Explosion, 10,000x increase in rad levels, operators evacuated - breaking just now

[bananas]

All one thread in GD:
Explosion: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x645098
Operators evacuated: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x645098#645213
10,000 x increase in rad levels: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x645098#645277

[snagglepuss]

1. Latest - BBC tweets

2344: Tokyo Electric says that 50 employees are still staying at the Fukushima plant
2340: Tokyo Electric officials are now holding a news briefing. They say the blast at reactor 2 happened "near the pressure vessel". They also confirm that some staff at the nuclear power plant are being evacuated.
2333: More details on the reported blast at Fukushima's reactor 2. The explosion is feared to have damaged the reactor's pressure-suppression system, Kyodo says. It adds that "radiation tops legal limit" after the explosion.
2320: A spokesperson from Tokyo Electric says said some staff have been evacuated from the site.
2316: Kyodo now says that the suppression pool may have been damaged at reactor 2.
2311: The news agency said the blast was heard at 0610 local time on Tuesday (2110 GMT Monday). No other details were immediately announced.
2308: An explosion is heard at Fukushima's second reactor, the Kyodo news agency reports.

[snagglepuss]

5. The Oil Drum: This is something going on inside containment.....

Bang or explosion heard around the suppression pool at #2. This is an entirely different bag of chips than a hydrogen explosion in the refueling deck. This is something going on inside containment.

The suppression pool is the "torus" which is designed to quench any steam released from primary circuit or reactor vessel itself.

From my understanding this means that the wetwell has been breached and will have released pressure into the secondary containment surrounding the wet well "torus."

They also registered higher radiation in the wetwell (suppression pool) recently.

This could just be the wet well letting go due to old age and pressure and a coincidental increase in radiation.

Worst case, the pressure increased due to some failure of the reactor vessel itself and the increased radiation is due to some amount of ejected core melt or alternatively salt water if the core is somewhat intact.

But that's worst case, seems unlikely. I'd think if the reactor vessel had in fact ruptured that there would be more than just a bang.

post at 7:39

[FBaggins]

6. Even in a best-case... it's still by far the worst event so far.

Getting awfully close to failure here.

[snagglepuss]

7. Bradblog: according to various reliable sources on Twitter over the last few minutes...

"@thedeadhandbook: NHK: "A big sound" at Unit No 2. Half of fuel rods 2.7 meter length is exposed."

"@thedeadhandbook: NHK: operators evacuated from the site 'just in case.' Damage to "pressure suppression room"

"@Reuters: Fresh explosion heard at stricken Japan reactor http://reut.rs/gQJl88"

"@norishikata: We need to very closely watch what is happening to Unit 2. Most workers on-site evacuated, with minimum staff remaining."

"@AkikoFujita: Explosion at Reactor unit #2 at 6:10am. Gov't: "Radioactive levels up, but level not immediately harmful to human bodies."

"NHK: NISA says rad levels not high to cause damage to human health, but if containment vessel damaged could be serious consequences"

In the case of Units 1 & 3, according to Japanese officials, the containment vessels housing the fuel rods were not breached, though "partial meltdowns" of at least some of the rods was being presumed. Whether or not that is the case again in Unit 2, now remains to be seen...

4:57pm PT: More now, still troubling, from NHK's coverage of the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) news conference, as tweeted by @TheDeadHandbook...

"NHK notes there is a danger of contaminated water leaking out. still need to bring up water level. "a very serious situation"

"NHK: TEPCO: reporters pressing for information about possible damage to containment, but answers were vague."

NHK: showing chart again that blast was in bottom of vessel, indicating something wrong in last line of defense"

"NHK: nuclear expert says plunge in pressure means there could be damage to vessel. the last line of defense. very serious"

"NHK: nuclear expert says does not mean immediate leak of radiation. water injection will continue."

"NHK: nuclear expert notes that pressure in vessel was brought down to accomodate injection of water"

IDG News Services Tokyo bureau chief Martyn Williams, also covering the TEPCO news conference, adds:

"Tepco erred by starting with apology - making it seem big increase in seriousness - then unable to follow with simple explanation"

The Daily Yomiuri adds:

"Water levels are reportedly being restored at the No2 reactor at the Fukushima No1 nuclear plant. Rods now 2.8m exposed."

"Radiation levels outside the main gate of the Fukushima No1 nuclear plant were reported as 16 times normal levels."




http://www.bradblog.com/

[FBaggins]

10. Reliable sources?

I'm thinking that the only reliable sources at this point...

...are a little busy.

[FBaggins]

9. Dupe

Deleted

[rhett o rick]

2. This is serious news. Do you have links to actual data and not DU threads? nm

[bananas]

3. They were just talking about it on CNN

gone to commercial - probably more after the break.

[snagglepuss]

8. 7. Bradblog: according to various reliable sources on Twitter over the last few minutes...

See post 7 or go to http://www.bradblog.com/

[FBaggins]

4. Doesn't sound good. Yet another explosion reported.

[LiberalEsto]

11. 3,130 microsievert per hour

Radiation levels at the plant, located 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, peaked at 3,130 microsievert per hour on Monday evening, equivalent to exposure to five stomach X-rays. From Reuters

[madokie]

12. Its going to be a long time before things start looking up for them

so sad too. building nuke plants on the cheap, what stupidity but thats what it looks like. In all that 'smartness' they like to throw around why didn't someone figure out that there were a lot of serious things left to chance. This is going to get a lot worse yet I'm afraid and its exactly what many of us has been trying to get across here but keep getting shouted down. We've got a lot of vulnerable nuclear plants ourselves right here in America. :scared: