9.0 Earthquake/Tsunami/Fukushima

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Japan crisis 'worst since WW2'

Japan is experiencing its greatest hardships since World War II as it tackles the aftermath of an earthquake, tsunami and a growing nuclear crisis, Prime Minister Naoto Kan says.

In a televised statement, Mr Kan warned of sweeping power cuts to come.

He said the situation at the quake-hit Fukushima nuclear plant remained grave, a day after an explosion at a reactor.

Meanwhile, police have warned that the death toll in tsunami-hit Miyagi prefecture alone could exceed 10,000.

Millions of survivors remain without electricity and authorities are stepping up relief efforts as the scale of the tragedy becomes clearer.

About 310,000 people have been evacuated to emergency shelters, many of them without power, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported.

Officials earlier announced that the number of troops helping with rescue work in the affected north-east region would be doubled to 100,000.

"The current situation of the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear plants is in a way the most severe crisis in the past 65 years since World War II," Mr Kan said.

"Whether we Japanese can overcome this crisis depends on each of us.

"I strongly believe that we can get over this great earthquake and tsunami by joining together.";

Full Story;

Japan quake: Worst crisis since WWII, says PM

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Japan quake: Fears of second nuclear reactor blast

Updates on the nuclear crisis...;

There is a risk of a second explosion at the quake-hit Fukushima power station, Japanese officials have said.

However, chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano said the facility could withstand the impact and the nuclear reactor itself would not be damaged.

Technicians are battling to cool reactor 3 following a blast at the building housing reactor 1 on Saturday.

Full Story;

Japan quake: Fears of second nuclear reactor blast

"The Japanese government has sought to play down fears of a radiation leak at the Fukushima plant.

But the plant's operators, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), said radiation levels around the plant had now risen above permissible limits.

About 170,000 people have been evacuated from the area near the plant."


"The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says a meltdown at reactor 3 would be potentially more serious than at the other reactors, because it is fuelled by plutonium and uranium, unlike the other units which carry only uranium.

Experts say as long as authorities can keep fuel rods in the core covered with water, they should be able to avoid a major disaster.

Emergency workers were pumping in seawater to cool the rods, but one report suggested the tops of the rods had briefly been exposed."


The Japanese government doubled the size of the evacuation zone around Fukushima 1 to 20km (12.4 miles) after the blast.

Another snippet from the article on the tsunami & death toll;

The town of Rikuzentakada, Iwate prefecture, was almost completely submerged. Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that soldiers had found hundreds of bodies there.

NHK reports that in the port of Minamisanriku, Miyagi, authorities say that about 7,500 people were evacuated to 25 shelters after Friday's quake but they have been unable to contact the town's other 10,000 inhabitants.

A local official in the town of Futaba said more than 90 percent of the houses in three coastal communities had been washed away by the tsunami.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Sure great to hear you're OK !!

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to let you all know I'm OK. We got power back earlier and surprisingly internet as well. I'll have to digest this thread later because this is certainly a lot more information than I have gotten over the past few days. All we have are mostly rumors and speculation, but I do know a lot of people are being evacuated by their embassies.
Anyway, thanks for all the concern.

A lot of were real worried about you. Stay safe.

Uncle Frank

 

[Nuala]

I was reading that the death toll was going to exceed 10,000, but I didn't want to post it. And that toll is going to continue to increase. How can you say anything about people dying? 60,000 people or so live in my town. And imaging 1/6th of them dead is impossible. How? I can't say anymore. My hopes and prayers are going to the Japanese people, and have been since this disaster struck.

Millions are without food, water, and shelter. I hope that international aid can minimize some of the pain being felt right now. God, you know. Agh.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Some more articles from the Daily Mainichi;

"Over 10,000 deaths feared in quake-tsunami, nuclear crisis continues";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm053000c.html

"Water injected into troubled nuclear power plant to avert disaster";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm009000c.html

"Anxiety, fatigue grow among evacuated citizens near nuclear plant";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm058000c.html

"Japan offices to provide quake info for foreigners";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm060000c.html

"Australia seeks 'urgent briefings' from Japan on nuclear crisis";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm059000c.html

"False information spreads through e-mails, Internet";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm057000c.html

"Man rescued in sea off Japan's quake-hit coast";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm052000c.html

"Kan urges 'maximum efforts' as rescue works continue";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110312p2g00m0dm005000c.html

"Overseas rescue teams arriving in Japan, U.S. squad flies in";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm005000c.html

"Thailand cancels plan to dispatch search-and-rescue team to Japan";

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110313p2g00m0dm061000c.html

 

[mohamed]

bad news : they said that about 5 million have no water no electricity no place to live
can any one confirm ?

 

[Nuala]

bad news : they said that about 5 million have no water no electricity no place to live
can any one confirm ?

It's been confirmed that millions are without water, food, and shelter.

 

[Jericho Desu]

Oh my god, can the toll really be over 10,000? That's just so hard to imagine. I will continue to send my thoughts/prayers to Japan.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Are there any charities set up yet that you can donate money or stuff to to help the people in Japan?

 

[Half-n-Half]

I can't speak for everyone in Sendai, but real food is definitely hard to come by. Open convenience stores/supermarkets are few and far between and those that are have huge lines and almost no food. What they do have is mostly some drinks and snacks.

I'm lucky that my dorm has it's own emergency water supply and we have been saving up. There was an emergency shelter at the middle school nearby but they quickly ran out of food and had to ration it to those 12 and under. I also heard they had to leave since shortly after the power came back there was an electrical fire.

Anyway, thanks again for all the concern but it looks like for now everything is OK, just a little inconvenient lifestyle

 

[mohamed]

i think the Japanese who affected should go to safe places in Japan like hotels . even if there no were empty rooms on hotels
they must be the work of self-sufficiency among the population and each other
must be feel like brothers they safe palce is big in japan ,japan gov should find fast solutions to send the affected to safe places , this is better than sleeping in the street without food or electricity or water .

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Here is a special Daily Mainichi photo report full of pictures on the quake...;

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/photospecials/graph/earthquake/

(^ i feel like crying as i flick through these pictures ....)

 

[Jericho Desu]

Are there any charities set up yet that you can donate money or stuff to to help the people in Japan?

Since I watch a lot of Japanese Vlogs on youtube my subscription box is filled with vids on the earthquake and with them are some links to a few charities etc.

American Red Cross

Humanitarian Aid Organization for Children

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/11/tsunami-aid-and-relief-how-you-can-help/...


Groupon

 

[Lledargo]

Glad to hear from you HnH.

I found what seems to be a preety good explanation of what has happend at fukashima
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2058615,00.html

 

[undrentide]

i think the Japanese who affected should go to safe places in Japan like hotels . even if there no were empty rooms on hotels
they must be the work of self-sufficiency among the population and each other
must be feel like brothers they safe palce is big in japan ,japan gov should find fast solutions to send the affected to safe places , this is better than sleeping in the street without food or electricity or water .

The problem is that many roads are blocked/damaged by the quake and tsunami, many people are isolated - some people are still waiting to be rescued from the top or upper floor of buildings surrounded by water - and there's no access to bring them food/water or transport them to somewhere safer.
Fire Dept from other regions and Japan Self Defense Force have been working very hard, sometimes with helicopters, but it still take time.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

"Uncertainty surrounds Japan's nuclear picture";

Uncertainty surrounds Japan's nuclear picture

(^An interesting article on the nuclear situation in Japan & the cooling down of reactors etc)

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

BBC news picture article on the aftermath too with new pics ;

In pictures: Japan disaster aftermath

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Japan earthquake: UK rescue team arrives in Japan

A British rescue team has arrived in Japan to join the search for survivors of the earthquake and tsunami.

Fifty-nine search and rescue experts, four medics and two sniffer dogs flew out on a private charter plane with 11 tonnes of equipment on board.

Some 10,000 people are feared have died in the worst-affected area after Friday's quake and tsunami.

The British ambassador to Japan, David Warren, said there were "some cases of British nationals unaccounted for".

In one town alone - the port of Minamisanriku - 10,000 people are feared dead, and efforts to find anyone alive are being hampered by aftershocks, continuing tsunami warnings and damaged roads.

Rescuers will use lifting and cutting tools and specialist listening devices to help reach those trapped under rubble.

Full Story;

Japan earthquake: UK rescue team arrives in Japan

Japan quake: Sendai residents queue for food and fuel;

Two days after a devastating earthquake and then tsunami in Japan, residents in the coastal city of Sendai are trying to come to terms with what has happened.

The port, in the prefecture of Miyagi, was in one the worst-hit areas and is down the coast from quake-damaged Fukushima power station, where nuclear meltdown is feared.

Hundreds in the city are feared to have died in the disaster, with many people still searching for relatives.

Britons living there told BBC News that another major concern for residents at the moment is finding food and fuel.

Michael Tonge, 35, an English teacher originally from London, said that although people were worried about the atomic plant, they were "just getting on with things".

"Today I have seen queues at petrol stations of up to two miles," he said.

"Some shops are open, but there are queues. It seems like you have to listen to local radio to hear what is opening and then head down there.

"But I've also seen people queuing outside shops that aren't open. Whether they've heard they are going to open, I don't know.

Full Story;

Japan quake: Sendai residents queue for food and fuel

Japan quake: Nuclear closures to cause power shortages

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has warned that the shutdown of several nuclear reactors is likely to lead to a shortfall in electricity supply.

About a third of Japan's energy is from nuclear power, and with a big proportion of capacity hit by Friday's quake it will make outages necessary.

The east of the country is likely to face substantial shortages, Industry Minister Banri Kaieda also said.

There are fears of further explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power station.

Full Story;

Japan quake: Nuclear closures to cause power shortages

Timeline: Japan power plant crisis;

Timeline: Japan power plant crisis

 

[mohamed]

it's really so pity
i wish i can help any one there , but i am sorry cuz i can't

 

[Nuala]

It turns out the Fukushima nuclear power plant's #1 reactor was scheduled to go offline permanently last month. Pretty obnoxious that it's now suffering the problems it is, fate sure is a jerk. What's worse about this situation is that these aging nuclear power plants are making the entire nuclear power industry look bad. Sure, wish there were an alternative to it, but they've supplied Japan with 1/3rd of it's energy needs for how long now? Barring human incompetence or a cheap budget, these should work well. Now that we see what a 9.0 magnitude earthquake can do to a nuclear power plant, it's certain that all nuclear power plants in earthquake hot spots will be upgraded to withstand them the best they can.

Even these decades old reactors managed to shut down when they detected tremors of a certain magnitude. This is proof that they are sturdy! But alas, the oil industry is using this to smear nuclear energy once again. Very, very obnoxious! /sigh

Video taken by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society member's off the coast of Otsuchi. I found their comments regarding the harpooners going to out to sea to be of remarkably bad taste, but the video further down the page is remarkable and clear. To sea a longer video of the tsunami waves made it more clear to me how different they were from tidal waves. Feel free to ignore the article if you're not interested in tacky journalism.

 

[Revenant]

I'm still not sold on nuclear energy. It's the most volatile energy source, and I'd always be slightly worried were there one built in my back yard. As oil dwindles, we'll need a replacement energy source, and the more nuclear reactors, the more possibility for nuclear meltdowns. I'm hoping people will limit nuclear reactors and go more energy efficient. The techs already there in a lot of cases, we just need to put that tech into more widespread use.

Perhaps one day we'll make nuclear reactors 99.5 percent meltdown free, but till that time, I wouldn't want to be victim to a sped up process, and I'm sure 99% of people would agree.

 

[Nuala]

I'm still not sold on nuclear energy. It's the most volatile energy source, and I'd always be slightly worried were there one built in my back yard. As oil dwindles, we'll need a replacement energy source, and the more nuclear reactors, the more possibility for nuclear meltdowns. I'm hoping people will limit nuclear reactors and go more energy efficient. The techs already there in a lot of cases, we just need to put that tech into more widespread use.
Perhaps one day we'll make nuclear reactors 99.5 percent meltdown free, but till that time, I wouldn't want to be victim to a sped up process, and I'm sure 99% of people would agree.

We don't have the energy source of tomorrow, Revenant. Nuclear energy will continue to power Japan for decades to come, as it will power Illinois, considering we have six active nuclear power plants throughout the state. Illinois is also home to the Tevatron, the world's second highest energy particle collider in the world, trumped only by the Large Hadron Collider.

We're also pretty close to the New Madrid Fault, a rift that formed after the failure of the North American continent to seperate. It's expected to have some pretty serious earthquakes in the future. So, what's going on with Japan's nuclear power plants is of great importance to me. How Japan will recover and make their nuclear power plants able to withstand the force of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake will likely be how our nuclear power plants are secured.

 

[made of stone]

We're also pretty close to the New Madrid Fault, a rift that formed after the failure of the North American continent to seperate. It's expected to have some pretty serious earthquakes in the future. So, what's going on with Japan's nuclear power plants is of great importance to me. How Japan will recover and make their nuclear power plants able to withstand the force of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake will likely be how our nuclear power plants are secured.

BBC news have constantly reported that the plants stayed intact after the earthquake, thanks to the meticulous design in that respect, and that it was the tsunami that did the damage.

Is that incorrect?