Daemonic underground gasses exploded to the surface in a fiery fireball in South Minneapolis today, blasting a huge hole in a parking lot, causing several cars to meltdown, and potentially damaging a newly rebuilt section of God’s Highway (I35 W).1 The news agencies noticed it when checking the traffic cameras for their local traffic report.
Local Minneapolitonians: This was on 60thE and Nicollet, near the Crosstown Junction. Route 62, closed for a time, is reopened, but as of this writing, 35 W is closed both North and South as they are checking for damage. Of the just moments ago rebuilt nightmarish intersection from hell. Somehow it all fits together.
I am told that Scienceblogs.com has upgraded and hardened its server thingies, so you should no longer be experiencing technical difficulties in reading your favorite blog. However, if you still are, please send your IP address to Scienceblogs, using this email: webmaster AT scienceblogs.com
Thank you very much. You may now return to your regularly scheduled disaster.
The steam observed rising above No.3 for hours is radioactive. It is now presumed that the containment vessel has cracked. SDF had prepared to drop water from helicopter, but could not do so safely.
March 16, 6AM
“Tests revealed traces of radiation in tap water in Fukushima city, 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Daiichi nuclear plant, the local government said Wednesday. The Fukushima prefecture’s nuclear department said amounts of radioactive cesium and iodine that are not harmful to the human body were found in water samples taken at 8 a.m. Wednesday (7 p.m. ET Tuesday)…
Government officials said the traces found are connected with the nuclear plant. A measurement of the tap water supply taken later in the day found no traces of iodine or cesium.” -cnn live blog
March 16, 7PM
conditions at the Daiichi plant have continued to deteriorate. The greatest concern at this time is over exposed spent fuel rods at the no. 3 and 4 reactors. As of now, radiation has prohibited workers from adding water to the pools…
A road has been built to allow a water cannon truck to approach what remains of the structures. Police hope to shoot water through the holes in a last ditch effort to prevent the rods from reaching recriticality. The chance that heat being generated from these hundreds of rods (many reactors worth) will lead to nuclear reactions is very real.
March 16 9PM
SDF helicopter has dropped some water on reactor no. 3.
Radiation readings after the water-drop remain the same as before.
March 17 1AM
Tired. But staying up to watch what happens with the trucks. The Defense Secretary says this is the last effort for his forces – that after today, radiation levels in the area will be too high for them to participate. However…it is possible that the President will order their return, under law that says when other lives are at risk, occupational limits do not hold.
March 17th 8 AM
“[7:37 a.m. ET Thursday, 8:37 p.m. Thursday in Tokyo] An operation to spray water on the No. 3 nuclear reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has ended after 40 minutes, Japan’s Defense Ministry says. Five fire trucks took turns spraying water for two minutes each, officials said, and there was no further spraying planned.” -cnn live blog
…
TEPCO reports that radiation levels rose after the operation (exact rates were not given.)
…
“The level around the plant’s administration building rose to 4,000 microsievert per hour from 3,700 after the trucks joined an unprecedented attempt to cool down the reactor’s apparently overheating fuel pool, after SDF helicopters dropped tons of water earlier in the day.” -kyodo news
…
The Defense Ministry says that choppers and trucks will be used again on Friday.
1For those of you wondering what “Ana’s feed” is … this is Analiese Miller’s facebook feed. Ana has been observing live news feeds from Japan and elsewhere and jotting notes on her facebook wall. Thank you Ana.
For more information and essays about the Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Reactor problems in Japan CLICK HERE.
As I write this, I’m told that there are eleven water cannon vehicles heading to the disaster-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, to attempt to cool down nuclear material that is exposed and exuding (I dare not use the word “leaking” lest I be thought an alarmist) radiation at a rate that seems to be as alarming to the engineers and nuclear experts on the scene as it is assuaging to the arm-chair nuclear engineers in the US and elsewhere who are telling us that Fukushima is no more dangerous than eating a seedless grape.
The following conversation was heard in the Japanese Police Department’s motor vehilce shop where the water cannon vehicles are kept.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m arming these water cannon vehicles.”
“What for?”
“The police have been ordered to take these 11 vehicles out. They need to be ready immediately.”
“What are they use for?”
“This:”
“We use the water cannon on protestors. Government bought several new water cannons during the big protests here several years ago.”
“What were the protestors protesting?”
“The New Nuclear Power Plants”
“Good thing there were a LOT of protesters!”
“Why?”
“So that they bought a lot of water cannons. They’re going to need them all to keep this nuclear power plant from Going Chernobyl!”
For more information and essays about the Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Reactor problems in Japan CLICK HERE.
House Republicans have declared an “emergency” today. Is it about unemployment? The situation in Libya? The disaster in Japan? Nope, it’s about defunding NPR.
They’re taking up an emergency bill that would ban any federal money from going to NPR or its affiliates.
A right-wing blogger’s hidden-camera video has NPR on the defensive, even though it was so misleadingly doctored that even Glenn Beck’s website questioned its credibility.1 But Republicans want to use this moment to take away NPR’s funding for good.
Unfortuately Moveon appears insufficently savvy to give me a link to give to you where you can do and do something. But you can call your house representative, whoever that is
I repeat, there was and will *not* be any significant release of radioactivity from the damaged Japanese reactors.
By “significant” I mean a level of radiation of more than what you would receive on – say – a long distance flight, or drinking a glass of beer that comes from certain areas with high levels of natural background radiation….
I’m so glad to hear the situation is under control. And that Business Insider, an online journal, is getting us this important information in a timely manner.
Have you also seen this article, debunking the above cited item? If you have, let me know, because it seems to have been removed from it’s resting place on the intertubes.
For more information and essays about the Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Reactor problems in Japan CLICK HERE.
This is not intended to incite panic… for panic, see the post “Where is the nearest nuclear power plant to my house that is currently melting down!!!11!!.” The purpose of this post is to facilitate addressing a question we’ve been discussing on my facebook page: If you lived near a nuke plant, would you routinely stock a reasonable supply of iodine/iodide tablets to take, just in case, and why or why not?
If you are in the US, click here. That’s the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and they are there to help you find out where your nearest operating nuke plant is. I don’t know about the non-operating ones and why that is not included.
The nearest one to me is in Monticello, and it’s pretty darn close. That’s 37 miles as one drives, but closer to 30 as the wind blows, and it is directly up wind most of the time. Ruh roh. Anybody want to go in with me on some bulk Potassium Iodide Tablets???
The story of the three quake- and tsunami-hit reactors at Japan’s Fukushima plant continues, with indications that one of the three worst-hit reactors has sustained further damage. A fire also broke out at another reactor, shut down at the time of the quake and not previously thought to be a problem, but this has now been put out. None of this suggests that the reactors’ crucial containment vessels could be breached, however.
Japan’s nuclear powerplants have performed magnificently in the face of a disaster hugely greater than they were designed to withstand, remaining entirely safe throughout and sustaining only minor damage.
Japan is facing the world’s biggest nuclear crisis for decades as engineers struggle to regain control of the Fukushima plant following another explosion and a fire that caused a spike in radiation to harmful levels.
Amid growing fears that the situation is heading for catastrophe, 70 technicians are still battling to cool reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi facility but non-essential personnel have been ordered to leave and the Kyodo news agency reported that radiation levels have become too high for staff to remain in control rooms. The government has already called in international help in tackling the spiralling crisis.
Dangerous levels of radiation began leaking from a crippled nuclear plant Tuesday, forcing Japan to order 140,000 people to stay indoors. Japan’s prime minister also warned that more leaks could occur.
In the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average is down 240 points, or 2 percent, to 11,752 in early trading.
Ahead of the opening bell, First Solar, a strong gainer yesterday, is indicated sharply higher. JA Solar, Yingli Green Energy, Trina Solar, Sunpower Corp., Canadian Solar, LDK Solar and Suntech Power are all indicated higher.
Late yesterday, Morgan Stanley cut its price target for JA Solar and Canadian Solar and It raised its target for LDK Solar. Earlier Monday, Piper Jaffray warned that solar companies may suffer because of the Japan disaster and downgraded JA Solar, Yingli Green Energy, Trina Solar, Sunpower and Suntech. It seems that market has its own ideas about these stocks.
In Europe, alternative energy stocks, including solar, also are trading higher.
After Japan’s earthquake and tsunami led to a second nuclear reactor explosion, tests showed low levels of radioactivity on 17 U.S. Navy helicopter crew members after they returned to the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan.
“They probably had particle radiation from the plume that’s coming from the reactors and typically by movement that going away moving the aircraft through the air will move the large particles,” says Bill Caton from the Marine Corps Logistics Base who is an expert in explosive matter.
The nuclear disaster at Fukushima, Japan is continuing to deteriorate. Multiple explosions have blown roofs and outer walls off reactor buildings, and a dire struggle is under way to prevent the worst.
For several days, authorities have attempted to reassure the public. Now, they are pleading for help.
To get independent answers about the risks faced by people, GlobalPost turned to Arnold Gundersen, a 39-year veteran of the nuclear industry. Now chief engineer at Fairwinds Associates, he has worked as a nuclear plant operator and he served as an expert witness in the investigation into the Three Mile Island accident.
Pressure has dropped significantly – cracks likely, radioactive seepage likely. TEPCO workers have been evacuated.
8PM CT:
TEPCO is now reporting that the fuel rods at No. 2 are covered to 1.2meters. (That was quick!) The safety agency is apologizing for the alarm – saying concrete details are not known.
9PM CT:
TEPCO now admits, as stated earlier by the safety agency, that the container vessel at Daiichi No. 2 reactor has been damaged. Radioactive materials are “feared to leak.”
10PM CT:
“Please listen to my message calmly.” – PM Kan
The radiation readings are being described in millisieverts now. VERY HIGH!
The Fukushima Daiichi complex was due to be decommissioned in February but was given a new 10-year lease of life. -msnbc
4AM CT:
From TEPCO, through Edano: Daiichi plant reactor No.1: water is being pumped, pressure is stable. No.2: water is being pumped, condition unknown. No.3: pumping and stable. No.4: fire is out as far as can be seen from outside – radioactive material of 100millisieverts/he had been spewing – workers are investigating the interior for small fire, but must be very careful.
Greed in the nuclear industry and corporate influence over the U.N. watchdog for atomic energy may doom Japan to a spreading nuclear disaster, one of the men brought in to clean up Chernobyl said on Tuesday.
Slamming the Japanese response at Fukushima, Russian nuclear accident specialist Iouli Andreev accused corporations and the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of wilfully ignoring lessons from the world’s worst nuclear accident 25 years ago to protect the industry’s expansion.
Chernobyl clean-up expert slams Japan, IAEA
march 15th PM:
Kyodo news: 70% of fuel rods have been damaged at Daiichi reactor No.1.
march 16 AM
The occupational limit for radiation exposure has been raised in order to allow the workers to return to the site.
March 16, 6am:
The steam observed rising above No.3 for hours is radioactive. It is now presumed that the containment vessel has cracked. SDF had prepared to drop water from helicopter, but could not do so safely.
7am: “Tests revealed traces of radiation in tap water in Fukushima city, 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Daiichi nuclear plant, the local government said Wednesday. The Fukushima prefecture’s nuclear department said amounts of radioactive cesium and iodine that are not harmful to the human body were found in water samples taken at 8 a.m. Wednesday (7 p.m. ET Tuesday)…
Also born today was Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli, the guy who identified the canals om Mars. And, in 1960, lisp was introduced, thus allowing the existence of emacs!
A second hydrogen explosion rocked a crippled Japanese nuclear reactor Monday, spewing a giant cloud of smoke into the air and injuring 11 workers, officials said.
The blast was so large it could be felt 25 miles away.
The plant’s operator, however, insisted that radiation levels around the facility remained within legal limits.
???