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SassyLady
03-11-2011, 03:15 AM
International Event .... Massive 8.4 to 8.9 Earthquake hits Japan and tsunami cause massive destruction. Expected to hit Hawaii around 3:00 Hawaii time.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/11/japan.quake/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

namvet
03-11-2011, 08:47 AM
just heard. it can hit the west coast to. from Alaska to Chile

namvet
03-11-2011, 09:09 AM
fmAoQgKDOKs

A6xSj6Eggtw

http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2011/03/11/1226020/015397-japan-earthquake.jpg

Kathianne
03-11-2011, 05:13 PM
Seems the USGS got the measurement right at 8.9 on Richter Scale.

This is troubling:

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1625412.php/Radiation-level-climbs-at-Japanese-nuclear-plant-US-sends-coolant


Radiation level climbs at Japanese nuclear plant, US sends coolant

Mar 11, 2011, 18:20 GMT

Tokyo - The radiation level in a building housing a turbine at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan was rising, the Kyodo news agency reported early Saturday, as the United States announced that it had sent coolant after the plant's cooling systems failed.

'It's a really scary race against time,' said Robert Alvarez, an expert on nuclear power and a former top official in the US Department of Energy.

Problems arose at the plant after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake shook the Asian country on Friday afternoon. Around 3,000 people living in the plant's vicinity have already been evacuated over fears of a radioactive leak.

The plant's operator, the Tokyo Electric Power Co, said that air pressure inside one of the reactors had also soared.

The company was considering whether to release 'a little' air, which according to experts is a 'normal procedure.'

Concerns had been raised earlier in the day after the electrical system to supply the plant's emergency cooling system failed. The radioactive core needs continued cooling to prevent a meltdown...

Gaffer
03-11-2011, 05:20 PM
More troubling is the fact whole towns were wiped out in the north. They are expecting the death toll to be over 80,000.

Kathianne
03-11-2011, 05:29 PM
More troubling is the fact whole towns were wiped out in the north. They are expecting the death toll to be over 80,000.

That sounds very, very high. I find a link to the story of up to 80k missing, but I would think that may have to do with communication disruptions:

http://knightnews.com/2011/03/earthquake-tsunami-devastates-japan-effects-felt-in-us/

Gaffer
03-11-2011, 06:16 PM
That sounds very, very high. I find a link to the story of up to 80k missing, but I would think that may have to do with communication disruptions:

http://knightnews.com/2011/03/earthquake-tsunami-devastates-japan-effects-felt-in-us/

I saw that too. Hopefully it is just lack of communication. But looking at the area where the water went through it doesn't look good for a lot of survivors. Most along the coast only had about ten minutes warning before the first wave hit. I hope I'm wrong.

Kathianne
03-11-2011, 06:39 PM
I saw that too. Hopefully it is just lack of communication. But looking at the area where the water went through it doesn't look good for a lot of survivors. Most along the coast only had about ten minutes warning before the first wave hit. I hope I'm wrong.

Me too. I don't have a timetable available regarding quake and tsunami. I would assume that most people in Japan understand the connections, as they have ample experience in both. My guess is with the quake, the folks in the low points that were able headed for the hills as soon as they could. Truth of the matter is that most of Japan regarding population is well above sea level, not by a hundred or two, but many hundreds of feet.

It's the use of land and demographics that are coming into play would be my guess. I pray I'm correct.

namvet
03-11-2011, 06:51 PM
photos (http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/03/earthquake-in-japan/100022/#)

DragonStryk72
03-11-2011, 07:33 PM
That sounds very, very high. I find a link to the story of up to 80k missing, but I would think that may have to do with communication disruptions:

http://knightnews.com/2011/03/earthquake-tsunami-devastates-japan-effects-felt-in-us/

The problem is Japanese pop. density is through the roof, so any event like this is going to be absolutely devestating in losses.

namvet
03-11-2011, 08:36 PM
Japan quake causes day to get a wee bit shorter



You won't notice it, but the day just got a tiny bit shorter because of Friday's giant earthquake off the coast of Japan.

NASA geophysicist Richard Gross calculated that Earth's rotation sped up by 1.6 microseconds. That's because of the shift in Earth's mass caused by the 8.9-magnitude earthquake. A microsecond is one-millionth of a second.

That change in rotation speed is slightly more than the one caused by last year's larger Chile earthquake. But 2004's bigger Sumatra earthquake caused a 6.8-microsecond shortening of the day.

The Japan quake is the fifth strongest since 1900.



Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/11/1580470/japan-quake-causes-day-to-get.html#ixzz1GLS1RXaJ

Kathianne
03-12-2011, 06:16 AM
The news just keeps getting worse:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake


Explosion at Japan nuke plant, disaster toll rises
By ERIC TALMADGE and YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press Eric Talmadge And Yuri Kageyama, Associated Press 1 hr 1 min ago

IWAKI, Japan – An explosion at a nuclear power station Saturday destroyed a building housing the reactor amid fears that it was close to a disastrous meltdown after being hit by a powerful earthquake and tsunami.

Friday's double disaster, which pulverized Japan's northeastern coast, has left 574 people dead by official count, although local media reports said at least 1,300 people may have been killed.

Tokyo Power Electric Co., the utility that runs the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, said four workers had suffered fractures and bruises and were being treated at a hospital. A nuclear expert said a meltdown may not pose widespread danger.

Footage on Japanese TV showed that the walls of the reactor's building had crumbled, leaving only a skeletal metal frame standing. Puffs of smoke were spewing out of the plant in Fukushima, 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Iwaki.

"We are now trying to analyze what is behind the explosion," said government spokesman Yukio Edano, stressing that people should quickly evacuate a six-mile (10-kilometer) radius. "We ask everyone to take action to secure safety."

The trouble began at the plant's Unit 1 after the massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake and the tsunami it spawned knocked out power there. According to official figures, 586 people are missing and 1,105 injured. In addition, police said between 200 and 300 bodies were found along the coast in Sendai, the biggest city in the area near the quake's epicenter.

The true scale of the destruction was still not known more than 24 hours after the quake since washed-out roads and shut airports have hindered access to the area. An untold number of bodies were believed to be buried in the rubble and debris.

In another disturbing development that could substantially raise the death toll, Kyodo news agency said rail operators lost contact with four trains running on coastal lines on Friday and still had not found them by Saturday afternoon...

Kathianne
03-12-2011, 08:34 AM
Now though some positive news on possible nuclear problems with reactor:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/11/3162149.htm?section=world


Residents near nuclear plant told to evacuate

Updated Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:32am AEDT
Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant

An emergency core-cooling unit has reportedly been activated at Fukushima nuclear plant (www.greenpacks.org)

* Related Story: Japan ablaze after quake; no radiation leaks
* Related Story: Earthquake largest ever to hit Japan
* Related Story: Key facts: Earthquakes in Japan

Authorities have urged 2,000 residents living near a nuclear power plant in Fukushima to evacuate after the biggest earthquake in Japan's history hit the region.

The prefectural government issued the evacuation advice for residents in a two-kilometre radius of the No. 2 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co.

Kyodo News reported earlier that an emergency core-cooling unit had been activated at the plant after a power failure.

The World Nuclear Association, the main nuclear industry body, said it understood the situation at Japan's Fukushima was under control, and water was being pumped into its cooling system.

The association said a back-up battery power system had been brought online after about an hour, and begun pumping water back into the cooling system, where the water level had been falling.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) earlier said they had received information from Japan that there is a "heightened state of alert at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant".

"The IAEA is seeking further details on the situation at Fukushima Daiichi and other nuclear power plants and research reactors, including information on off-site and on-site electrical power supplies, cooling systems and the condition of the reactor buildings," it said.

Japan's prime minister Naoto Kan had already declared a state of atomic power emergency.

But Mr Kan said no radiation leaks have been detected at or near nuclear power plants, and the declaration is so authorities can easily implement emergency relief measures...

Kathianne
03-12-2011, 08:57 AM
This is a good move:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/12/quake-japan-iaea-iodine-idUSLDE72B0AM20110312


Iodine can be used to protect against radioactive exposure

* Japan told IAEA it is checking condition of reactor core

(Adds quotes, background)

VIENNA, March 12 (Reuters) - Japanese authorities have told the U.N.'s atomic watchdog they are making preparations to distribute iodine to people living near nuclear power plants affected by Friday's earthquake, the Vienna-based agency said.

Iodine can be used to help protect the body from radioactive exposure.

In Japan on Saturday, radiation leaked from a damaged nuclear reactor after an explosion blew the roof off in the wake of the massive earthquake, but the government insisted that radiation levels were low.

Japan's Jiji news agency later said three workers suffered radiation exposure near the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear body, said Japanese authorities had informed it of the explosion and that they were "assessing the condition of the reactor core".

Japan expanded the evacuation zone around the plant, Fukushima Daiichi, and also that of the nearby Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant.

"The authorities also say they are making preparations to distribute iodine to residents in the area of both the plants," the IAEA said in a statement.

"The IAEA has reiterated its offer of technical assistance to Japan, should the government request this," it said. (Reporting by Fredrik Dahl; Editing by Louise Ireland)

namvet
03-12-2011, 09:20 AM
reactor explodes


http://oi53.tinypic.com/swr8ut.jpg

namvet
03-12-2011, 09:40 AM
they need the Iodine now


there she blows


3icta2Fu54g

Kathianne
03-12-2011, 10:32 AM
The building that exploded, is just a shell for the core. Most in the US look like huge chimney like structures, not boxes like the picture in Japan. So far the release of radiation seems to be minimal and the iodine distribution is preventative in nature. I think Japan is handling this pretty well, considering all the destruction from both the earthquake and tsunami.

Look at pages 14 and 15 in this pdf file:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEEQFjAF&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnetfiles.uiuc.edu%2Fmragheb%2Fww w%2FNPRE%2520402%2520ME%2520405%2520Nuclear%2520Po wer%2520Engineering%2FPressurized%2520Water%2520Re actors.pdf&rct=j&q=nuclear%20reactors%20%20diagram%20of%20reactor%2 0containment%20building&ei=cpB7TeWTE4jmrAHg0Kn2BQ&usg=AFQjCNHBqQkxD3eQCAWRWVOTPfMd7uAtAA&sig2=rMnVj-JBVe8dHdJGyKZSdA&cad=rja

krisy
03-13-2011, 12:04 PM
some updated news

TAGAJO, Japan -- People across a devastated swath of Japan suffered for a third day Sunday without water, electricity and proper food, as the country grappled with the enormity of a massive earthquake and tsunami that left more than 10,000 people dead in one area alone.

Japan's prime minister called the crisis the most severe challenge the nation has faced since World War II, as the grim situation worsened. Friday's disasters damaged a series of nuclear reactors, potentially sending one through a partial meltdown and adding radiation contamination to the fears of an unsettled public.




http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/13/japan-regions-scarce-water-power-food/

namvet
03-13-2011, 12:33 PM
there is now more than 1 reactor in trouble. they are facing a catastrophe with the other reactors in trouble as well. the US has offered to send specialists over to help but they have turned it down.

these reactors were not built to take a quake this size. it was a one two punch. the quake shutting down generators at these plants then the Tsunami flooding back ups and high waters preventing them from getting in to do repair work.

krisy
03-13-2011, 12:43 PM
there is now more than 1 reactor in trouble. they are facing a catastrophe with the other reactors in trouble as well. the US has offered to send specialists over to help but they have turned it down.

these reactors were not built to take a quake this size. it was a one two punch. the quake shutting down generators at these plants then the Tsunami flooding back ups and high waters preventing them from getting in to do repair work.

This may be the scariest part of all of it. I really hope they can get this problem under control.

I always thought that scientits could tell when an earthquake was coming,even if it was just a few minutes. According to an expert on the news this morning,they can't.

namvet
03-13-2011, 01:15 PM
This may be the scariest part of all of it. I really hope they can get this problem under control.

I always thought that scientits could tell when an earthquake was coming,even if it was just a few minutes. According to an expert on the news this morning,they can't.

I hope so to. the Japanese as rule never ask for help. thinking they can solve it alone. but they should have already called in the best minds available considering the risk to their people.

namvet
03-13-2011, 01:18 PM
before and after photos. just slide the bar back and forth

link (http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm)

krisy
03-13-2011, 03:01 PM
I hope so to. the Japanese as rule never ask for help. thinking they can solve it alone. but they should have already called in the best minds available considering the risk to their people.

I wondered if it was pride. I agree with you. They should take all the help they can get.

namvet
03-13-2011, 04:01 PM
I wondered if it was pride. I agree with you. They should take all the help they can get.

don't think so. probably the way they were raised. that's pretty much a closed society. I worked with them for many years and learned a lot. professionally failure is not an option.

but where's the rest of the world here??? no help from anyone but us??? ie S Korea should help. or offer to help. their an ally and could have got there a lot faster than us.

Kathianne
03-13-2011, 06:38 PM
More troubling is the fact whole towns were wiped out in the north. They are expecting the death toll to be over 80,000.

They are now saying over 10k dead, I am surprised at that. I hope they are able to get relief in soon.

Gaffer
03-13-2011, 06:55 PM
I expect the death toll will be much higher. Probably at least another 20k. That water went in 6 miles with no warning. People just wouldn't have time to get out of the way.

The Japanese still live by an honor code and asking for help is showing weakness. It's ingrained in their society. They will do everything themselves no matter how difficult it is.

namvet
03-13-2011, 07:59 PM
I expect the death toll will be much higher. Probably at least another 20k. That water went in 6 miles with no warning. People just wouldn't have time to get out of the way.

The Japanese still live by an honor code and asking for help is showing weakness. It's ingrained in their society. They will do everything themselves no matter how difficult it is.

I think you mean lose face. isn't someone susposed to to whip out a knife or sword and do themselves in???? or do they still do that shtick ????

Gaffer
03-13-2011, 08:06 PM
I think you mean lose face. isn't someone susposed to to whip out a knife or sword and do themselves in???? or do they still do that shtick ????

They don't do that any more. But the losing face is true. They are very big on honor.

krisy
03-13-2011, 09:36 PM
Fox and CNN are reporting a new tsunami warning has just been issued. They are reporting different sizes of the wave. Police are telling people to get to higher ground.

CNN also says they have reports of a cloud of smoke from the nuclear reactors.

namvet
03-13-2011, 09:51 PM
Fox and CNN are reporting a new tsunami warning has just been issued. They are reporting different sizes of the wave. Police are telling people to get to higher ground.

CNN also says they have reports of a cloud of smoke from the nuclear reactors.

plus a volcano eruption today. lets see. what else can we pile on ????

krisy
03-13-2011, 09:58 PM
plus a volcano eruption today. lets see. what else can we pile on ????


Apparently a little rain and snow in a couple days :uhoh:

namvet
03-13-2011, 10:04 PM
ok here it is

Japan Earthquake: Evacuations Ordered Amid New Tsunami Fears


Japanese officials ordered evacuations Monday following a warning of a new tsunami triggered by aftershocks along the already earthquake-ravaged eastern coast of the nation.
Officials reported as much as a 16-foot change in sea level off the central and northern sections of the coastline, according to NHK.

Japanese authorities have declared a state of emergency at another nuclear power plant following Friday's massive earthquake that has left the country in a crisis Japan hasn't seen since World War II.


ABC (http://abcnews.go.com/International/japan-earthquake-death-toll-set-rise-fukushima-nuclear/story?id=13126081)

namvet
03-13-2011, 10:08 PM
Apparently a little rain and snow in a couple days :uhoh:

help put out the fires. this keeps up they'll have a north and south Japan !!!!