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Fukushima

Micro vs Milli Sievert

A Japanese doctor, who specializes in radiation sickness, says microsievert is OK (in general).  Millisievert is bad, because it is 1,000 times more than microsievert.

Japanese officials have given radiation levels in both sieverts, sometimes correcting each other during the press conferences. This is causing confusion, and adding to people’s mistrust of officials.

One official reading was in 400 millisievert, which is 400,000 microsievert. Apparently the 400 millisievert report is correct.  However, some people thought they meant 400 microsievert, which would have been a much safer reading.

The way officials are scrambling to keep the reactors, and spent fuel rods,  from melting down, indicates that radiation readings, from around the plant, are probably in the millisievert range.  One report said that readings around the plant are 1.4 millisievert per hour (that’s 1,400 microsievert).

Fukushima

Nuclear Disaster “…slow moving nightmare”

Dr Thomas Neff, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said “This is a slow-moving nightmare.”

Fukushima Daiichi reactors 3 & 4 are priorities.  Reactor 4 has a large amount of spent fuel rods on fire.  Reactor 3 is the only reactor at the plant that uses plutonium.  Plutonium is the most deadly of the fuels used.

The massive amount of spent fuel rods overheating, and on fire, can lead to a massive melt down.

Fukushima Daiichi plant has six reactors. Three have exploded.  Three are overheating.  1,000+ spent fuel rods overheating or on fire.

Fukushima

Nuclear Plant “…out of control.”

Guenther Oettinger, European Union’s energy chief, said the Fukushima Daiichi plant was “…effectively out of control”.

Japanese fire trucks, police water cannon trucks, as well as water trucks from the U.S. military, are heading towards the pant.  This is because the helicopter water drops stopped due to high radiation levels.  Official radiation reports for the civilian population have continued to contradict radiation level statements by those actually fighting the nuclear disaster.

 

Fukushima

Japan’s Government turns to Private Companies for Help

The Japanese government is pleading with private companies to help supply people evacuated from around the Fukushima nuclear plant, with food, water and other supplies.

This is a clear indicator that the Japanese government is not prepared for such an emergency, despite the international perception of Japan’s high level of disaster readiness.

Fukushima

TEPCO Pleading with Military to Make more Water Drops

TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) is asking the JSDF to make another try at dropping water on the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

The Japanese Self Defense Forces stopped after radiation levels, above the plant,  got too high.

Plant workers are trying to prevent a massive melt down of fuel rods (1,000+), which have overheated and caught fire.

Fukushima

Massive Melt Down if Fuel Rods Can Not be Cooled

There are more than 1,000 spent fuel rods at Fukushima Daiichi plant.  So far attempts to cool the rods down with water is failing.

To show how hard it is to cool down spent fuel rods: It takes 3 to 4 years under normal conditions.

The large amount of spent fuel rods, at the plant,  means a massive melt down could occur if temperatures can not be brought down.  As one U.S. nuclear engineer said, even a fuel rod fire would be like “…Chernobyl on steroids.”

No wonder many countries are telling their people to get out of Japan.

Fukushima, U.S.

U.S. Military issuing Iodide Pills to Aircrews, U.S. taking Radiation Readings

The United States military is issuing Potassium Iodide pills to helicopter crews flying operations in Japan.  The crews take the pills before their missions.

U.S. nuclear experts now in Japan will start taking their own radiation readings.  Officially this is to “help” Japan with the Fukushima nuclear disaster, but I think it’s because U.S. officials don’t trust what TEPCo, and Japanese officials, are reporting.

Fukushima

Survivors being Stressed by Lack of Info, Confusing Reports, being Forced to Move

An NHK interview has revealed failures in Japan’s emergency plans. Possibly lack of planning, or implementation.

Survivors are being stressed by confusing reports, lack of reliable information, and due to being forced to move from one shelter to another.

Many survivors from smaller cities and towns say no emergency drills were ever practiced where they lived.  Others say the emergency drills they took part in never addressed anything like the current situation.  This contradicts the accepted belief that Japan is the best prepared for natural disasters.

Survivors say it has become clear to them that they can’t trust what their officials are saying, especially since the survivors have witnessed, or experienced things that don’t match the official statements.

Survivors being moved from one shelter to another is the result of lack of food and water, fear of radiation exposure, and lack of heating capabilities.  Temperatures in northern Honshu are still around freezing.

Fukushima

Using Water to Cool Rods is just a Time Buying Action

In an NHK interview, an official said that using water on the Fukushima fuel rods is meant to buy time, until other alternatives to cooling the rods could be figured out.

Plant officials say they’re going to attempt to use boric acid.  They’ve received a sample from Korea.  If the test is successful South Korean officials say they are prepared to send the bulk of their boric acid to Japan.

Fukushima

Officials Continue with Contradictory Statements

Officials with TEPCO, said radiation levels from Fukushima Daiichi plant are down. This is contradictory because they also say that they can not put out the spent fuel rod fires.

I noticed that they continue to give radiation levels from specific points around the plant, like the “main gate” to the factory.  I believe the radiation checks are being done at ground level.  Fuel rod fires, along with the reactor explosions, spew radiation up into the air, where it is carried away by the winds.  At the beginning the winds were blowing eastward, towards Hawaii.

Chinese analysts have pointed out that no one is checking radiation levels at sea. Also, the U.S. Navy moved away from the area after two helicopters were hit by a radiation cloud.  Also, it is clear that radiation levels are high around the reactors because on Tuesday all workers were pulled back for a short time, and the JSDF had to stop dropping water by air because of high radiation levels.

Winds have changed several times, blowing to the south, then to the west, and then to the southeast.  Wind speed and direction would also affect radiation level readings, depending on where they are taken.

I conclude that the claims of safe radiation levels are misleading, due to the actions of those plant workers, and military personnel, trying to suppress the fuel rod fires. As well as to the way radiation readings are being taken and reported.  Also, the statements made by government officials regarding staying indoors, and not drinking even the tap water, is an indicator of how bad the situation is.