Quake/Tsunami

[Undertoad]

The tw speculation is off the charts here; reaction containment has been breeched, and plumes of misinformation, nonsense and confusion can be seen for miles.

Originally Posted by tw

Those posts in large letters were because I already knew from details what TEPCO would not announce for over twenty four hours later.

At the point you wrote that, TEPCO was announcing it on national Japanese TV.

Some have already died. A few are still unaccounted for.

Source: tw's ass

Good information is available from the Nuclear Energy Institute, World Nuclear News, and MIT.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

The tw speculation is off the charts here; reaction containment has been breeched, and plumes of misinformation, nonsense and confusion can be seen for miles.

The first breech may have been known on Saturday. But TEPCO continued to deny any breech occurred even days later. Cesium on Saturday said things were far worse than TEPCO reported.

UT's cited article had much misinformation. Once TEPCO was pouring seawater inside each reactor, then that reactor was being trashed. They were using their last and most destructive option; contrary to misinformation in UT's source. Because events were worse than a rosy picture they were painting. The first of major problems were known on Saturday – less than 24 hours after the earthquake.

Meanwhile, US government officials believe at least one pool containing spent nuclear material is completely dry. That means melting and outgassing radioactivity. The only reason that explains multiple explosions and fires. No reason for this other than mistakes (ignorance) at the highest levels of management. Danger from fuel stored outside the containment vessel is also contrary to what TEPCO wanted everyone to believe. An otherwise completely safe reactor had two explosions with fire because problems were ignored. Incompetence. Officials are calling for the Japanese military to (futility) pour water in via helicopters because the threat is much greater than they (or UT) will admit.

Bottom line reality. Three nuclear reactors are trashed. A fourth is now so radioactive as to be dangerous to human life. Unknown is how operators in two adjacent reactors are dealing with periodic high (but not deadly) levels of radioactivity that must be inside their control rooms. Bottom line - TEPCO has been outputting so much contrary and misleading information that even Japan's Prime Minister had enough - privately scolded TEPCO management for intentional misinformation or complete technical ignorance. Even the Emperor had to do something he rarely does. A speech to calm the nation.

Details say this is much worse than others easily manipulated by propaganda (ie UT) would have us believe.

How many days does it take to connect a power line? In emergencies, done in hours or a day. TEPCO still has not strung wires that should have been started 24 hours after the earthquake. Again, management was that ignorant or complacent.

In an early response to power loss, TEPCO management sent generators (some flown in by the US military). Generators that were found incompatible only after those generators arrived. Another example of why TEPCO management may be that incompetent. And why reactor operators are suffering from insufficient support.


Current tsunami death counts are irrelevant. Relevant is what exists (uncounted) now and whether that final count will exceed 20,000. We know those current numbers are too small. But numbers below 20,000 explain how well prepared for and drilled the Japanese were in disaster response. Hundreds of thousands were given only ten minutes to get to high ground. Amazing how many reacted so quickly.