Japan Official: Workers Unable to Continue at Plant Due to Radiation Risk

[defendandprotect]

Schultz reporting as Breaking news --










Rightwing Koch Bros. Funded the DLC --

http://www.democrats.com/node/7789

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x498414

If you knew about this, why didn't you tell us?

If you didn't know -- pass it on -- !!

[virgogal]

1. God,what a nightmare.

[flamingdem]

2. FUG ... they know plutonium is in that white smoke potentially... nt

[Xipe Totec]

3. FUBAR nt

[nc4bo]

4. Which plant? Did you hear? Problems in several.

Sorry just trying to info gather.

[pokerfan]

8. It's just been one plant all along hasn't it?

Fukushima Dai-Ichi, right?

:shrug:

[nc4bo]

9. Sorry brain shorted. nt

[defendandprotect]

16. Confirmed that four plants are leaking radiation ...

one plant has crack or hole in roof -- two workers still missing from the

explosion which caused that hole - seemingly.

Think they presume that one or more of these plants is in meltdown or partial

meltdown but no way to really know because of the heat which prevents any

true inspection of the lower parts of the reactors --

That's MY understanding -- don't take it as verbatim!!

[pokerfan]

17. But those four reactors are at the same plant, right?

One plant, six reactors, four in varying stages of distress?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_Nuclear_Power_Plant

[defendandprotect]

23. Not sure what you mean --

do you mean the same complex of reactors?

I'm not that familiar with all the specifics of Fukushima reactors --

"Fuel rod damage at two stricken Japan nuclear reactors estimated at 70 percent and 33 percent -

Kyodo News"


Overall -- Japan has 55 reactors -- 17 complexes --

[pokerfan]

25. I mean are we still just talking about Fukushima Dai-ichi?

and not some other NPP in Japan that's developed a problem?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_Nuclear_Power_Plant

The Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, often referred to as Fukushima Dai-ichi, is a nuclear power plant located in the town of Okuma in the Futaba District of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, first commissioned in 1971. The plant consists of six boiling water reactors....

[defendandprotect]

31. Has there been any problem anywhere else but Fukushima?

[pokerfan]

37. Not sure what you mean

but I'm not aware of any but the four reactors at Fukushima I NPP. The post upstream mentioned other plants so I asked. That is all.

[defendandprotect]

41. Think we're confusing ourselves here --

As I said I'm familiar with Fukushima but not the full breakdown of exactly

what is where there -- though someone did run a thread here trying to explain it

yesterday -- should have looked at it.

Usually they are simply referring to the reactors by # -- Did notice once they

referred to Daiichi --



I've volunteered that there are 55 reactors in all -- in 17 complexes because

there have been so many aftershocks that there has been concern that there could

be another tsunami. Haven't heard anyone talking about these reactors except

that they are still running. The last aftershocks I heard were still in the 6

something range! That's a lot!!

[Hannah Bell]

42. there are two fukushima plants, daiichi (plant 1, with 6 reactors) & daini (plant 2, with

4 reactors).

the two plants are about 10 km apart.

plant 2 had some problems earlier but now is hopefully ok.

the "plant" is the compound, the entire facility.

the reactor is the unit within the compound.

[defendandprotect]

45. Understood 10 reactors --

Again -- I keep mentioning that in all they have 55 reactors in 17 complexes --

the aftershocks/quakes are still running at 6 -- and there have been continuing

concerns re another tsunami. Would like to feel that won't happen -- but wonder

if there is any concern for shutting down these other reactors?



Plus listening to Kucinich on Schultz tonight -- nuclear reactor is built on Lake Erie!!

Don't know if it is a plant with multiple reactors or what -- but can you imagine --

how insane can they be?

PLUS, many say the reactors in CA are built on fault lines!!

And, again, all of these reactors are old -- quite a few have been extended despite all

common sense!

[pokerfan]

44. It is confusing

compounded further because there are two Fukushima plants: Fukushima I (Dai-Ichi) and Fukushima II (Dai-Ni) containing a combined ten reactor units.

NHK-English has stated that they are going to start referring to Fukushima I as 'Dai-Ichi' presumably to reduce confusion.

[defendandprotect]

46. Thanks --

:)

[defendandprotect]

11. Don't think they identified one plant --

Schultz was wondering if maybe a different team would be going in?


Kuchinich has just been on with Schultz --

he's on one of the committees that handles the nuclear reactors --

everything now has to be looked thru the "prism of Japan/Fukushima" --

[nc4bo]

15. Thanks. I should have turned on Ed. nt

[cascadiance]

5. Ed Schultz just had a segment talking about it just now...

There's a concern now that without people in the plant a major meltdown will occur and that Chernobyl-like radiation might be released. Expert was wondering why they aren't rotating other workers in to continue working. Speculation is that conditions must be pretty bad in there now if they're not putting people back in.

Time to go stock up on water and potassium iodide I guess.

He's continuing to talk now on this now...

[grasswire]

13. too late for the pills, pal

I've been told by people who tried to get/order some today that there aren't any to be had.

[TNLib]

6. Fuck

nt

[pokerfan]

7. I first heard it on CNN

I caught just the end of the press conference on NHK and caught Edano saying something about dropping water and boron from the air.

[suffragette]

10. From BBC blog

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

0236: Mr Edano, Japan's chief government spokesman, says workers trying to douse the reactors with water were forced to retreat when radiation levels surged there.
0221: Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano says the authorities are still looking for the cause of white smoke billowing from reactor 3 at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. He says the radiation reading at the plant is fluctuating by the hour.

[pokerfan]

12. Workers evacuate quake-crippled nuclear plant

Workers at the quake-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan have now been evacuated due to the radiation risk, according to the BBC.

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/workers-evacuate-quake-crippled-nuclear-plant-4064603

[Baclava]

14. Looks like that Michio Kaku option might have be right all along....bury everything

* Assemble a huge fleet of helicopters. Put shielding underneath them.
* Accumulate enough sand, boric acid, and concrete to smother these reactors, to entomb them forever.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x652849

[defendandprotect]

18. Workers at Fukushima Daiichi Temporarily Suspend Activity --

Japan's Nuclear Safety Agency: 70% of Reactor #1 Fuel Rods May be Damaged

Earlier Fire at Reactor #4 Led to Dangerous Radiation Leak

High Radiation levels force evacuation of all plant workers

Fire at Reactor #4 Involves Outer Shell of Containment Building

[sakabatou]

19. This is bad

Who or what will take up the work then?

[defendandprotect]

20. Try MSNBC -- Breaking News -- JapanQuake - link

http://www.breakingnews.com/filter/japan-earthquake

[pokerfan]

21. Now they're headed back in

It was just temporary evacuation following a surge in radiation.

Per MSNBC...

[jpak]

27. link?

n/t

[Hannah Bell]

29. we were listening to the japanese press conference & the followup

corrections of the japanese nuclear safety commission.

there is no link yet.

the foreign media are just now reporting the edano conference.

they will report the corrections shortly, i believe.

if not, i will make a mea culpa.

[pokerfan]

34. It was live on MSNBC

[pokerfan]

33. n/a

dupe

[Hannah Bell]

22. that was at 10 am this morning. per the press conference that just occurred

they are on their way back, levels are down.

by the time it gets to print media or even places like msnbc website, it's out of date.

best sources = japanese english sites: nhk english, kyodo --

[defendandprotect]

28. What -- ???

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/workers-evacuate-quake-crippled-nuclear-plant-4064603


Agree TV is slower than internet -- but that's ridiculous!!

[Hannah Bell]

32. the evacuation happened about 10 am japan time. it's now about 1 pm japan

time.

the 10:00 evacuation was first reported at the edano press conference which started about 1 hr ago. that's where these reports you're just seeing are coming from.

but right after the edano presser, the japanese nuclear safety commission came on and did an update/correction.

so it should start appearing in the foreign media soon.

if not, i will do a mea culpa.

[defendandprotect]

35. Thought you were talking about the MUCH earlier press conference ... !!

Anyway, the news is out that they're returning again --

we don't know if they're circulating workers or how this is done --

it will all be MSNBC repeats now of Rachel and Schultz so anyone interested

will have to find other sources --

[suffragette]

30. Would that be Japanese time?

Looking at Kyodo news banners, about 1 pm there now?

[suffragette]

36. delete - posted wrong place

[Hannah Bell]

38. yes, japan time -- at least i assume, since it's the time japanese were using.

and yeah, about 1 in the afternoon of the 16th there now.

so they actually started returning around noon japan time.

[suffragette]

40. Just making sure since it gets confusing with all the time zones

Thanks for the clarification.

[defendandprotect]

24. Evidently this had something to do with MANUAL efforts to cool the reactors --

then they were talking about trying to drop water on them from a helicopter?

Now something about trying to get water onto them through the walls --

perhaps they mean over the walls?

Still saying ROOF of Reactor #4 "cracked" --

[defendandprotect]

26. Workers return to stricken nuclear plant

Officials in Japan say radiation levels have dropped enough to let workers back into the complex

21 mins ago
TOKYO (Reuters) – Workers ordered to leave a quake-damaged nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan were allowed back in after radiation levels fell, the Japan nuclear agency said.

Pumping of seawater at reactors at No. 1, 2 and 3 was proceeding smoothly, it said.





http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/ts_nm/us_japan_quake_smoke

[suffragette]

39. Japan ready to ask for US military help at Fukushima

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698
0349: Japan says it is ready to ask the US military for help in battling the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant, the AFP news agency reports.

[wonderjust25]

43. japan should do all it can to stop it from getting worse.

prevent damages to more people and more countries...japan needs real heroes now