fsu2.txt


Fukushima Disaster Update: Yoichi Shimatsu Pt.2

The summary details widespread radiation leaks affecting multiple nuclear plants across Japan, including Kashiwazaki on the Japan Sea coast, the Tura plant in Nagai facing Korea, and Onaga and Fukushima 2 on the Pacific coast, with possible issues at Tokura. This situation affects an estimated five to six nuclear plants. The urgency of the crisis was highlighted by the Prime Minister's decision to press for the shutdown of the Hamaoka plant, located between Tokyo and Nagoya. This plant was identified as having zero protection against tsunamis, lacking even a seawall, making it highly vulnerable. Regional power companies reluctantly agreed to the shutdown, acknowledging the plant's lack of safety mechanisms against tsunami-induced water pressure entering the inland system. The transcript suggests that a similar sequence of events occurred at Fukushima, where tsunami water breached a bay and entered through pipes, damaging critical infrastructure. This inundation reportedly knocked out all backup power systems, including pump generators. Specifically, unit one of the affected plant released approximately 500 million Becquerels of radiation into the air. It remains unsafe for human entry due to radiation levels of 700 Millirems per hour, a rate significantly exceeding the average annual exposure limit of 3 Millirems for the public and posing immediate danger, comparable to the fallout from a nuclear bomb. Current efforts to mitigate the disaster involve deploying robots equipped with cameras and attempting to run optical fibers into the damaged pipe structures. Divers are unavailable for the task, as even individuals with terminal cancer have refused the job due to the extreme risks of entanglement and the lethal radiation levels involved. The situation is described as plants playing guesswork with the ongoing crisis.<summary_output>The situation in Japan involves widespread radiation leaks affecting multiple nuclear plants, as predicted. Specifically, plants like Kashiwazaki on the Japan Sea coast and the Tura plant in Nagai, facing Korea, are experiencing leaks. Additionally, Onaga and Fukushima 2 on the Pacific coast, and possibly Tokura, are also leaking radiation. This brings the total number of affected plants to between five and six. The severity of the problem necessitated the Prime Minister to urgently press for the shutdown of the Hamaoka plant, situated between Tokyo and Nagoya, due to its complete lack of protection against tsunamis and the absence of a seawall. Regional power companies eventually agreed to this shutdown, admitting that the plant has no safety valve to prevent water pressure from entering the inland system in the event of a tsunami. The transcript suggests that the incident at Fukushima followed a similar pattern, where tsunami water entered through gaps in a bay and surged up pipes, overwhelming the entire system. This ingress reportedly disabled all backup power systems, including pump generators. In one specific instance, unit one of an affected plant released approximately 500 million Becquerels of radiation into the air. The radiation levels inside are extremely high, measured at 700 Millirems per hour, which is far beyond safe levels. For context, the average annual exposure for the public is 3 Millirems, making the current levels exponentially dangerous, comparable to the fallout from a nuclear bomb. Efforts to address the damage involve sending robots with cameras and attempting to install optical fibers into the damaged pipe structures. Divers are unwilling to undertake the dangerous task of entering the affected areas due to the high probability of entanglement and the lethal radiation levels.