Posted on 03/20/2011 8:50:13 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Japan says it is making some progress in efforts to regain control of a crippled nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan. Officials at the Tokyo Electric Power Company and the Japanese government say tandem water spraying has apparently partly re-filled depleted pools for spent fuel rods. They also say radiation levels inside the Fukushima-1 complex are continuing to decline.
Despite some reported progress Sunday, officials are not ready to say the situation at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power complex is under control.
The key to stabilizing the reactors is re-starting water pumps through external electricity sources. That infrastructure was destroyed by the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11th.
On Sunday, the government acknowledged what appeared to be obvious for some days; the entire power plant is a loss and will likely have to be decommissioned.
Chief government spokesman Yukio Edano says radiation spewed from the plant is being detected in drinking water as far away as Tokyo and in samples of spinach and milk tested in communities near the nuclear facility.
Edano says there is no threat to human health at these levels and he asks the people of Japan not to worry.
Such appeals have been a daily refrain from top government officials.
Hopes of turning the situation around have fallen on a group of soldiers and firefighters who have been spraying water on the damaged reactor buildings.
Yasuo Sato, the commander of the Tokyo Fire Department's Hyper Rescue unit, says his crews have managed to keep their fear in check.
He says the firefighters understand the dangers of nuclear radiation and have managed to keep their exposure within acceptable limits. Sato adds that they believe they were able to spray most of the water on the primary target - the containment pool of the Number 3 reactor where the fuel rods, which contain highly toxic plutonium, need to be kept submerged.
One of the squad leaders, Toyohiko Tomioka, choked with emotion when asked what has been the most difficult part of the assignment.
Tomioka says the morale of his team is high but he realizes how difficult it has been for its family members. He says he feels sorry for them and wants to apologize to the families for causing them so much stress.
Tokyo Electric says six of its workers at Fukushima-1 have recorded exposure to high levels of radiation but are showing no ill effects. Utility spokesmen say the irradiated workers are continuing with the desperate and dangerous work to restore power for cooling systems to all six damaged reactors.
After renewed concerns Sunday about pressure inside the number 3 reactor, Tokyo Electric later in the day said a controlled release of gases to prevent a bigger buildup is no longer necessary. Such venting would cause additional concern among an already nervous public about further contamination of people, crops and livestock in an area where agriculture is a major industry.
Thank the good Lord!!
Indeed. And now what we need is for the mainstream media to put things in perspective and quit some of the sensational reporting.
As Sarah has stated, we cannot trust the lamesteam media to report ANY honesty, let alone good news! They have their own agenda.
It is up to us to spread the word, whether it’s on FR, other blogs and to our friends and family.
There's no profit in THAT!
Or put another way, "America is bombing Libya, so we - The Mainstream Media - have something else to talk about, so never-mind about all this Japan radiation business".
The MSM won't get back to Japan until the giant, mutated fire-breathing Komodo Dragon walks down the middle of main streat Tokyo.
God bless Japan.
Your prayers are being heard.
FUKUSHIMA: Reactors 5 & 6 Have Been Shut Down; Pressure Under Control At 3; Progress At 1, 2 & 4
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-nuclear-crisis-2011-3#ixzz1H9kFm9PL
EXCERPT :
A series of hopeful news announced by the Nuclear Industrial & Safety Agency (via VOA’s Steve Herman).
Reactors 5 & 6 reached cold shutdown today. Pressure is under control at reactor 3, and there is no need for more radioactive venting at the moment. They are attaching a power line to reactor 4, and the fuel rods are being cooled by external water spray. Seawater is being pumped into reactors 1 and 2.
Deputy chief cabinet secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama said reactors 1-4 are “showing signs of improvement.” He also said he would feed his kids spinach and water from the area — and that they don’t drink milk anyway, according to VOA.
As a show of faith, Prime Minister Kan will visit within 20 kilometers of the plant tomorrow, according to Kyoto.
And God bless and keep the nuclear workers who have risked their lives to save their nation. And God bless the United States and may he deliver us from the evil traitors that are within our doors.
When people talk about the chohesivness of the
Japanese people it could not be illiustrated any
better than this.
One of the squad leaders, Toyohiko Tomioka, choked with emotion when asked what has been the most difficult part of the assignment.
Tomioka says the morale of his team is high but he realizes how difficult it has been for its family members. He says he feels sorry for them and wants to apologize to the families for causing them so much stress.
It's third page news now that it isn't going to kill us all and Zero is at war with Libya.
On that subject, how can the POTUS, the CIC go on a pleasure/business trip on the VERY DAY our armed forces begin a conflict? He's a self serving A$$.
ditto, I am so glad.
To the media’s and left’s great disappointment, the Japanese reactors demonstrate that Nuclear Energy can be safe and can be controlled even under horrific natural disasters.
Start building them NOW in the USA. We need them yesterday!
This morning, according to the Reuters Blog, Unit 3 has experienced a partial meltdown and in Unit 4, they fear a chain reaction. Quite a different view of the “facts”.
Who is the Reuters Blog?
Now the media will need to find a new topic on which to hyperventilate
Tell Sarah, the Voice of America is very likely not a part of what she calls “lamestream media” — it could be an arm of the CIA.
WTF are you talking about?
I have been watching this, minute-by-minute coverage of the tragedy as it unfolded in Japan and have found it to be my most reliable source of information.
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