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upi402

(16,854 posts)
Sun Oct 27, 2013, 02:06 PM Oct 2013

Tritium soaring in water at Fukushima

"The utility also said it had measured, on Wednesday, a seawater tritium level of 2,300 becquerels per liter — the highest so far — near the water intakes of reactors 1 to 4.

Tritium concentrations in groundwater have become denser on the north side of the intakes, but Tepco also said it has yet to determine whether the tainted water has been leaking into the sea."

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/07/07/national/tritium-soaring-in-water-at-no-1-plant/#.Um1RqxDzpOz

Just when I thought the end of the 3rd game of the World Series was front page news at CNN...
Maybe somebody should nudge the news department there. I think they may be napping.

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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upi402

(16,854 posts)
2. Risky repair of Fukushima could spill 15,000x radiation of Hiroshima, create 85 Chernobyls
Sun Oct 27, 2013, 02:29 PM
Oct 2013

In November, Tepco plans to begin the delicate operation of removing spent fuel from Reactor No. 4. There are 1,300 used fuel rod assemblies in a pool above the reactor. They weigh a total of 400 tons, and contain radiation equivalent to 14,000 times the amount released by the Hiroshima atomic bomb. The spent-fuel pool, standing 18 meters above ground, was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami and is in a deteriorating condition. It remains vulnerable to any further shocks, and is also at risk from ground liquefaction. Removing its spent fuel, which contains deadly plutonium, is an urgent task.

Even under ordinary circumstances spent-fuel removal is a difficult task, normally requiring the aid of computers. But due to the damage, removal of spent fuel from Reactor No. 4 and the five other reactors will have to be done manually. This work will be undertaken in arduous conditions, increasing the risk of yet another mishap.

And if something does go wrong, the consequences could be far more severe than any nuclear accident the world has ever seen. If a fuel rod is dropped, breaks or becomes entangled while being removed, possible worst case scenarios include a big explosion, a meltdown in the pool, or a large fire. Any of these situations could lead to massive releases of deadly radionuclides into the atmosphere, putting much of Japan — including Tokyo and Yokohama — and even neighboring countries at serious risk.

[link:http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/08/29/commentary/government-must-take-over-fukushima-nuclear-cleanup/#.Um1aoRDzpOy|

upi402

(16,854 posts)
3. Magnitude-7.1 hits north-eastern Japan, tsunami observed
Sun Oct 27, 2013, 02:37 PM
Oct 2013

Magnitude-7.1 hits north-eastern Japan, tsunami observed

October 26, 2013 11:55 am

Tokyo - A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck early Saturday off the coast of north-eastern Japan, prompting authorities to urge residents to evacuate prefectures and issue a tsunami warning.

(back to sleep)

Nay

(12,051 posts)
4. My addition to the end of this 'news' article: "And, so that the corporate
Sun Oct 27, 2013, 03:10 PM
Oct 2013

vampires who have brought you this disaster don't have their fee-fees hurt or their wallets damaged, no one who reported on this tritium release have asked any questions or demanded any answers as to the possible damage, destruction or contamination this is causing, or may cause in the future."

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