I am immediately struck by how much we already know and can see about an event that JUST Happened. Pictures and video are unlike anything I've seen! The aerial shots of those waves sweeping everything away are awe inspiring. What manufacturer had all those cars ready for shipment swept away? (better buy one already shipped if you were considering one!) "One of our TRAINS is missing!?" ...100 on a boat unaccounted for? Wow:(

I don't think that was a bunch of cars ready for shipment (if we saw the same video). It seemed like a collection of different cars, trucks, boats and debris all being swept inland. It is crazy to watch how the wave just keeps going further and further inland. It's not the big tall wave that comes to mind when I think tsunami. It seems different from the video of the 2004 Indonesian Tsunami.

West Coast is going to be affected soon.

Ankf00
03-11-11, 11:38 AM
dammit, all those 12pm noon Tuesday tsunami alarm tests I went through at SF, now I'm going to miss the real thing :gomer:

one of the first pics in that NYT gallery showing the wave flowing is just :eek:

nrc
03-11-11, 11:46 AM
I don't think that was a bunch of cars ready for shipment (if we saw the same video). It seemed like a collection of different cars, trucks, boats and debris all being swept inland. It is crazy to watch how the wave just keeps going further and further inland. It's not the big tall wave that comes to mind when I think tsunami. It seems different from the video of the 2004 Indonesian Tsunami.

West Coast is going to be affected soon.

This is the pic with the cars waiting for shipment.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/03/11/world/asia/20110311_japan-19.html

One account I heard suggested that there were multiple waves. An initial 30 foot wave followed by smaller waves that carried further inland.

Insomniac
03-11-11, 12:54 PM
This is the pic with the cars waiting for shipment.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/03/11/world/asia/20110311_japan-19.html

One account I heard suggested that there were multiple waves. An initial 30 foot wave followed by smaller waves that carried further inland.

Ahhh, We weren't looking at the same picture. :)

On CNN, they mentioned data from Hawaii showed there were 5 waves that caused the levels to go up 6-7 ft and down 6-7ft causing 13ft swings.

Insomniac
03-11-11, 01:17 PM
If you can get it to load, the NOAA has some models of the Honshu tsunami.

http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/honshu20110311/

Gnam
03-11-11, 02:31 PM
Frightening. :(

Tsunami effects as you move West:

San Francisco: 2 to 5 feet
Tide went out futher than normal over about 10 minutes then came back in.
story: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/11/BAEU1I9993.DTL&tsp=1
photo: http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2011/03/11/ba-tsunami11_0503129274.jpg

Hawaiian Islands: 3 to 7 feet
Waikiki beach swamped but no major flooding or damage.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/sns-bc-us--travel-pacific-tsunami,0,336169.story

Guam: 2 foot surge, outer reefs may have limited effects
Navy reports suction was strong enough to snap the mooring lines of two attack submarines.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/03/navy-sends-6-ships-tsunami-relief-031111w/

Ankf00
03-11-11, 03:08 PM
boston globe always has pheneomal photo galleries

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/03/massive_earthquake_hits_japan.html


An energy map provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows the intensity of the tsunami caused by the magnitude 8.9 earthquake which struck Japan on March 11, 2011. A tsunami warning has been issued for the entire Pacific basin except mainland United States and Canada following a huge earthquake that hit Japan on Friday, the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. The warning includes Hawaii and extends from Mexico down to South American countries on the Pacific, the center said. (NOAA/Tsunami Warning Center/)#

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/quake1/bp12.jpg

Ankf00
03-11-11, 03:10 PM
thaaaaats gonna cost alot of money

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/quake1/bp36.jpg

Kiwifan
03-11-11, 03:17 PM
My heart goes out to the people of Japan.

We are just now hearing from some of the USAR workers coming back from Christchurch and the stories are chilling. Some of the guys have served in Afghanistan and said the aftermath was far far worse than a war zone. Sadly quite a few of the dead were Japanese English Language students so Japan was one of the first countries to offer help.

I would hope NZ would repay the favour by sending help in (if needed) but to be honest we are still struggling and our services are quite stretched.

The force of that water.... :cry:

devilmaster
03-11-11, 03:23 PM
from bbc news:


More on the troubled nuclear plant: Japan's trade minister, Banri Kaieda, says authorities are nearing a decision to release radioactive steam from the Fukushima nuclear reactor in a bid to ease a build-up of pressure, AFP reports. Thousands of local residents have been evacuated


1908[edit:thats 2:08 est, dm]: A magnitude 6.6 quake has now struck in central Japan, AP news agency reports, causing Tokyo buildings to sway. It is not clear if this is connected to the earlier quake and aftershocks. More on this as we get it.



1923: There have been no reports of damage so far from the new quake. There have been dozens of aftershocks following the main quake more than 13 hours ago, but this one is in a different location.

TravelGal
03-11-11, 03:24 PM
I'm reading that the tsunami travels up to 500 miles an hour, which doesn't give a lot of time to get out of its way--even if you could. According to friends in Malibu, it was a non-event there. At least some good news.

devilmaster
03-11-11, 03:30 PM
markets are dropping, oil prices are dropping....

TravelGal
03-11-11, 03:31 PM
DM. I was wondering about the aftershocks. When you start with 8.9, the aftershocks are going to be greater than most originating earthquakes. I had read that there was a 4.5 but cannot confirm. This one, alas, appears to be different. That poor country.

Kiwifan
03-11-11, 03:53 PM
The aftershocks down here are rattling everyones nerves, 23 in Christchurch yesterday ranging from 2.4 to 4.2. The drama here is that ours are so shallow and so close to the CBD, 5km deep and 5-10km from the CBD, the Japanese quake was massive but quite deep and quite far away.

Having said that the tsunami that followed the Japanese quake was made much worse but the distance from the coast. The first waves have just hit NZ, (8.52am local time) 30cm expecting to rise to 1 metre.

Wow.....

Gnam
03-11-11, 04:30 PM
Story on the Fukushima reactor: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/03/11/international/i050530S54.DTL&tsp=1

There were American workers on duty at the reactor plant when the quake struck. One of them was able to call his wife back in Louisiana. From his description it sounds like a disaster movie with people running from one catastrophe to the next.

Article also mentioned that 10 of Japan's reactors are shut down due to various problems caused by the quake. What a mess.

devilmaster
03-11-11, 04:37 PM
DM. I was wondering about the aftershocks. When you start with 8.9, the aftershocks are going to be greater than most originating earthquakes. I had read that there was a 4.5 but cannot confirm. This one, alas, appears to be different. That poor country.

The problem is that Japan sits on the conflagration of 4 to 5 tectonic plates.
One incident may trigger other shifts in the adjoining plates... I suppose thats why they're wondering if its new or just an aftershock..

http://cnic.jp/english/newsletter/nit103/nit103img/TectonicJapan.gif

devilmaster
03-11-11, 04:54 PM
2030: The US Coast Guard helicopters are searching for a man who was swept out to sea by powerful waves generated by the tsunami in Northern California, the Associated Press reports. Officials say the man was taking photos of the tsunami with two friends near the mouth of the Klamath river in Del Norte County. The two friends were able to get back to shore.

:irked:

NismoZ
03-11-11, 06:15 PM
FOUR entire trains along the coast missing!? Radiation levels at reactors 1000-8000X above accepted norms! AFTER shocks of 6.3-6.7! Entire towns with nothing but foundations visable! Daybreak in Japan, lots of people on rooftops. I hope every possible US asset is being brought in. heartbreaking.:(

Gnam
03-11-11, 06:40 PM
At least 10 US Naval vessels are headed to Japan, including three large flat deck ships:

USS Ronald Reagan - aircraft carrier
USS Essex - amphibious assault ship
USS Boxer - amphibious assault ship

http://www.forexyard.com/en/news/Navy-ships-prepared-for-Japan-earthquake-relief-2011-03-11T210443Z-FACTBOX-US

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington is home ported in Japan, but it is undergoing scheduled maintenance repairs.

Anteater
03-11-11, 07:04 PM
Those photos are horrific! :eek: I just want to pray for those poor people.

Still waiting to hear how my friend Ryoko's family is, as well as my sister's boyfriend (he teaches English over there).

Here on the So. Cal. coast, the authorities closed the local harbor and Coast Highway until the tsunami threat passed. Saw lots of boats out at sea.

devilmaster
03-11-11, 07:13 PM
2310: More from the Tokyo Electric Power Company: It says the ability to control pressure in some of the reactors at Fukushima-Daini has been lost. Pressure is stable inside the reactors, but rising in the containment vessels, a company spokesman says.

Gnam
03-11-11, 07:16 PM
Here is a photo of the tsunami arriving in the San Francisco Bay.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/inberkeley/detail?entry_id=84822&tsp=1

It's looking West toward the city with the Bay bridge in the middle of the photo. It says the photo was taken at 9:38 PST on Friday, which means it took the wave 11 hrs 52 min to cross 4,915 miles of open ocean. Average speed 414 mph.

Elmo T
03-11-11, 07:32 PM
CA-TF2 (LA County FD), just back from New Zealand, is now being deployed to Japan. This deployment will include swiftwater capabilities.

Their FB page here (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Los-Angeles-County-Fire-Tech-Services/268856409432).

The videos out of Japan are truly horrifying.

TravelGal
03-11-11, 09:03 PM
I see that Fairfax, VA is headed out also.

The eddies of debris, formerly known as boats and/or automobiles, are unbelievable. I have to make myself stop reading about it.

On a lighter note, just had an email from a friend on the NCL Star, docking tomorrow in San Pedro so you know how close they are to CA (and far from Japan). She said she got on the elevator this morning with two women who were hysterical thinking they were going to die when the tsunami hit the ship and knocked it over.

My friend explained that they would not even feel it as it passed. The captain came on about 10 minutes later to explain the same thing. I guess that fear was more widespread than we might imagine. I did wonder about all the ships in Japanese waters but they all reported no problems.

nrc
03-12-11, 03:38 AM
Reports are that the coast of japan has moved eight feet and the earth has shifted on it's axis by four inches. :eek:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/12/japan.earthquake.tsunami.earth/

cameraman
03-12-11, 05:00 AM
A building at one of the Japanese nuclear plants just exploded. The building simply disappeared in a massive explosion.:eek:

Indy
03-12-11, 09:40 AM
Video of it here: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/12/video-of-japanese-nuclear-plant-explosion/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Not good. :(

stroker
03-12-11, 10:27 AM
Right about now is when the Norks will start acting up...

cameraman
03-12-11, 10:52 AM
Confirmed as a hydrogen explosion. They are now flooding the reactor with sea water.

cameraman
03-12-11, 10:54 AM
One city alone has over 10,000 missing:shakehead

devilmaster
03-12-11, 11:24 AM
What everyone seems to be saying is that the reactor containment vessel (which apparently is waaaay better than the containment vessel of chernobyl)
was probably not damaged in the explosion.

The radioactive vapour which was released mixed with oxygen and destroyed the outer building, which was not the containment vessel.

There are reports that small amounts of cesium and iodine are outside of the plant, which means at least a partial meltdown.

But if they are, as is being reported, that they're dumping seawater into the reactor vessel, it will should be able to cool the vessel, but renders it permanently useless. At least you have more time to clean it up better....

[edit] but just to be safe, might have a couple glasses of red wine later... ;)

devilmaster
03-12-11, 03:45 PM
Why do I get the funny feeling with all that's going on in japan that the jackoffs in north korea might pull something?

TravelGal
03-12-11, 03:54 PM
:eek:

First blush, sounds possible (notice I didn't say reasonable). Second thought, with all those US warships headed there, maybe not.

dando
03-12-11, 04:26 PM
Why do I get the funny feeling with all that's going on in japan that the jackoffs in north korea might pull something?

Crossed my mind yesterday as well.

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/kim_jong_il_team_america_2.jpg

:(

-Kevin

Elmo T
03-12-11, 04:45 PM
Crossed my mind yesterday as well.

-Kevin

Me three -

Between the devastation in Japan and existing tensions all over, I fear the response would be immediate and overwhelming. Folks aren't in the mood for NK shenanigans at the moment. :rolleyes:

Elmo T
03-12-11, 04:50 PM
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2011/03/12/nhk.japan.before.after.nhk?hpt=C2

Before and after video - :(

Michaelhatesfans
03-12-11, 06:02 PM
Between the devastation in Japan and existing tensions all over, I fear the response would be immediate and overwhelming. Folks aren't in the mood for NK shenanigans at the moment. :rolleyes:

Agreed - I think even the Russians and Chinese would look the other way while the rest of the world unleashed a ****load of frustration on N Korea. Not to say that N Korea is smart enough to realize that...

dando
03-13-11, 03:47 PM
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

:eek: x11

-Kevin

TKGAngel
03-13-11, 04:28 PM
I just read on CNN about a gentleman who was found alive on the roof of his house...9 miles out to sea. Wow.

SteveH
03-13-11, 07:32 PM
incredible pictures (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1365569/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-10-000-people-missing-Minamisanriku-aftershocks-hamper-rescue-efforts.html)

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/03/13/article-1365569-0B28F0E000000578-116_964x604.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/03/13/article-1365569-0B2773C200000578-51_964x633.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/03/13/article-1365569-0B27234100000578-226_964x639.jpg

stroker
03-13-11, 09:07 PM
Poor bastards. The kids of 2011 will remember it like the kids of 1946.

stroker
03-13-11, 11:02 PM
Y'know, I have to wonder... Do you think this situation will cause any concern in Tehran, because Iran never has earthquakes or anything.... You don't think their population might be having second thoughts on their "peaceful non-weapons nuclear power" for fear of something happening? Because it begs a second question--who'd offer to help the lousy mofos if it did?

SurfaceUnits
03-13-11, 11:12 PM
In a suprise move, North Korea launched a massive nuclear attack today destroying all of Asia, killing more than 4 billion people. The UN Security Council is expected to take up discussion of this incident at its regularly scheduled meeting next month. Onion News Network

devilmaster
03-13-11, 11:21 PM
2nd explosion at fukushima... reactor 3 has exploded, officials say it was similar incident to reactor 1... hydrogen release into the containment building :(

[edit]bbc now reporting 3 injured, 7 missing in the blast...

stroker
03-14-11, 08:13 AM
Any bets on when somebody uses the data for this to model the same tsunami hitting So Cal?

Michaelhatesfans
03-14-11, 09:41 AM
Any bets on when somebody uses the data for this to model the same tsunami hitting So Cal?

The effects of an 8.9 anywhere on the west coast are scarier, as our builiding codes aren't as stringent. May not be much left for a tsunami to hit.:\

Cam
03-14-11, 10:20 AM
Was just having a beer with a geophysicist mate of mine. The Pacific ring of fire is a dangerous hive of activity. Haiti, China, Christchurch, Banda Achah and now Japan. Go around the Pac rim. Where is next? :eek:

Ankf00
03-14-11, 10:25 AM
Haiti, China, Christchurch, Banda Achah and now Japan. Go around the Pac rim.

one of these things...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7LKRhGPVY28/TJ-qHXuiDpI/AAAAAAAAAFM/gT7WAlQ3NwM/s1600/sesame_street.jpg

Cam
03-14-11, 10:30 AM
one of these things...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7LKRhGPVY28/TJ-qHXuiDpI/AAAAAAAAAFM/gT7WAlQ3NwM/s1600/sesame_street.jpg

Haiti... Ja, But my well educated mate sez that it is on an equally dangerous fault. My bad for lumping it in with the other pac rims.

Gnam
03-14-11, 11:23 AM
An article on how hydrogen is generated during a meltdown.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/03/12-3

I don't think the author is a fan of nuclear energy. ;)

*edit: According to other sources, there is more than enough energy in the core to disassociate the water into oxygen and hydrogen gas. When they vented the steam, the built up hydrogen was also released until it ignited.

dando
03-14-11, 11:55 AM
Was just having a beer with a geophysicist mate of mine. The Pacific ring of fire is a dangerous hive of activity. Haiti, China, Christchurch, Banda Achah and now Japan. Go around the Pac rim. Where is next? :eek:

Don't forget the volcanoes that just blew in Japan and Indonesia. :eek:

-Kevin

Gnam
03-14-11, 03:10 PM
The USS Ronald Reagan arrived off the coast of Japan and started relief operations.
However, the radiation plume from Fukushima forced them farther north after helicopter crews were found to have been exposed to low level radiation.

The ABC article mentions they have suspened operations until they figure out how to protect the sailors and airmen.


A US official said the ship has now moved north, away from where the radiation was detected and the ship's helicopters are not flying until a mitigating strategy to reduce exposure to the ships' crews is determined. Davis stressed that the commitment to the relief mission will continue.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/uss-carrier-ronald-reagan-moved-detecting-radioactive-plume/story?id=13129409

Wonder if they'll require rescue crews to wear radiation suits?

devilmaster
03-14-11, 03:56 PM
The ABC article mentions they have suspended operations until they figure out how to protect the sailors and airmen.

Wonder if they'll require rescue crews to wear radiation suits?

They probably didn't have them stored onboard, but i have no doubt that there are suits for upper deck and flight deck crews.

With the reduced threat of global thermonuclear war (want to play a game?), it seems silly, but I suppose shipbuilders got away from wash down systems that uses sprinklers all across the ship to hose down the uppers if they had to sail through any type of NBC cloud.

All warships have citadels, which is a sealed section of the ship that has positive pressure vs the outside. Ships, for the most part, can be fully controlled within the citadel, to minimize exposure outside. Carriers are of course another story.

During the height of the cold war, Canadian warships were built with the 'round down' look. No sharp lines on the weather decks, the sides were intentionally designed to slope off so that a deck covered in any NBC could be washed off easily.

You can kind of see the round down look on the upper decks here...
http://www.readyayeready.com/ships/cadillac/gatineau.jpg

RaceGrrl
03-14-11, 04:08 PM
Was just having a beer with a geophysicist mate of mine. The Pacific ring of fire is a dangerous hive of activity. Haiti, China, Christchurch, Banda Achah and now Japan. Go around the Pac rim. Where is next? :eek:


:eek: is right- Northwestern US is in a subduction zone also.

Elmo T
03-14-11, 05:00 PM
Wonder if they'll require rescue crews to wear radiation suits?

Bigger issue is respiratory protection. And the hazmat suits will only protect you against radioactive dust that might settle on you.

There will still be serious decontamination issues.

Ankf00
03-14-11, 06:41 PM
What everyone seems to be saying is that the reactor containment vessel (which apparently is waaaay better than the containment vessel of chernobyl)
was probably not damaged in the explosion.

chernobyl had no containment structures

Gnam
03-14-11, 06:56 PM
I suspect if the reactors do meltdown, California will panic like a Justin Bieber fan in the front row. It'll be a solid line of Toyota Priuses headed East to the Nevada state line.

devilmaster
03-14-11, 07:08 PM
NHK Japan News is now reporting a blast has been heard at reactor number 2 now....

Power Company has evacuated some staff from the plant....

They believe, possibly, that the reactor vessel may have been damaged....

datachicane
03-14-11, 07:19 PM
chernobyl had no containment structures

Yep. IIRC the only plant in the U.S. with that design is at the never-ending nightmare that is Hanford. Did you know that, day or night, it takes a consistent 16 minutes for F16s to scramble from Fairchild and/or McChord and get there if some dude decides to go all crazy-stick over the reactor in an old Cessna?

Ask me how I know. :eek:

devilmaster
03-14-11, 08:00 PM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/japan-nuclear-reactors-and-seismic-activity/images/plant1.jpg

The new explosion came from the supression pool area. But the whole vessel including the core is being filled with seawater to cool it.

Gnam
03-14-11, 08:26 PM
I'm curious how the spent fuel rods survived the explosions as they are not protected inside the primary containment vessel.

devilmaster
03-14-11, 09:08 PM
Forget North Korea...

Now I'm wondering if and when the bosses of the Toyko Electric Power Company commit ritual suicide.... :shakehead

And also, in the land of electronics... isn't there one robot that can hold a giger counter and drive near the reactor? Everything the PR guys say is 'possible damage', 'may have been contaminated' etc....

devilmaster
03-14-11, 09:49 PM
Prime Minister will address the nation at 11 am local, 10 pm edt.... (12 min from now)

[edit]News guys in Japan are tweeting that their crews are being told to move north to avoid radiation...

here we go

radiation coming from reactors
high levels
more radiation coming out

Everyone out of 20 km... people 20 to 30 klicks remain indoors

people are to evac to 20 km from plant 2.

number 4 reactor at plant 1 now has a fire. Reactor 4 was not online, but spent fuel is stored there.

small amount of radioactive material is outside of reactor 2 after explosion...

hole observed in number 2 reactor

Next job is to maintain cooling in reactors 1, 2 and 3 and deal with reactor 4 fire

Rads now reported in milli, not micro sieverts....

radiation will be spread depending on wind speed and direction.

I have been told that its very probable that the reactor container is damaged.

Elmo T
03-14-11, 10:01 PM
And also, in the land of electronics... isn't there one robot that can hold a giger counter and drive near the reactor? Everything the PR guys say is 'possible damage', 'may have been contaminated' etc....

Yes - lots actually. I don't think they've gotten to the point where any response is proactive - all reactionary thus far.

devilmaster
03-14-11, 10:24 PM
Kan slams Tokyo Electric over late blast info

Prime Minister Naoto Kan has set up a joint task force with Tokyo Electric Power Company to better deal with overheating nuclear fuel rods at the power plant in quake-hit Fukushima prefecture.

Kan announced early Tuesday morning that he will head the team and that the government is taking every possible measure to contain the damage from the accident.

In the first meeting held at the power company, Kan strongly condemned the company for the way it has been addressing the problem. He said that when an explosion occurred at its No.1 reactor on Saturday, he watched the reports on television, and that the prime minister's office was not notified for about one hour.
Kan told the company officials to resolve to make an all out effort because they are the only ones who can deal with this problem.

He then demanded an explanation about the situation at the No.2 reactor and was informed that there was damage to the reactor's facility called the suppression pool, which is linked to the reactor containment vessel.

Kan was at the task force for about 3 hours and then returned to his office to attend a cabinet meeting.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011 10:39 +0900 (JST)


Heads are going to roll....

Michaelhatesfans
03-14-11, 11:40 PM
...people 20 to 30 klicks remain indoors

Interesting recommendation given the current housing situation.:irked:

Michaelhatesfans
03-15-11, 12:10 AM
http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/interactive/2011/03/world/gallery.japan.quake/images/lg.hrzgal.111.gi.jpg

Gnam
03-15-11, 12:59 AM
****!

Indy
03-15-11, 09:19 AM
Did some reading last night and learned more than I want to know about the nuclear situation. Truly frightening and heartbreaking. We are witnessing a catastrophe in slow motion.

By the way, I also learned that when it comes to U.S. plants and faultlines, we are in many places as vulnerable, plus we are less well protected than they were.

SteveH
03-15-11, 09:35 AM
Not at all encouraging.

In Fuel-Cooling Pools, a Danger for the Longer Term (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/world/asia/16fuel.html)

Don Quixote
03-15-11, 12:08 PM
Before and after interactive pics. Wow.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

racer2c
03-15-11, 03:41 PM
"It's clear we are at Level 6, that's to say we're at a level in between what happened at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl," Andre-Claude Lacoste, president of France's nuclear safety authority, told reporters Tuesday. link (http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/15/japan.nuclear/?hpt=T2)

cameraman
03-15-11, 04:17 PM
Some more of the before and after shots. The length of the list shows how widespread the damage is. It also has shots of two of the nuclear complexes. The main buildings survived but the waves swept away much of the support structures. It looks like the back up generators may have been washed away.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter2.htm

Gnam
03-15-11, 05:57 PM
Surgeon General to California: Stock up on iodine pills...

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Surgeon-General-Buying-Iodine-Appropriate-118031559.html

wot?

Ankf00
03-15-11, 06:22 PM
Surgeon General to California: Stock up on iodine pills...

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Surgeon-General-Buying-Iodine-Appropriate-118031559.html

wot?

you gun get dead!

Elmo T
03-15-11, 06:56 PM
Surgeon General to California: Stock up on iodine pills...


:rolleyes: :shakehead

Trees will be dumping pollen soon - I know we will get at least one call for radioactive fallout. :irked:

Ankf00
03-15-11, 07:00 PM
Haiti... Ja, But my well educated mate sez that it is on an equally dangerous fault. My bad for lumping it in with the other pac rims.

I was just being a smartass :)

nrc
03-15-11, 08:16 PM
Well, the Tsunami made it all the way across and that's just water... :gomer:

Let's be honest, as serious as the situation is, some folks are deliberately applying a nice thick coating of FUD over the very real concerns.

Ankf00
03-15-11, 08:38 PM
Let's be honest, as serious as the situation is, some folks are deliberately applying a nice thick coating of FUD over the very real concerns.

on my UT board there's a nuclear physicist who works for the state regulator, and is also on the state's nuclear disaster-related board, who is expressing the same thoughts. apparently the media reports are by and large worthless when it comes to accurately describing the nuke situation.

I'm still hoping for godzirra vs. mothra though.

Gnam
03-15-11, 08:55 PM
more photos of the damage to Japan's coast:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366395/Japan-tsunami-earthquake-Haunting-images-450-Britons-feared-missing.html

If you told me a sea monster rose from the depths and did this I would believe it. :(

dando
03-15-11, 09:05 PM
Gilbert Gotfired.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/03/gilbert-gottfried-fired-aflac-tsunami-jokes.html?cid=6a00d8341c630a53ef014e5fe16b48970c

-Kevin

nrc
03-15-11, 09:20 PM
Gilbert Gotfired.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/03/gilbert-gottfried-fired-aflac-tsunami-jokes.html?cid=6a00d8341c630a53ef014e5fe16b48970c

-Kevin

I guess it really was too soon this time.

Gnam
03-16-11, 02:02 PM
If the latest reports are accurate, the Japanese have increased the amount of allowable radiation exposure 250% to allow the plant workers to continue fighting the reactors, and the US military has been ordered to maintain a distance of 50 miles from the plant.

Dang.

Elmo T
03-16-11, 02:17 PM
If the latest reports are accurate, the Japanese have increased the amount of allowable radiation exposure 250% to allow the plant workers to continue fighting the reactors

Not surprising. With the Limerick reactors in neighboring Montgomery County, the designated acceptable levels for the general public were much lower than the allowable dosages for emergency responders.

What choice do they have? :(

This comes to mind when I read about those staying trying to bring this under control. Lots of web sites out there, but a concise read here (http://www.damninteresting.com/chernobyl-part-iii).

http://i54.tinypic.com/120gr9i.jpg

Gnam
03-16-11, 08:12 PM
Don't mind us. Nothing to see here. Be about your business.


More radiation monitors are being deployed in the western United States and Pacific territories, as officials seek to mollify public concern over exposure from damaged nuclear plants in Japan, federal environmental regulators said.

EPA told The Associated Press it is adding two more stations in Hawaii and two in Guam. In Alaska, officials are setting up three new monitors in Dutch Harbor, Nome and Juneau.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110316/ap_on_re_us/us_west_coast_radiation_monitors

If there's nothing to monitor, why are they setting up monitoring stations.[/paranoid]
;)

SteveH
03-16-11, 08:36 PM
This comes to mind when I read about those staying trying to bring this under control. Lots of web sites out there, but a concise read here (http://www.damninteresting.com/chernobyl-part-iii).

Amazing recount. I know I've read stories on Chernobyl before but not sure any as concise as this.

Indy
03-16-11, 09:12 PM
This is all so heartbreaking.

devilmaster
03-16-11, 09:16 PM
nhk japan live stream.... water bombing with helos....

http://jibtv.com/program/?page=0

nrc
03-16-11, 10:10 PM
nhk japan live stream.... water bombing with helos....

http://jibtv.com/program/?page=0

Install Microsoft Silverlight? No thanks. :irked:

cameraman
03-17-11, 02:05 AM
Using ground based fire trucks now. They are the airport type water cannons. They are installing new power lines to the plant so that they can get some pumps running. New pumps since the tsunami wrecked the installed pumps.

Andrew Longman
03-17-11, 05:46 AM
Using ground based fire trucks now. They are the airport type water cannons. They are installing new power lines to the plant so that they can get some pumps running. New pumps since the tsunami wrecked the installed pumps.i'm no expert but shouldn't this have been something they did days ago? Contingencies that should have been in place all along? On site water storage? Seems a cheap thing to do.

Elmo T
03-17-11, 08:22 AM
On site water storage? Seems a cheap thing to do.

Given how quickly the water is converting to steam, I don't know that a static source would be sufficient. Additional supply lines bringing in seawater would make sense.

Standard firetrucks or crash trucks would be flowing 1500-3000 GPM maximum. And they still need a water supply.

The reality is we are completely off script - beyond anyone's "worst case scenario" planning. Double and triple redundancies have failed. The nuke experts only seem to agree on it being a bad situation. As the one expert stated - "we are in uncharted territory..."