Japanese Cabinet Secretary, Edano Yukio, says they have “…explored all possibilities…” regarding the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. So far officials are at a loss as to where the radiation leak is coming from.
At this point they can’t tell if the leaking radiation is coming from spent fuel pools, or reactor cores. This is why, earlier in the day, officials announced that they have no way to stop radiation leakage in the short term, and asked people to voluntarily evacuate.
TEPCo officials are echoing the Japanese government’s calls for people to prepare to evacuate. TEPCo officials now say there is no short term chance that they can stop the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant from emitting radiation.
Also, some media are reporting that work on reactor’s 1 & 2 has been stopped because of highly contaminated water, however TEPCo officials say that is not so. Yesterday, 3 workers were sent to the hospital with Beta Burns, caused by highly contaminated water in reactor 3. The water has 10,000 times the radiation levels that are considered normal for the reactor.
Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, that were rushed to the hospital after being exposed to 10,000 times the normal radiation levels, might have been exposed due to previously unknown damage in reactor 3.
The workers were in the basement of reactor 3’s turbine building, trying to reconnect electricity. The basement was flooded with radioactive water, that held contamination 10,000 times normal.
TEPCo officials are now worried that there is unseen damage to the reactor, because there was no water in the basement the day before.
Because of the continued problem, after problem, with trying to get the Fukushima Daiichi plant under control, the Japanese government has told people outside the 20km (12.4 miles) evacuation zone, to voluntarily evacuate, and prepare for mandatory evacuations.
Cabinet Secretary, Edano Yukio, has told Japanese living outside the current 20km (12.4 miles) evacuation zone, to prepare for mandatory evacuations.
Edano has also told people, that if they wish, they should voluntarily evacuate now. The concern is that it looks like efforts to get the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control, are not working.
Also, advisers from the United States, have told TEPCo officials that the use of salty sea water is doing more damage than good. A U.S. Navy tanker ship with fresh water, is on its way to the nuclear plant.
A spray pump, that was about to be shipped off to Vietnam, is instead being used at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
The Vietnamese company that bought the pump, gave Japan permission to use the pump to help fight the nuclear disaster.
The pump is designed to pour concrete for construction of high rise buildings. It is equipped with a 50 meter (175 feet) arm, and can accurately reach targets from a distance. It is being used on reactor 4.
Tokyo Electric officials admit they are having trouble controlling temperatures and pressures in the reactors.
The problem is the salty sea water. While it cools down the reactor, it also increases the pressure in the containment chambers. That’s not good, in fact it’s almost as bad as high temperatures. They are looking into ways to bring large amounts of fresh water to the Fukushima Daiichi facility.
Regarding to the employees sent to the hospital with radiation Beta Burns; the water they were standing in was 10,000 times more radioactive than the normal radioactive water in the reactor containment system.
Nissan announced that it might send engines made in its U.S. factory, to Japan.
Nissan lost one of its engine plants in the Fukushima Prefecture after the 9.0 quake/tsunami. The factory made V6 engines.
Now Nissan officials are considering sending V6 engines from its Tennessee, United States, plant to factories in Japan.
Hillary Clinton said that NATO members have agreed to take over the military lead in the action against Libya.
She also admitted that there is no unified military plan among the coalition forces. “All 28 allies have also now authorized military authorities to develop an operations plan for NATO to take on the broader civilian protection mission.”- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Can you say: Ad Hoc, last minute, willie nillie, rushed, haphazard, last minute lack of planing?
238km (148 miles) away from the damaged nuclear plant in Fukushima, leafy vegetables in Tokyo have tested positive for cesium contamination.
Radiation is spreading across Japan, even though winds had been blowing out towards the Pacific most of the time. Also, more prefectures nearer to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are turning up signs of radiation contamination, mainly iodine-131. Water supplies as far south as Tokyo have shown signs of iodine-131 contamination.
Mayors of several Japanese townships, hit by the 9.0 quake/tsunami, are considering the reality that the survivors of their towns will have to relocate, especially those being affected by radiation contamination from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
Survivors told reporters that they are now “drifters” because everything was destroyed; they have no homes, no jobs. Some have pointed out that they have no money because the local banks were destroyed. Another problem is documentation, survivors have lost any type of documents that they would need.