I'll start off first with that I know there are threads about the Japanese Earthquake already. There are a lot of them. But I wanted to bring special attention to 50 of some of the bravest, most selfless, and heroic individuals that are working on keeping the ***ushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant under (relative) control.
My prayers and thoughts go out to these 50 individuals that are selflessly sacrificing their health for not only their nation, but for the entire world as well. I hope and pray that what they are exposed to isn't as bad as we are hoping and that they survive through this disaster. God speed.
With that, if the mods feel it needs to be merged with one of the other Japanese Earthquake threads, please do so.
Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide
My prayers and thoughts go out to these 50 individuals that are selflessly sacrificing their health for not only their nation, but for the entire world as well. I hope and pray that what they are exposed to isn't as bad as we are hoping and that they survive through this disaster. God speed.
With that, if the mods feel it needs to be merged with one of the other Japanese Earthquake threads, please do so.
Gizmodo, the Gadget Guide
50 ***ushima Heroes Work On, as Radiation Levels Soar
Kat Hannaford — Pausing for respite for a few hours after being temporarily moved away from the source of the radiation spike, the "***ushima 50," as they've become known, finally had a chance to catch their breath.
It had been mis-reported by foreign media following a press conference today with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano that the 50 (or so) plant workers had been evacuated. Unfortunately a bungled choice of words by Edano (no doubt owning to the long hours he's been working—in Japan, a kind Twitter hashtag meme called for him to have a nap), led to the confusion. As of 11.30am Japanese today today, the brave workers were back at work, and tending to the fire-ravaged No.4 reactor.
Edano also confirmed that temperatures in the water cooling the nuclear rods have actually increased. An ideal temperature is 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), but they'd risen to 84 degrees Celsius (183 degrees Fahrenheit). With reactors 1, 2, 3 and 4 already hit by exposions and fires, the fifth and sixth reactors are now experiencing soaring temperatures too.
TEPCO, the Tokyo Electric Power Co., started spraying seawater and boric acid onto the reactors from military helicopters, but it was abandoned shortly afterwards, after worries too much seawater would be dumped and turn into steam, which would counter their efforts by producing hydrogen and only increasing the pressure.
The radiation effects on the 50 workers, believed to be working in shifts, is still unknown. Radiation levels have swung up and down for days now, with the current levels in ***ushima City believed to be 100 times above normal, at around 20 micro-sieverts per hour. Supposedly that's comparable to one chest X-ray every two hours. Nausea, damage to the thyroid, and cancer are the varying stages of radiation poisoning. Around 15 workers are believed to have been injured in the plant's explosions, since Saturday.
Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has warned TEPCO executives after failing to inform the government of yesterday's explosion, with Kan reportedly saying "the TV reported an explosion, but nothing was said to the prime minister's office for more than an hour. What the hell is going on?" While obviously concerned about the workers' health, Kan has also urged TEPCO to ensure employees continue working on the plant until it is safe, otherwise "the [TEPCO] company will collapse." [The Guardian, Al Jazeera, AltJapan, @Matt_Alt]
UPDATE: The helicopter has been unable to drop any water on the reactor, owing to the high levels of radiation. Workers are now topping up the water from the ground.
Meanwhile, over in Germany, all seven of their pre-1980 nuclear plants will be shut down and checked over for safety. Across the European Union, further preventative measures will also be made, with 143 of the reactors being tested also.
Image Credit: Reuters
