This is not good in so many ways:

Blast, radiation leak at Japanese nuclear plant
TV footage shows building's crumbled walls; 'We are now trying to analyze what is behind the explosion,' official says

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42044156/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?gt1=43001

Additional:

The outer walls of the Fukushima power plant's No. 1 reactor were blown off by a hydrogen explosion Saturday, leaving only a skeletal frame. Officials said four workers at the site received non-life-threatening injuries.

The inner container holding the reactor's fuel rods is not believed to be damaged, said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, and workers were cooling the facilities with seawater.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-japan-quake-20110313,0,2572097.story



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2011 08:03AM by Mnemonic.

They showed on the news last night that if there is a meltdown that the jetstream could carry neuclear waste through the northern states. They discribed very flu like symptoms. I am sick right now with an influnza so I cant wait to feel better.

Of course when I was protesting the use of nuclear power in earthquake prone California, we were assured that such things could not happen. They told us that the plants were designed for a 7.5 magnitude earthquake. Well, duh, what about an 8.9 magnitude earthquake?

It's like the people that claimed New Orleans was safe because they had sea walls that could withstand a category 3 hurricane.

It is stupid to think buildings can be built to withstand the worst mother nature can throw at them.

I totally agree with you MJ. It is nonsense to think nuclear power is safe.The devistation it came bring in disasters is something no worth taking a chance over.

MJ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Of course when I was protesting the use of nuclear
> power in earthquake prone California, we were
> assured that such things could not happen. They
> told us that the plants were designed for a 7.5
> magnitude earthquake. Well, duh, what about an 8.9
> magnitude earthquake?
>
> It's like the people that claimed New Orleans was
> safe because they had sea walls that could
> withstand a category 3 hurricane.
>
> It is stupid to think buildings can be built to
> withstand the worst mother nature can throw at
> them.

MJ, as an ageing hippy and long time opponent of nuclear power, I can only agree with you.

The reactors in Japan, like the reactors in the United States, and unlike Chernobyl are surrounded by a concrete and steel containment vessel. Even if there is a meltdown, MOST of the radiation will be contained within the containment vessel. Most of the radiation released should be in the form of radioactive steam and other radioactive compounds vapors or small particulate (dust) formed as the core melts. While the material released may be highly radioactive, because of it's small size, it should disperse relatively quickly in the atmosphere. The biggest danger is to people living immediately down-wind from the plant.

I doubt that if there was a meltdown in Japan that the USA would see radiation levels high enough to cause radiation sickness. Even with Chernobyl, the exclusion zone is only about 30km in radius. The real danger is the long-term effect that radiation exposure has on cancer rates.

But what if that containment building is damaged by, oh say, an 8.9 earthquake? The USA reactors are only built to survive an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude. The Japan earthquake released more than 30 times more energy than the USA reactors are built to withstand.

Don't be so naive as to just buy in to what they are telling you. That is why so many in New Orleans felt safe with inadequate sea walls. Reactors, like the sea walls in New Orleans, simply are not built to take the worst mother nature has to offer.

Oh, and BTW, the nuclear power plants in Japan, or at least the one in question, is built to withstand a 7.5, not an 8.9 magnitude earthquake.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2011 09:12AM by MJ.

...on a dedicated channel.

http://www.youtube.com/citizentube