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.
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.
Officials in Japan now confirm that liquefaction took place during the 9.0 quake.
This added to the destruction. Roads, power poles and buildings were damaged directly by liquefaction.
Liquefaction is a major concern in the United States along the New Madrid fault line. There is evidence, and reports of liquefaction during a series of strong quakes during the 1800s.
Liquefaction causes solids, like sand, to act like water. It happens when great pressure is applied, as in the case of an earthquake.
NHK reported that for the first time since the quake/tsunami disaster the JSDF (Japanese Self Defense Force) will help supply survivors with food, water and other necessities.
They will begin by sending out helicopters to shelters to determine what is needed. This action is being taken after more than 6 days since the 9.0 quake/tsunami struck.
Until now, the JSDF was involved only with rescue/recovery operations.
This is another example of how unprepared the Japanese government is.
President Barak Obama said he was ready to take military action, along side France, Italy and Britain, against Libya.
The Libyan government responded by saying that if they are attacked by foreign forces they will launch attacks against international shipping, air traffic and civilian targets.
The UN Security Council decision to use military force was influenced by support for a no fly zone from the Arab League.
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).
General Motors (GM) has announced that due to auto parts shortages, caused by the disasters in Japan, they will have to shut down some production in the United States.
A GM plant in Louisiana is the first to be closed, for a week, as a result.
Toyota had announced that it would slow production in its U.S. factories. Officials say production will not be affected at their engine plants. Instead of closing plants altogether, Toyota has eliminated overtime work.
Ford says so far their U.S. operations are not affected, Honda said the same thing.
While most American’s attention has been focused on the disasters in Japan, the governments of the United States, France and several other countries, have been pushing for military action against Libya.
The first step towards that has been accomplished, with the UN (United Nations) passing a security resolution which will result in air strikes against Libyan government troops; a no fly zone.
The Libyan government has been making progress against rebels in the past week. Rebels watching the UN Security Council, cheered at hearing the results of the voting.
French officials say action could begin within hours. France, United Kingdom (Britain), United States and one or two unnamed Arab countries, are said to be ready to take part in enforcing the no fly zone.
Not only can you never be prepared enough for Mother Earth, but you can not rely on your government for help. Time after time, natural disasters through out history proves this.
It is clear that any disaster preparations in Japan, prior to the 9.0 quake/tsunami, were not enough. In several coastal towns the sea barrier walls did not stand up to the tsunami. Previous ideas of how long people would have before a tsunami would hit, after an earthquake, were shattered. There are coastal towns that have signs demarcating where the expected limits of any tsunami would be, but it’s now clear the tsunami blew past those expected limits.
It is also clear that the national government is not prepared for something like this, but we have to remember it is dealing with the nuclear disaster as well. As a result, local governments are being burdened with dealing with the natural disasters, and many local officials are saying they are not equipped to do so. Local governments had expected the national government to handle such large natural disasters. This is not a good sign for the rest of the world because Japan had always been looked up to as a shining example of disaster preparedness.
The residents of coastal towns and cities, that can be considered the ground zeros of the tsunami, could have never prepared enough. Stocking up on food and water, medical supplies, or any other item considered essential for survival, is a waste of time because it was all swept away by the floods. Everything was destroyed. However, in the periphery of the disaster, where many of the emergency shelters are, it is clear that preparations were not enough, as they have started running out of food, water, heating fuel and medical supplies.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t prepare. People outside the disaster areas are now dealing with food, water and fuel shortages. This is an example of why everyone, everywhere should have a stockpile of food, water and fuel. You never know, you might just survive that big disaster, and that’s when you’ll need the basic necessities.
Clearly disaster preparedness in Japan shows signs of underestimating potential disasters, overestimating the effectiveness of preparations, and overestimating any government assistance.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security is adding radiation checks to anyone, or anything, coming from Japan.
So far no “…harmful levels” of radiation has been detected. Other agencies are involved in the checks.