Japan Earthquake and Tsunami!

[python]

obviously there is some confusion.

i just wanted to introduce some clarifications for those who follow the events. these are based on the official company press releases (which i've been following since the 12th) and therefore should be (just should be) free of the hype and errors one will normally see in the media.

-there are two main nuclear sites affected - fukushima dai-ich (6 reactors) and fukushima daini (4 reactors). They are something like 25 miles apart.
- as of 7:15 local time today all 4 units at daini have been placed in the cold shutdown
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11031505-e.html
this is a major good news as the cold shutdown is considered the safest mode a reactor could be in (temperature and pressure just above the nominal with fully established cooling and the core covered)
(the daini unit 3 roof explosion is not affecting the cold shutdown)
-the troubled units at dai-ichi are still to be declared in the cold shutdown.
-the unit that has to worry about it's fuel storage building is dai-ichi#4.
this unit was never shutdown due to the earthquake since it was already shutdown due to refueling outage/inspection at the time. this means that most of it's 'fresh' spent fuel was already off-loaded in to the spent fuel pool that just lost its roof.

 

[thirteen]

obviously there is some confusion.

i just wanted to introduce some clarifications for those who follow the events. these are based on the official company press releases (which i've been following since the 12th) and therefore should be (just should be) free of the hype and errors one will normally see in the media.

thank you, python!

my father (still busy cleaning the debris from the tsunami) was asking me for an update since he was away from the television... i was speechless... there has been an overload of hyped information that, essentially, tells me nothing.

and i'm one who'd rather admit not knowing and/or completely understanding than pass on disinformation. i hate to admit i am ignorant in this matter, but i am.

i appreciate everybody on this thread who is disseminating proper information and posting informative and/or educational links.

 

[Le breton]

obviously there is some confusion.

i just wanted to introduce some clarifications for those who follow the events. these are based on the official company press releases (which i've been following since the 12th) and therefore should be (just should be) free of the hype and errors one will normally see in the media.

-there are two main nuclear sites affected - fukushima dai-ich (6 reactors) and fukushima daini (4 reactors). They are something like 25 miles apart.
- as of 7:15 local time today all 4 units at daini have been placed in the cold shutdown
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11031505-e.html
this is a major good news as the cold shutdown is considered the safest mode a reactor could be in (temperature and pressure just above the nominal with fully established cooling and the core covered)
(the daini unit 3 roof explosion is not affecting the cold shutdown)
-the troubled units at dai-ichi are still to be declared in the cold shutdown.
-the unit that has to worry about it's fuel storage building is dai-ichi#4.
this unit was never shutdown due to the earthquake since it was already shutdown due to refueling outage/inspection at the time. this means that most of it's 'fresh' spent fuel was already off-loaded in to the spent fuel pool that just lost its roof.

How about you do a summary of the NISA report for us
It's so long I got discouraged, can't do just that.

http://www.nisa.meti.go.jp/english/files/en20110315-1.pdf

 

[craig1985]

A good friend of mine, his wife is from Sendai, and it was a massive relief to hear that her family is all ok. From I hear, it takes five hours to get everything, five hours to get six litres of fuel (if that at all), five hours for a few litres of water. As you can imagine, she was stressing like mad until she could get hold of them.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Here in Australia there are talking heads on the news discussing how the disaster has affected shareholders and the financial markets.

One Ar$ehole from Macquarie bank is saying while it's bad now, later in the year will bring a large reconstruction effort and new opportunities for investment.

I wanted to stuff the SOB head first into the reactor. What's wrong with these people? There are thousands of bodies washing up on the shore and he's talking about making money. Does working in finance warp your brain?

I don't know how people like this sleep at night.

Agreed, most disturbing.

 

[thirteen]

A good friend of mine, his wife is from Sendai, and it was a massive relief to hear that her family is all ok. From I hear, it takes five hours to get everything, five hours to get six litres of fuel (if that at all), five hours for a few litres of water. As you can imagine, she was stressing like mad until she could get hold of them.

that is great news -- she must've been beside herself with worry, poor thing!

does the family still have their home? there looks to be so little left

 

[python]

How about you do a summary of the NISA report for us
It's so long I got discouraged, can't do just that.

http://www.nisa.meti.go.jp/english/files/en20110315-1.pdf

i just scanned it.

it's pretty much the same information contained in the 70 or so press releases i have reviewed and summarized on my hard drive. will get to them later. the main difference is that nisa put in (for the 1st time !!) some plant parameters.

 

[Martin318is]

######################
Note from Mod
######################

We would like to keep this thread in place for the wider discussion of the entire Japanese earthquake/tsunami/ (and yes) Nuclear incidents. The focus here is on actual events and comments of sympathy etc.

For those wondering what I just did, I have pulled out as much as I could of the ongoing and lively Nuclear discussion from this thread. To continue that discussion, please go to:

Nuclear disaster in Japan and Wider Nuclear discussion

please feel free to pm me if you wish for further clarification.

 

[craig1985]

that is great news -- she must've been beside herself with worry, poor thing!

does the family still have their home? there looks to be so little left

She's also a mother of a two year old daughter, so at least she had something to focus on. As for their house, I'm not sure, but I do know that her family has a bit of money behind them, so they might be ok.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

This is not looking good now.
I mean, they really attempted to cool this down with some helicopters and firebrigade - but stopped it because of radioactivity. This shows how lost and desperate the situation is.

Out of control now.

IAEA: Situation very serious

TEPCO has released estimates of the levels of core damage.

NEI: '70% damage at Unit 1 and 33% at Unit 2. They have also stated that Unit 1 is being adequately cooled'.

mind you, 'damaged' does not equal 'melted'. merely, that potential cracks in fuel cladding may be leaking radioactivity. as long as the primary containment is intact, which is the case for the unit 1 if the reports are to be taken at face value, any raise in off-site radioactivity is not likely.

there is less clarity about the unit 2 primary containment, which was reported to experience hydrogen explosion in the suppression chamber...

See post #108 These posts are in the wrong thread.

 

[Cobblestoned]

See post #108 These posts are in the wrong thread.

Really ?

I (had to) read Martin's instructions 3 times and still got it wrong !?!

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Really ?

I (had to) read Martin's instructions 3 times and still got it wrong !?!

I just thought I would put that post up in hopes the Moderators would move it or merge them into the Nuke thread. Not trying to step on toes.

 

[thirteen]

She's also a mother of a two year old daughter, so at least she had something to focus on. As for their house, I'm not sure, but I do know that her family has a bit of money behind them, so they might be ok.

good!

and good... with the snow adding insult to injury, brrrrrrrrrr!

i find it astonishing that an earthquake that huge really did relatively little damage considering... it was all the tsunami.

respect.

 

[Darryl Webster]

Felt I should post this here. Might be utter nonsense. I`ve no idea .

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/638...ed-by-scientists-ignored-by-mainstream-media/

 

[flicker]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2011/03/16/dnt.tuchman.japan.woman.escape.bike.cnn?hpt=C2

Bike tsunami escape.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

I was just in the wrong thread

 

[Le breton]

recommended reading

From people at MIT.

They seem to actually know what they are talking about.

http://mitnse.com/

That is really so well written and clear. Thanks

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

that's a nice read... wouldn't expect less from MIT.

one a side note: props, kudos (whatever you want to call it) to the Japaneese people for the way they are dealing with this disaster in general. No looting, volunteering to help where they can, and so on.

 

[flicker]

I am seeing the first good footage of the earthquake and Tsunami damage from Japan now. Does anyone know how it compares with other large earthquakes an or Tsunamis?

 

[Cobblestoned]

that's a nice read... wouldn't expect less from MIT.

one a side note: props, kudos (whatever you want to call it) to the Japaneese people for the way they are dealing with this disaster in general. No looting, volunteering to help where they can, and so on.

Thats so true. This disaster makes it even clearer. If these people cry or scream - this means something.
I love their culture in general.
These people are so calm, modest, courteous and proud in their own way, without acting obtrusively.

 

[krebs303]

Japan: Tsunami warning for north-east after earthquake
A tsunami warning has been issued for north-eastern Japan after an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Another one

7,4

 

[krebs303]

Google Street View updated with Japan's tsunami-damaged 'hoods
It's hard to believe that just seven months ago Japan was rocked with an earthquake and tsunami. In good taste or not, Google had its Street View team drive over 27,000 miles through the torn up region to update its panoramic maps. The views remind us all just how catastrophic a natural disaster can be.

We've all seen photos and footage of the destruction dealt to Japan, but to experience a virtual walk through the the barren rubbled streets is just mind blowing.

 

[ElChingon]

Google Street View updated with Japan's tsunami-damaged 'hoods
It's hard to believe that just seven months ago Japan was rocked with an earthquake and tsunami. In good taste or not, Google had its Street View team drive over 27,000 miles through the torn up region to update its panoramic maps. The views remind us all just how catastrophic a natural disaster can be.

We've all seen photos and footage of the destruction dealt to Japan, but to experience a virtual walk through the the barren rubbled streets is just mind blowing.

Yea, its a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. Some will want every image shelved and saved for historical review and then others who will cuss because the maps are not up to date and are lost and can't distinguish where they are based on the outdated maps.

At any rate, life goes on.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Haunting and sad.
The Japanese have such a cultured and strong way of carrying themselves. Enormous respect and really admire these people.

I was lucky enough to visit Tokyo last January. Fell in love with the place and people.
Wishing them strength in the coming years to deal with this, so many families and livelihoods must have been shattered.