!Japan EQ/Tsunami/Radiation/Volcano/WTF???

[oVo]

Unbelievable. The 5th biggest quake in recorded memory and 1000 times more powerful than the one that leveled Haiti. It's surreal to see such massive devastation occur in such a short period of time. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this disaster.

Over 50 nuclear power plants across Japan, the quake/tsunami shut down 11 of them and last reports I heard said the 3 that were overheating are now back to safe levels.

[jonesthecurl]

A friend of mine who used to live a few doors away unexpectedly had to cancel a trip to Japan the day before the quake. Lucky bastard.

[AAFitz]

This isn't an AP News Alert you want to see come across the wire:

TOKYO (AP) — Japan nuclear safety commission official says meltdown at nuclear power plant possible

Its frightening as it gets, not just because of the loss of life possible, but the ramifications of what could be some of the best constructed nuclear plants in the world, not being adequate.

Until this morning I had faith they would hold, because the Japanese really do a great job with earthquake preparedness, but its hard to have complete faith now after watching the concrete bunker on one explode.

The Japanese nation is impossible not to admire, for surviving essentially on an island in a world that has tried to conquer them many times over, and in many ways, and with an inordinate amount of natural disasters to cope with. Not only have they survived, they have thrived and excelled through sheer determination and at times just pure luck. They will certainly survive this catastrophe, however bad, and excel again, but it is tough to see so many suffer. We can only hope those plants hold together, not only for the safety of the Japanese, but of everyone in the region, and the region, has a lot of people, in many countries that could be affected, depending upon the wind patterns.

Godspeed to those Nuke plant workers. There is almost no doubt at this point, they know they are probably sacrificing their lives in hopes of averting a disaster.

[Queen_Herpes]

The building housing the reactor just exploded:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

[pimpdave]

The reactor just exploded:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

Wow, only 574 dead so far. It's sad they died, but it seems like that number would be much higher if Japan wasn't so well prepared for such a disaster.

It's a good thing they don't have the Tea Party over there, trying to dismantle government and get their own people killed. Bravo Japan, your hard work and rigorous building codes have saved many lives.

[AAFitz]

The reactor just exploded:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

No it didn't.

It was actually only the outer concrete container outside the reactor that exploded, not the reactor itself. The metal container, for now, is still in tact. The Concreted filled with hydrogen from the venting and exploded.

You may want to consider reading your own article before posting, and unnecessarily and quite irresponsibly scaring the hell out of people. The situation is very serious, and the reactor may very well explode at some point, and when it does, the damage it could do, is almost unthinkable. But the reactor itself has not exploded, and hopefully, they will find a way to contain it before it does.

People should really be more careful and less ridiculously stupid, if they really care about the people this tragedy is affecting and has the potential to affect.

[AAFitz]

The reactor just exploded:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

Wow, only 574 dead so far. It's sad they died, but it seems like that number would be much higher if Japan wasn't so well prepared for such a disaster.

It's a good thing they don't have the Tea Party over there, trying to dismantle government and get their own people killed. Bravo Japan, your hard work and rigorous building codes have saved many lives.

The death toll is unfortunately much higher.

As far as anyone politically trolling in this situation...well... that would make them an absolute pos.

I do hope the effort they did put into preparedness was enough to save the reactors.

[pimpdave]

at least 574 people dead by official count.

That's from the article. It also says that local media is reporting that the death toll is possibly as high as 1,300. I really hope it isn't.

But the fact remains, Japan has done a great job mitigating the danger to their populace, including a huge (and expensive) early warning system for quakes and tsunamis. The death toll would be much higher if they had a shitty government that hadn't been so well prepared.

Considering all of the ways a group like the Tea Party is trying to dismantle our infrastructure, it's only natural one would think about what would happen if something similar hit us.

[Queen_Herpes]

Edited: The Building that Houses the reactor has exploded. The radiation leak that started some time ago still continues at this power plant. While not as alarmist as a reactor explosion, the radiation leak is the real problem here.

[AAFitz]

at least 574 people dead by official count.

That's from the article. It also says that local media is reporting that the death toll is possibly as high as 1,300. I really hope it isn't.

But the fact remains, Japan has done a great job mitigating the danger to their populace, including a huge (and expensive) early warning system for quakes and tsunamis. The death toll would be much higher if they had a shitty government that hadn't been so well prepared.

Considering all of the ways a group like the Tea Party is trying to dismantle our infrastructure, it's only natural one would think about what would happen if something similar hit us.

I fully agree that Nuclear Reactors and all such dangerous businesses and utilities absolutely need government oversight, and even agree that the fact that even the Japanese reactors are having problems after an earthquake and tsunami can serve as a painful reminder of this. I simply think it is far too early and in very bad taste to start in with any political discussion of it.

I will admit also, that I could be wrong, and perhaps while tragic it is the exact right time to discuss it, before the memory of it is gone, but I simply do not think so in this case.

[angola]

Wow. This is not good:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/0 ... tml?hpt=T1

Money quote:

"If this accident stops right now it will already be one of the three worst accidents we have ever had at a nuclear power plant in the history of nuclear power," said Joseph Cirincione, an expert on nuclear materials and president of the U.S.-based Ploughshares Fund, a firm involved in security and peace funding.

[Queen_Herpes]

Partial meltdown. And they released radiated steam. This reactor is on the east coast of Japan. Where will all of this fallout land? hmmmmmmmmm????

[BigBallinStalin]

Partial meltdown. And they released radiated steam. This reactor is on the east coast of Japan. Where will all of this fallout land? hmmmmmmmmm????

Ah yeah, gonna have a radiated sauna bath in the moonlight two weeks from now in Mongolia, amirite?

[muy_thaiguy]

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Huge-Japa ... 535258.jpg
Images of some of the destruction from the earthquake, aftershocks, and tsunami.

[PLAYER57832]

The reactor just exploded:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

Wow, only 574 dead so far. It's sad they died, but it seems like that number would be much higher if Japan wasn't so well prepared for such a disaster.

The death toll is unfortunately much higher.

This accident is horrible. Still, it cannot be emphasized enough that the damage would have been far greater had Japan not been prepared.

Also, some may not realize, but the Richter scale is logorythmic. That means that an 8.1 is twice as large as an 8.0 quake.

An 8.9 is almost 10 times as large as an 8.0... And the Loma Prieta quake, (the one that hit SF during the world series) was only a 7.3.

[AAFitz]

The reactor just exploded:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

Wow, only 574 dead so far. It's sad they died, but it seems like that number would be much higher if Japan wasn't so well prepared for such a disaster.

The death toll is unfortunately much higher.

This accident is horrible. Still, it cannot be emphasized enough that the damage would have been far greater had Japan not been prepared.

Also, some may not realize, but the Richter scale is logorythmic. That means that an 8.1 is twice as large as an 8.0 quake.

An 8.9 is almost 10 times as large as an 8.0... And the Loma Prieta quake, (the one that hit SF during the world series) was only a 7.3.

I agree, and quite frankly it is amazing how well they fared the quake itself all things considered, only to be hit by the tsunami afterward which has done the majority of the damage. Its far too early for speculation, but one preliminary report suggested there were as many as 9000 people missing from one town. That is not a solid number at all, and do not accept it at face value one bit, but the mere fact it is possible, is depressing on the grandest scale.

For my own part, I was very much hoping to see those reactors safe, not only for the lives at stake, which is the priority, but also just to see a triumph of a proud and disciplined country in the wake of a monumental disaster. Again, the human life loss is tragic regardless, but when watching a country that is perhaps the absolute best at preparing for quake have problems, it is most disconcerting. I was withing 10 miles of a reactor just last night, and while the statistical risk of an earthquake in this region is very low, it was still unnerving to realize that if Japans were in jeopardy, there is probably reason to assume ours may be as well. Japan is absolutely in a worse region, but again, the thought is still unnerving, especially when, as pimpdave mentioned, we have people arguing that the government should just back out of such things, and let corporations decide which safety measures are economically worthwhile. I worked for a Nuclear Plant worker a few years ago. He lived about 60 miles away from the plant. There were a hell of a lot of places to live between there and the plant. It was also most disconcerting.

One thing I'm not entirely clear on, though I'm sure I could track it down, is if the majority of the damage to the reactors is from the earthquake itself, or the tsunami. I assume both played a part, and perhaps they aren't even sure themselves, but was it the earthquake that knocked out the power which is leading to the problems or the tsunami which smashed them afterward?

[Haggis_McMutton]

The reactor just exploded:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

Wow, only 574 dead so far. It's sad they died, but it seems like that number would be much higher if Japan wasn't so well prepared for such a disaster.

The death toll is unfortunately much higher.

This accident is horrible. Still, it cannot be emphasized enough that the damage would have been far greater had Japan not been prepared.

Also, some may not realize, but the Richter scale is logorythmic. That means that an 8.1 is twice as large as an 8.0 quake.

An 8.9 is almost 10 times as large as an 8.0... And the Loma Prieta quake, (the one that hit SF during the world series) was only a 7.3.

I agree, and quite frankly it is amazing how well they fared the quake itself all things considered, only to be hit by the tsunami afterward which has done the majority of the damage.

One thing Im not clear on is if the majority of the damage to the reactors is from the earthquake itself, or the tsunami. I assume both played a part, and perhaps they arent even sure themselves, but was it the earthquake that knocked out the power which is leading to the problems or the tsunami with smashed them afterward?

I think I read somewhere that the earthquake took out the main power/cooling system and the tsunami took out the back-up, but don't quote me on that.

[pimpdave]

Oh, so Fitz, you call me a piece of shit but not Player?

[PLAYER57832]

I was withing 10 miles of a reactor just last night, and while the statistical risk of an earthquake in this region is very low, it was still unnerving to realize that if Japans were in jeopardy, there is probably reason to assume ours may be as well.

Worry. Every state in the union has had quakes.. and while the edges (CA. etc.) are more prone, the worst quakes tend to happen mid-continent. The geologic record seems to show a massive one in Kansas, I forget how many thousand years ago, that some say was the biggest ever.

And, outside of CA, etc, this country is not very well prepared. (and CA has limits)

One thing I'm not entirely clear on, though I'm sure I could track it down, is if the majority of the damage to the reactors is from the earthquake itself, or the tsunami. I assume both played a part, and perhaps they aren't even sure themselves, but was it the earthquake that knocked out the power which is leading to the problems or the tsunami which smashed them afterward?

I am fairly certain it would be the earthquake. I could be wrong, though. My knowledge is basicaly limited to having toured a few reactors in CA (Diablo Canyon,etc) when they had public open houses.

[PLAYER57832]

Deleted by poster.

[pimpdave]

Oh, so Fitz, you call me a piece of shit but not Player?

What was offensive and off topic about my post?

What was offensive and off topic about mine?

[HapSmo19]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan ... eafter.htm

[JPcelticfc]

its not earthquakes the US has to worry about!! Its yellowstone!!

If it goes off were all complety fucked!!

[muy_thaiguy]

its not earthquakes the US has to worry about!! Its yellowstone!!

If it goes off were all complety fucked!!

No, I'M completely fucked. The rest of you will have a chance.

[Nobunaga]

... Check out these photos from the quake/tsunami.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... forts.html

<edit>
... Found this story about an old dude floating 10 miles out to sea on the remains of the roof to his house.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/ma ... -fukushima