"Radiation Has Spread From Reactors; Levels Seems Very High" - Japan PM Kan (Fire at 4th Reactor)

[Hissyspit]

Source: MSNBC / NHK

"Radiation has spread from these reactors and reading of levels seems very high" - PM Kan: #Fukushima

Live Press Conference Now: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv

Explosion rocks third Japanese reactor
Prime Minister Kan urges evacuations

msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated 1 minute ago

BREAKING NEWS
SOMA, Japan — A third explosion in four days rocked the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in northeast Japan early Tuesday, the country's nuclear safety agency said.

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan said radiation has spread from the damaged reactors and warned of more leaks. He said people within 20 kilomoters (12 miles) of the plant should evacuate, Kyodo News reported.

Two sources told NBC News' Robert Bazell that the blast breached the containment structure and that radiation had leaked out.

The nuclear core of Unit 2 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in northeast Japan was undamaged, said a spokesman for the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, Shigekazu Omukai.

@cnnbrk
CNN Breaking News
Japan's chief Cabinet secretary: Fire has erupted in 4th reactor at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant #quake http://on.cnn.com/fpRk6P
5 minutes ago via web

Read more: hhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42066534

---

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703908304576201382455819162.html

MARCH 14, 2011, 10:37 P.M. ET
Kan Warns of High Radiation Level
By WILLIAM SPOSATO

TOKYO—Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Tuesday that there is a high risk of elevated levels of radiation from a reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant where an explosion occurred earlier in the day, and urged people within 30 kilometers of the plant to stay indoors.

"Substantial amounts of radiation are leaking in the area," Mr. Kan said on television at 11 a.m. in Tokyo. "We are making utmost efforts to prevent further explosions or the release of radioactive materials," he said.

Early Tuesday morning local time, authorities said that an explosion inside part of the No. 2 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant appeared to have caused damage to the unit, and some staff were evacuated from the facility as radiation levels at the site rose sharply.

Mr. Kan began his address by asking people to be calm about the situation. He said that the government is doing everything it can to prevent further radiation leaks.

@cnnbrk
CNN Breaking News
Chief Cabinet Secretary: Anyone in 30-km radius of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant should stay indoors #quake http://on.cnn.com/fpRk6P
11 minutes ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply

@Reuters
Reuters Top News
FLASH: Reactor operator confirms fire near reactor building of Daiichi No.4 unit
3 minutes ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply

@TheBradBlog
Brad Friedman
"Everybody move out from 20km radius at Fukushima-2 (Daini) plant" PM Kan: #Fukushima
1 minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Reply

@TheBradBlog
Brad Friedman
This is new. Previous probs were at Fukushimi-1 (Daiichi). This is first word about probs at Fukushim-2 (Daini) PM Kan: #Fukushima

[geckosfeet]

1. Basically punted to the Tokyo electric company.

[Richard D]

2. # 2

Has plutonium.

[wordpix]

3. "reading of levels seems very high"---SEEMS? Are the levels high or not?

I'm betting they ARE high. :grr:

[jsamuel]

4. just remember that is likely translated

don't get too hung up on the exact wording

[wordpix]

7. just pointing out the obvious political-speak

[reorg]

5. readings are between 20 and 400 millisievert

400 millisievert is 50 times the previously reported highest level of about 8,000 microsievert (after third explosion) and about 250 times the peak level reported on Sunday.

They reconfirmed several times that they are now talking about MILLIsievert.

[aquart]

26. "100 millisieverts will cause infertility."

Just to be clear.

[DeSwiss]

6. K&R

And then there's the http://squall.sfsu.edu/scripts/nhemjetstream_model.html">jetstream.

[creeksneakers2]

8. This belongs at the top of the front page

[DeSwiss]

10. Now posted in GD. ;-) n/t

[shanti]

22. california

is right in the line of fire too :scared: potassium iodide is going way up on ebay, check it out!

[Ignis]

9. Kick.

[enuegii]

11. In case anyone is confused about the relationship

between units, 1 sievert = 100 rem.

So, 8,000 millisievert / 1000 = 8 sievert
8 sievert * 100 = 800 rem (or rads per hour, I'm assuming)

Is that correct?

When I worked as a radiographic technician 30 years ago, any area exposed to a rate of 100 millirad per hour was considered a high radiation area.

[creeksneakers2]

12. Kan Warns of High Radiation Level

Source: wsj

TOKYO—Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Tuesday that there is a high risk of elevated levels of radiation from a reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant where an explosion occurred earlier in the day, and urged people within 30 kilometers of the plant to stay indoors.

"Substantial amounts of radiation are leaking in the area," Mr. Kan said on television at 11 a.m. in Tokyo. "We are making utmost efforts to prevent further explosions or the release of radioactive materials," he said.



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703908304576201382455819162.html

[BillyJack]

13. If I lived there I would walk, if I had to, to a "safer" side of the island.

can't hurt, might help.

:think:

This all is just horrific/shock doctrine stuff.

Keep your wits about you, all wo/men of 'good faith'.

[jimlup]

14. Fucking A... they should get the hell out as fast as they can...

Forget staying inside unless escape is impossible. If I had any way to move, I'd get the fuck out now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TomClash]

15. Fire confirmed at near reactor building of Daiichi No. 4 unit: reactor operator

Source: Reuters

Fire confirmed at near reactor building of Daiichi No. 4 unit: reactor operator

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/us-japan-quake-snapshot-idUSTRE72D8LW20110314

[ellie]

16. What the hell?

This is absolutely terrible.

[tabatha]

17. And it was not even in operation before the earthquake.

[Daemonaquila]

19. Not so.

It was not in operation to *produce power.* However, "off-line" means something other than turning a switch when you are dealing with reactors. At its resting state with all control rods inserted fully, a reactor still produces about 3% of the power it does when it's "on." It still requires something on the order of 400,000 gal/min of cooling water to be pumped through. So, all that means is that the "off-line" reactors will boil water away and eventually melt down much more slowly than a reactor that wasn't off-line, if the cooling system gets fragged.

This is what's happening in the plant. The 3 that have blown so far were all in operation, so they started off a lot hotter and were much harder to control. The off-line 3 will eventually go the way of the 3 that have blown, unless regular water pumping is resumed to prevent them boiling off all their water as well.

[WheelWalker]

21. I think it was spent fuel being stored there.

I was listening to the presser.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=646623&mesg_id=646623

[StClone]

18. Several Nuclear Physicists are predicting

That these reactors will kill more people than the Earthquake worldwide. One reactor has Plutonium and it will drift to the U.S. and it will kill many here!

[CRH]

20. You make a statement like that, ...

you need to provide some links. How about it, have some?

[WheelWalker]

23. That's reactor 3 - MOX

I believe they've admitted 6% plutonium

[L. Coyote]

24. Are these characters in your pocket, just in your head, or what?

Hello, how about some sourcing?? People have names, you know!

[defendandprotect]

25. Did notice that one of those reactors has Plutonium ... !!

This stuff comes down and blows around, but it will also return with rain --

presumably ... everywhere --