8.9 Earthquake hits Japan

[Trip]

There is only spent fuel in reactor #4.

Yukio Edano, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, during a live press conference at 10 p.m. EDT, said there is a fire at Fukushima Daiichi 4 that is accompanied by high levels of radiation between Units 3 and 4 at the site. The fire began burning at Unit 4 at around 6 a.m. Japan time on March 14 and is still burning. Fire fighters are responding to the fire. The reactor does not have fuel in the reactor, but there is spent fuel in the reactor (pool) and Edano said that he assumes radioactive substances are being released. “The substances are coming out from the No. 4 reactor and we are making the utmost effort to put out the first and also cool down the No. 4 reactor (pool).”

Edano said that a blast was heard this morning at Unit 2 at about 6:30 a.m. A hole was observed in the number 2 reactor and he said there is very little possibility that an explosion will occur at Unit 2.

“The part of the suppression chamber seems to have caused the blast,” Edano said. A small amount of radioactive substance seems to have been released to the outside.

TEPCO workers continue to pump sea water at 1, 2 and 3 reactors. “The biggest problem is how to maintain the cooling and how to contain the fire at No. 4.” At 10:22 a.m. Japan time, the radiation level between units 2 and 3 were as high as 40 rem per hour. “We are talking about levels that can impact human health.” Edano said.

Of the 800 staff that remained at the power plant, all but 50 who are directly involved in pumping water into the reactor have been evacuated.

[the chi]

So Im reading all this crap and it's basically greek. Trip, the media is saying this is the worst crisis since Chernobyl. Can I safely assume they are blowing things (pardon the term) way out of proportion?

[Trip]

It's no where near Chernobyl, but it is bad. The last two explosions were not good. The first two were not major concerns, the last two had direct effect on bad stuff getting out.

[dubbs]

Originally Posted by Trip

It's no where near Chernobyl, but it is bad. The last two explosions were not good. The first two were not major concerns, the last two had direct effect on bad stuff getting out.

The only thing I don't understand is why are these explosions and fires happening when the fail safe was to use sea water to flood the reactor and cool it down?

[the chi]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Are the reports I've heard about folks just being able to "wash off" the bad stuff true? My boss was telling me she saw a report that said if people just showered after being outside they would be fine. Or are they saying that to make ppl feel better?

(Yeah, I know, probably dumb questions, but Im not up on global disaster protocol.)

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by the chi

So Im reading all this crap and it's basically greek. Trip, the media is saying this is the worst crisis since Chernobyl. Can I safely assume they are blowing things (pardon the term) way out of proportion?

Technically that's true, since it's the ONLY real major crisis since Chernobyl, but a great deal of it is hype. Reporting is all over the place, on this. Japanese media is rather calm. Western media, and even English language media in Japan, is tending toward the sensational.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by dubbs

The only thing I don't understand is why are these explosions and fires happening when the fail safe was to use sea water to flood the reactor and cool it down?

Hydrogen. When they damage the fuel, it produces hydrogen. Hydrogen is very very violatile. The first two explosions were of little consequence. That part of the building is basically a protector against rain. The last two are bad, real bad.

[Papa_Complex]

There are rumours spreading that this has been upgraded to a level 6. All that I've heard, from credible media and official sources, is that it was upgraded to a 5 since those explosions.

[Trip]

Latest update as of 9:15am EST

UPDATE AS OF 9:15 A.M. EDT, TUESDAY, MARCH 15:
Fukushima Daiichi
Units 1 and 3 at Fukushima Daiichi are stable and cooling is being maintained through seawater injection. Primary containment integrity has been maintained on both reactors.

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) reported an explosion in the suppression pool at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2, at 7:14 p.m. EDT on March 14. Reactor water level was reported to be at 2.7 meters below the top of the fuel. The pressure in the suppression pool decreased from 3 atmospheres to 1 atmosphere. Radiation readings at the site increased to 96 millirem per hour.

Dose rates at Fukushima Daiichi as reported at 10:22 p.m. EDT on March 14 were:


Near Unit 3 reactor building 40 rem/hr
Near Unit 4 reactor building 10 rem/hr
At site boundary 821 millirem/hr.
Kitaibaraki (200 km south of site) 0.4 millirem/hr.

We are working on getting updated information on radiation and dose rates at and near the plant.

Station personnel not directly supporting reactor recovery efforts have been evacuated, leaving approximately 50 staff members at the site. Operators are no longer in the main control room due to high radiation levels.

Safety relief valves were able to be re-opened and seawater injection into the reactor core was restarted around 1 a.m. EDT on March 15 and is continuing.

At Unit 4 on March 14 at approximately 8:38 p.m. EDT, a fire was reported in the reactor building. It is believed to have been from a lube oil leak in a system that drives recirculation water pumps. Fire fighting efforts extinguished the fire. The roof of the reactor building was damaged.

Fukushima Daini
All four reactors at Fukushima Daini are being maintained with normal cooling using residual heat removal systems.

40 rem/hr is bad, very bad. The volunteers that stayed behind are brave brave individuals.

[Papa_Complex]

The latest thing, that I heard, was that lack of fuel availability and transport was starting to impact the ability to pump sea water in for cooling.