'Slow-moving nightmare' unfolds at Japan nuclear plant (police will try to use a water cannon…)

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42103972/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

'Slow-moving nightmare' unfolds at Japan nuclear plant

Workers at stricken complex briefly withdraw; officials trying to calm the public

msnbc.com staff and news service reports msnbc.com staff and news service reports

TOKYO — Japan's nuclear crisis appeared to be spinning out of control on Wednesday after workers withdrew briefly from a stricken power plant because of surging radiation levels and a helicopter failed to drop water on the most troubled reactor.

In a sign of desperation, the police will try to cool spent nuclear fuel at one of the facility's reactors with a water cannon, which is normally used to quell riots.

Early in the day, another fire broke out at the earthquake-crippled facility, which has sent low levels of radiation wafting into Tokyo in the past 24 hours, triggering fear in the capital and international alarm.

Japan's government said radiation levels outside the plant's gates were stable but, in a sign of being overwhelmed, appealed to private companies to help deliver supplies to tens of thousands of people evacuated from around the complex.

…

[xchrom]

1. oy. nt

[meow mix]

2. water cannon now?

uh right thats gonna work, barn is on fire get the garden hose out.

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. Better the garden hose than nothing…

Throwing pots of water on the barn hasn't worked.

[kirby]

4. I hope it works...

I think the problem with the fire house was that the high pressure level in the vessel made it hard to get water in there. The water cannon might overcome that pressure, but how long can they sustain that?

[FBaggins]

5. How many riots do they deal with in Japan?

That's something of a surprise.

But a welcome addition.

[jtrockville]

6. First they have to BUILD THE ROAD for the fire trucks

From the linked article:

...
Workers were trying to clear debris to build a road so fire trucks could reach reactor No. 4 at the Dai-ichi complex in Fukushima, 150 miles north of Tokyo...

[patrice]

7. Wondering what my Navy nephew nuclear engineer is doing right about now . . . Bomb it with water!?

LOTS of water cannons!! Surround it with water cannons! FOR 30 YEARS!