Reuters: FLASH: Japan Nuclear Authorities Say High Possibility Of Meltdown At Fukushima Daiichi

[Hissyspit]

Reuters: FLASH: #Japan nuclear authorities say high possibility of meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi No. 1 reactor - Jiji

maddow: Nuclear safety commission in Japan cites cesium detection -- may mean a nuclear meltdown has occurred at

maddow: NHK reporting venting is suspended due to high radiation levels - concern over pressure and possible damage to containment vessel. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/12_38.html

"studying how to open the valve by replacing workers at a short interval, or using electric remote control." http://j.mp/hdRxgP

[Lucinda]

1. I heard

kicking to track this

[Solly Mack]

2. K/R

[Union Scribe]

3. "may mean" "concern" "possible" = "high possibility of meltdown"?

[AlabamaLibrul]

4. We're still hearing how everything is totally "under control"

how much longer can some keep pretending?

[Lucinda]

5. Radioactive emergency team dispatched

The health ministry has sent an emergency medical team to the Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant in northeastern Japan in case people should be exposed to radiation.

The team left the National Institute of Radiological Sciences in Chiba City, near Tokyo, on a Self-Defense Force helicopter at 8:10 AM on Saturday.

The group consists of doctors, nurses, and experts on radiation measurement.

The team is now getting ready at a nuclear disaster response center, located about 5 kilometers from the power plant.
Saturday, March 12, 2011 13:09 +0900 (JST)

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/12_40.html

[IScreamSundays]

6. Now it says that they may be having a meltdown

Update 3/12 12:26: Now a headline from Kyodo Wire: Fukushima nuke plant might be experiencing nuclear meltdown. From AP via Steve Herman: A meltdown would potentially put humans at risk within a 6 KM range. What is a nuclear meltdown? Wikipedia has a good primer. WSJ: Authorities pouring water into reactor to "stop the meltdown."


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/fukushima-nuclear-plant-2011-3#ixzz1GMm4s4i0

[burrowowl]

7. Bad news

[intheflow]

8. But nuclear power is so clean and efficient!

What's everybody freaking out about? :eyes:

I hope people get out safe, and not too big an area becomes contaminated. What we're doing to our beautiful home is heartbreaking.

[krispos42]

9. Oh shit.

Looks like Alaska may be glowing in the dark... and not from the aurora borealis.


Not good at all.


I suspect that if that core melts down the heat will be enough to melt a hole clean through the island.

[Tx4obama]

10. From AJ Live Blog: 45,000 people told to evacuate

8:17am

A total of 45,000 people living within a 10km radius of the Fukushima nuclear power plant have now been told to evacuate their homes - a steep rise on the 3,000 who were told to leave yesterday evening.

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/asia/live-blog-japan-earthquake#update-10551

[IScreamSundays]

11. next update!!

3:04pm
Japanese nuclear authorities say there is a high possibility that nuclear fuel rods at a reactor at Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPC) Fukushima Daiichi plant may be melting or have melted, Jiji news agency reports.

Experts have said that if the fuel rods have been damaged, it means that it could develop into a breach of the nuclear reactor vessel and the question then becomes one of how strong the containment structure around the vessel is and whether it has been undermined by the earthquake – and if it can withstand the likely aftershocks.