252 aftershocks of magnitude 5 or greater have so far hit Japan, after the devastating 9.0 quake on March 11.
This is a record for Japan.
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Concerns over volcano may unite North & South Korea
The 9.0 quake/tsunami has officials in North and South Korea concerned over possible eruption of the Baekdu volcano in North Korea.
The last time it erupted was in 1903.
The increase seismic activity in the area, including volcanic activity in Japan and Eastern Russia, has Korean officials worried so much that it has become part of their unification discussions. However, both sides are downplaying it.
Korea is directly due west of the Japanese state of Honshu.
Russians trapped in Sendai, asking for air rescue
150 Russians, including rescue workers sent to help Japan, and Russian news reporters, are trapped in Sendai, dozens of kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
They ran out of fuel for their vehicles, and where apparently left behind by rescue workers from other countries. It sounds as if there was a panic to escape the area after the Japanese government order evacuations.
Workers fighting nuclear disaster in Japan expected to die, being called ‘Kesshitai’
A Japanese newspaper (Sankei Shimbun) has named the workers fighting the nuclear disaster ‘Kesshitai’. It means ‘unit that expects to die’.
A daughter of one of the workers says her father told the family that he will die. The wife of another worker received a message that said: “Please continue to live well, I cannot be home for a while.”
So far, at least 20 people are confirmed to have radiation contamination.
Japan considers Chernobyl solution
Japanese engineers are considering the possibility they will have to bury some of the reactors, at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. This was the final action taken by the Soviets with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
Sand and concrete would be the main ingredients. The Soviets also used boric acid. South Korea has sent samples of boric acid to Japan to test for possible use on the reactors. Japanese officials say they want to continue to attempt to cool down the reactors first.
Japan raised the level of seriousness of the disaster to 5 on the INES scale. International observers had placed it at 6 last week. Obviously there is a difference of opinion. Three Mile Island is rated at 5. Chernobyl is rated at 7, the highest, on the INES scale.
Libya agrees to ceasefire, U.K. & France preping for military action
Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa announced that Libya will accept a ceasefire with rebels.
Libyan officials believe the UN Security Council resolution allows the Libyan government to use force in order to protect civilians.
France and United Kingdom say they are preparing for military action. Spain and Norway announced they are prepared to join the enforcement of a no fly zone.
President Obama will make an announcement this afternoon. It is expect that two Arab nations will be named as taking part in the no fly zone operation, Qatar is expected to be one of those countries.
The United States, United Kingdom, France are members of the UN Security Council, and voted for the no fly zone. China, Russia, Germany, India and Brazil are also members, but abstained, they will not help with the no fly zone.
U.S. Nuclear Power Plants NOT required to have disaster plans
In the 1980’s the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled 5-4 that there was no reason to require nuclear plants to create earthquake disaster plans.
In 2003, an earthquake in California, prompted the Diablo Canyon plant officials to come up with a plan. But, for some unknown reason, they have yet to publish that plan. The plant operators were not required to include earthquakes in its emergency response plan, when the plant was first licensed.
In fact according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear plants in the U.S. are required to have only a general emergency response plan. In other words they don’t plan for specific types of disasters.
Some officials say no planning is needed because the plants were supposedly built to withstand earthquakes. Tell that to the Japanese. Two workers at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, who survived the 9.0 quake/tsunami, say the plant was falling apart. One of those workers said he was surprised because everyone had been told the plant was earthquake proof.
Fire Truck water spraying to begin
An attempt to hit reactor 3 with the water cannon of fire truck was successful.
Plans are to rotate 6 to 7 fire trucks to spray 50 tons of water per day, on reactor 3 of the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
The initial attempt using a fire truck, by the Japanese Self Defense Forces, demonstrated that the reactor can be hit. Now the Tokyo Fire Department will take over operations.
High radiation at Fukushima Daiichi, Water dropping Ops not effective
On site radiation levels at 20 millisieverts (20,000 microsieverts) per hour. This is why attempts to hook up outside electrical power has not taken place.
Tokyo Fire Department staging to take over cooling operations at the plant, when the JSDF has completed their cooling operations.
Officials confirming that water levels still falling in reactors 1, 2 & 3. Reactor 3 has priority. Overall situation has not changed from day before. Indicates water dropping efforts not successful.
No progress at Fukushima Daiichi?
Latest press conference from Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.
Officials still not sure about water levels at the reactors & spent fuel pools. Deciding if radiation levels are low enough to fly recon aircraft over to take photos.
Officials still evaluating the effects of yesterday’s water dropping & spraying.
Workers still struggling to get new power lines hooked up to the plant. Power panels on reactors need to be replaced. Radiation levels on site still a problem.
Priority and progress of work affected by number of workers, radiation levels, and other factors.
Help from the United States is appreciated, and specific requests have been made. Reports say U.S. Secretary of State Clinton announced that coolant specifically for nuclear reactors is in short supply. Japanese officials say they will have to continue using water (which is not optimal).