8.8 Richter earthquake hits Japan: Tsunami, nuclear meltdown, many dead

aquamarine

I Know Better Than You
Mar 19, 2007
4,556
127
Here's a report from the ENSI (google translated to English from German):

Accident at Japanese nuclear plant

As a result of the severe earthquake off the Japanese coast on Friday occurred in Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima-Daiichi to a...n accident involving the release of radioactivity. The Federal nuclear safety inspectorate ENSI has mobilized its emergency organization and analyzes the current situation. For the Swiss population is no danger.

The earthquake in northeastern Japan are three nuclear power plant sites with a total of 13 reactor units affected seriously, Fukushima-Daiichi, Fukushima-Daini and Onagawa. All the reactors were due to the earthquake automatically switched off or they were previously in the review remedy. The size of th damage was caused in Fukushima-Daini, and particularly in Fukushima-Daiichi.

Fukushima-Daiichi
Currently, the blocks are 1 to 3 without AC power supply, there are also the emergency power supply systems failed. It is assumed that the reactor core is damaged in Block 1. The steel shell around the reactor pressure vessel, the so-called containment, was relieved of pressure (venting), ie there was positive pressure filtered vented to the outside. In this block, there was another explosion, which resulted in damage to the reactor building, which includes one-containment. According to Japanese authorities, it was a hydrogen explosion, but the containment itself is still intact. It was currently being flooded with borated sea water to cool the reactor.

About the extent of radioactivity releases continue to be no recent information. According to a release published today gone tomorrow, the radioactivity readings at monitoring stations significantly in the immediate vicinity of the plant. Due to the current weather situation, the radioactivity from spreading into the Pacific Ocean, so currently no large groups of people from the radioactive materials are involved. The authorities, however, the evacuation within a radius of 20 km located around the nuclear power plant and prepare the distribution of iodine tablets.

According to estimates of the likely ENSI outside a radius of 10 km no person by reason of the filtered venting containment receive a radiation dose of more than 1 mSv. This is the same used on the international level for the population.

Units 2 and 3 are currently being cooled with a core isolation cooling system, probably in Block 2, the water level is lower than normal. Blocks 4-6 were before the earthquake in the review remedy, there are no damage reports.

Fukushima-Daini
All four blocks are supplied with AC power from the grid. Units 1 to 4 are cooled. In block 1, but the coolant has drained.

Onagawa
Despite a now deleted fire in a turbine building, all three reactors shut down safely and cooled.

Some more info from the NEOC:

03/13/2011 | 0930 earthquake in Japan
According to official figures from the Japanese authorities was introduced in the reactor, Unit 3 of Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, a pressure relief. In a pressur...e release of radioactive steam is released.

Just yesterday, a pressure relief had been carried out in the reactor block 1. Later the same reactor unit was damaged in an explosion. From block 1, at least small amounts of radioactivity were released.
On the site of the nuclear power plant Onagawa an increased radioactivity measurement was reported. It is currently unclear whether this was caused by the release in nearby Fukushima-Daiichi plant. The Onagawa nuclear power plant was shut down according to authorities details of yesterday as planned. A previously deleted fire involved the engine room, ie a non-nuclear part of the plant.
The protective measures within the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants (evacuation within 20 km) and Fukushima-Daini (evacuation within 10 miles) remain in force.
The weather conditions have not to date significantly altered. Released radioactivity was still driven eastward across the Pacific.
The NAC continues to monitor the situation and will be constantly informed.
 

aquamarine

I Know Better Than You
Mar 19, 2007
4,556
127
Just uploaded the rest of my photos from the journey from Narita-eki to Iriya-eki. Hope nobody minds and excuse me as my 'grab' for 5 minutes of internet fame on a forum quickly passes me by . . . .

(will post 6 images at a time to help save bandwidth)

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Another incoming ambulance on a packed road. It took about 3 minutes to get this guy one block from where he was. I really hope the injured person was quickly rushed to the hospital.

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During the first major after-shock, this guy stopped and simply kept still for about 45 minutes afterwards. He is parked half-way across the entrance to one of the onramps for the expressway which was shut down shortly after the first quake. Sadly we didn't get on the expressway until the next morning.

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This guy was also parked at the side of the road. We came to a stop and when we did, our car started shaking pretty heavily so it's easy to understand why this guy wouldn't want to drive.

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'Oni Cambers' - this van had debris on it's front end that looked like a concrete brick. Many concrete-block walls fell down in the Kanto, Chiba, Kanagawa and surrounding areas.

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This guy tried to make it's way between the car you see ahead of it and us. Not the smartest thing to do.

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A dark photo, but you can see a portion of the line-up. Normally these cars would take the expressway however with it close, we had to use the side-streets.
 

aquamarine

I Know Better Than You
Mar 19, 2007
4,556
127
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A line of people that stretched for blocks and blocks and blocks and blocks and... well you get the picture. These people were being led by a safety officer. Here in Japan, there are police, security guards and safety officers. Police are armed, security are badged and occasionally will carry handcuffs and safety officers are public servants that simply help whenever they can.

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Strangely enough, this is the only phone that worked - an old car phone. Our cell phone's worked sporadically (sometimes for seconds at a time) yet an old car phone worked with no trouble.

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Three LARGE bus-loads of police officers squeezed through the packed traffic, presumably heading into Tokyo or some other area to help out with whatever they could.

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Another portion, a few kilometers later, of that same long line of people.

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aquamarine

I Know Better Than You
Mar 19, 2007
4,556
127
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Driving (slowly) since about 4:10pm the earlier day, now at 5:49am we are getting sunlight and a faster pace, but at 25km/hr we are still a LONG way from home.

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Even the news announcers in the studios have been ready for whatever may come next.

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Even now, the only thing allowed on the expressway are certain emergency vehicles and infrastructure vehicles

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A toll gate closed

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Each of those white lights would be a drive-through toll-gate... all closed.

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The sun is coming up and people are still trying to get into Tokyo. Throughout the night it was easier to get OUT of Tokyo than it was to get INTO the city.

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We were still a VERY long distance from the Chiba COSTCO so these trucks were waiting to get there to drop off their items. That said, there was one fatality at COSTCO in Southern Tokyo, as the on-ramp to the parkade collapsed killing an elderly woman, injuring her husband.
 

aquamarine

I Know Better Than You
Mar 19, 2007
4,556
127
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Expressway - still closed.

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Gridlock as the sun comes up.

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Every GPS in Japanese cars comes pre-equipped with a television - some use a small satelite style receiver, others use a UHF receiver. This was some of the damage we saw as we were driving home. Two of the women in the car began sobbing uncontrollably.

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The Tokyo Sky Tree (locals call it "New Tokyo Tower") appears to remain undamaged, unlike the Tokyo Tower in downtown Tokyo.

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Still gridlocked

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Trying to leave Odaiba island but that alone took is 2 hours. (normally about 5 minutes)
 

aquamarine

I Know Better Than You
Mar 19, 2007
4,556
127
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Tokyo Tower - the quake was so massive that it damaged the tower - if you look closely, you can see the top spire has been bent.

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Another shot.

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Driving back we were greeted by a nice sight - this is on the expressway within Tokyo.

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Sadly the train here didn't end up coming and was cancelled - so I got to walk many many many many stops to Shinjuku in order to get on a working train, god damnit.

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Waiting for a train that never arrived. Normally at this station on a weekend there would be dozens of people, but due to the quake, most decided to stay home.


That's it for now, folks
If a big update happens, I'll post it up but for now, I'm exhausted, was up for 30 hours friday to saturday, and only had 3 hours sleep Saturday night before a large earthquake struck and kept us awake.
With luck, goodnight people.
 

guy

(;Θ_Θ)ゝ”
Feb 11, 2007
2,079
43
rolling blackout
Yes, this was already on the table yesterday and they have decided to go ahead with the plan. Tokyo Electric and Tohoku Electric are running at more than 1000 kW under capacity (about 25% under normal operating capacity). Rolling blackouts will begin tomorrow in the Kanto and Tohoku regions and also Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures, and will continue through the week and possibly longer.

Blackouts will be broken into 5 regional sections, with each section sustaining a 3 hour blackout at a time in order to help redirect electricity to the areas hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunami.

As a reminder, electricity is currently the single most important resource for rescue operations. Without electricity, communication is incredibly slow, and workers are unable to quickly relay information about missing persons, and about how much food, water, and relief supplies are necessary for the hundreds of thousands of people who are seeking refuge in cramped, unheated shelters. Electricity is also necessary to power equipment to help rescue survivors who may be trapped in the wreckage.

Residents in unaffected areas are strongly urged to help conserve as much electricity as possible. This means not only turning off unused lights and appliances, but also physically unplugging them from the sockets.

Tokyo Electric says the power outages may last until the end of April.

Meanwhile, there are dozens of relief funds set up. Please consider a donation; there are countless reports that the only food thousands of survivors have had over the past two days is nothing more than a small amount of rice (which has already run out at many shelters). Your donation can help provide food and medical supplies for survivors who currently have no light, heat, food, water, or means of communication.
 

Glassjaw

Miu > all
Apr 30, 2007
844
144
I hope people weren't working on the top of the sky tree when it happened... can't think of anything scarier in a massive quake!
 

Xcaliber9999

Member
May 10, 2009
159
5
I hope people weren't working on the top of the sky tree when it happened... can't think of anything scarier in a massive quake!

New Tokyo Tower or sky tree is fine as you can see from the pic which aquamarine posted but Tokyo Tower in downtown had a little damage
 

truebrit

New Member
Dec 29, 2009
6
1
hi Japan
just want to say i hope the worst is over for you all. the images on tv are heartbreaking. so many lives lost so much damage. our prayers are with you at this time
 

lowleg26

non-active
Oct 25, 2009
1,766
212
There was a post in the chatterbox section stating that Yui Hatano was declared a casualty of the disaster.

This is, for the time being, unsubstantiated and should be considered nothing more than a rumor. Apparently, there is also a rumor going around that the creator of pokemon was also a victim of the disaster. At this time, I can't find any credible source that can verify either claim.

For those of us not in Japan, lets exercise some caution in the days to come regarding the news we hear. If its not coming from a trusted source, treat it with skepticism.

This goes not only for things you hear from random people on the net, but also for western news agencies that are unduly alarmist and often report second or third hand info.

We should consider ourselves lucky that we have so many good and honest members who live in Japan that are willing to post info when they get it (especially you, aquamarine).

I'd fathom a guess that people on this site who read this thread are probably better informed than most about the disaster. Not bad for a JAV/IV site!
 

redrooster

赤いオンドリ - 私はオタクです!
Staff member
Super Moderator
Sep 25, 2007
18,798
114
the nuclear technology mankind created has turned out to be the unbeatable evil dragon...

China just has decided today to heavily increase the amount of new nuclear power plants and to multiply the already existing capacity by factor 8...

Mankind just never learn...

If only we could do more than to assist Japan only by our prayers...