Fukushima nuclear disaster blog
After the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March of 2011, the Fukushima nuclear power plant endured a series of equipment failures, meltdowns, and the release of harmful radioactive materials. It is the largest of the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents since the Chernobyl disaster over 25 years ago. In the accident, all external power sources had been lost which reacted in the cooling water to all 3 reactors in the plant failing. Hydrogen started being generated because of the chemical reactions occurring between fueling rods and the rising flood waters which caused massive explosions to the reactor buildings themselves and left a disarray of damage. The International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) put this disaster at a 7, which is the highest rank.
Dealing with the tainted water after this catastrophe was and is a huge struggle. Immediately following the event, the first act was to put water into the reactors and nuclear fuel pools to cool down the incredibly hot fuel. TEPCO went through several failed plans of action in dealing with this disaster. They tried to construct a purification system that would separate the radioactive materials from the contaminated water so that they could use it to cool down the reactors. Leaks in the hoses used to transfer the water and malfunctions in the purification process slowed down this entire process and over 30 mishaps have occurred up until August in recovery efforts. Lack of preparation is a huge constitute to this horrific event, and is an awful lesson to be learned for the future.
A professor, Yoichi Enokida, at Nagoya University states that the “lack of objective views of the operation rate of the newly adopted nuclear waste removal system has only contributed to everyone’s rising distrust of nuclear power as a way of generating electricity.” From this disaster up to 1/7 of Fukushima may be polluted, and further implications will not be known until they show their disastrous colors in the future.
Since the six month ordeal, over 100,000 residents within 10+ miles of the plant have been evacuated. Rescue workers are exhausting their resources to try and recover the cloud of radio activity that swept over the surrounding areas. Radiation levels in the immediate area have diminished but not a substantial amount. Animals and cattle are roaming wild suffering from the elements, and Fukushima looks like a ghost town. Time may heal some of the elements, but the radioactivity seeping into the soil proves to be a detrimental problem for generations to come.
Video of the blast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7crIPPhmVI
Explanation of the hydrogen explosion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgo24tTyC_c
Image explaining devastation from tsunami: http://images.scribblelive.com/2011/3/17/2b61cf86-26b7-498c-96aa-e5ad2a684d0a_500.gif
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110910p2a00m0na008000c.html (source)
I thought it was interesting that you discussed the idea about the aftermath of the cleanup. It is not often that people think about what happens to those who are left behind to clean up the mess. It is sad to think that even for those who survived this disaster both physically and emotionally, some were still subjected to the danger and sickness because of participating in the cleanup.
I really liked that you took the time to discuss the idea about the aftermath of the cleanup. It is not often that people think about what happens to those who are left behind to clean up the mess. It is sad to think that even for those who survived this disaster both physically and emotionally, some were still subjected to the danger and sickness because of participating in the cleanup.