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-- Japan's Tsunami 2011
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Global auto crisis worsens as Japan shutdowns drag on
March 28, 2011 00:03:00
Elaine Kurtenbach and Sharon Silke Carty
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOKYO�The auto industry disruptions triggered by Japan�s earthquake and tsunami are about to get worse.
In the weeks ahead, car buyers will have difficulty finding the model they want in certain colours, thousands of auto plant workers will likely be told to stay home, and companies such as Toyota, Honda and others will lose billions of dollars in revenue. More than two weeks since the natural disaster, inventories of crucial car supplies � from computer chips to paint pigments � are dwindling fast as Japanese factories that make them struggle to restart.
Because parts and supplies are shipped by slow-moving boats, the real drop-off has yet to be felt by factories in the U.S., Europe and Asia. That will come by the middle of April.
�This is the biggest impact ever in the history of the automobile industry,� said Koji Endo, managing director at Advanced Research Japan in Tokyo.
Much of Japan�s auto industry � the second largest supplier of cars in the world � remains idle. Few plants were seriously damaged by the quake, but with supplies of water and electricity fleeting, no one can say when factories will crank up. Some auto analysts said it could be as late as this summer.
Hitachi Automotive Systems, which makes parts such as airflow sensors and drive control systems, is waiting for its suppliers to restart while dealing with its own problems. Its plants are without water and gas, and have rolling electricity blackouts. Workers are repairing crumpled ceilings, fallen walls and cleaning up shattered glass. A spokesman said he doesn�t know when its plants will reopen.
The uncertainly has suppliers, automakers and dealers scrambling. And it exposes the vulnerability of the world�s most complex supply chain, where 3,000 parts go into single car or truck. Each one of those parts is made up of hundreds of other pieces supplied by multiple companies. All it takes is for one part to go missing or arrive late, and a vehicle can�t be built.
When General Motors briefly shut a pickup plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, due to a lack of parts, it caused the partial closing of a New York factory that supplies engines for those trucks. Sweden�s Volvo has warned that its production could be disrupted because it is down to a week�s worth of some parts.
Car buyers will soon see higher prices and fewer choices. Some car colours will be harder to get because a paint pigment factory in Japan was damaged and shut production. As a result, Ford is telling dealers to stop ordering �tuxedo black� models of its F-150 pickup and Expedition and Navigator SUVs. It�s also shifting away from some reds. The moves are precautionary, Ford said. Chrysler told dealers it was temporarily restricting orders of vehicles in 10 colours.
That worries some dealers, especially when popular colours like black could be in short supply
�It�s hard enough to sell a $60,000 Navigator in this economy,� said Fortunes O�Neal, general manager at Park Cities Ford in Dallas. �We don�t want to have to tell customers, �You�ve got to pick another colour.��
Customers also face rising prices for models like Toyota�s Prius, which is made only in Japan. Fears of falling supply have some dealers driving a hard bargain with customers who want the fuel-efficient hybrid as gasoline prices rise. Recent discounts of 5 to 10 per cent on that car are disappearing.
Japanese carmakers, who have shut most of their domestic plants, are warning that some of their overseas factories will stop running, too, in an effort to conserve supplies. Toyota and Honda expect shutdowns at North American plants. Honda said production could be interrupted after April 1. Even though most of its parts are sourced in the region, a few critical ones still come from Japan.
Goldman Sachs estimates the shutdowns are costing the Japan automakers $200 million a day, which adds up to $2.8 billion for just the past two weeks. Each week of continued shutdowns costs $1.4 billion. By comparison, Toyota made $2.3 billion in all of 2010, and its sudden acceleration recalls cost $2 billion. The cost of damage from Japan�s natural disaster could dwarf that recall, which was considered Toyota�s biggest crisis ever.
Much depends on how many spare components automakers have in stock � which is probably very few. Japan�s automakers spearheaded lean manufacturing, under which parts are delivered to plants the same day they are used. Automakers are still receiving parts that were put on ships weeks ago, but those supplies will dwindle.
After the earthquake hit, car companies began the long process of figuring out which parts are in danger of running out. That means figuring out where every piece in every part comes from.
�Everyone is putting on the brakes a little bit and taking a look to see where they are affected,� said Paul Newton, an analyst with IHS Automotive.
Companies will shut down plants as soon as some parts start running out, which could start happening in the next four to six weeks, he said. �You will see it happen almost daily.�
IHS Automotive predicts that one-third of daily global automotive production will be cut because of supply chain disruptions. That means about 5 million vehicles worldwide won�t be built, out of the 72 million vehicles planned for production in 2011.
To get a feel for the supply chain, consider a car radio. It�s made up of hundreds of pieces from all over the world. The display may come from a supplier in Japan, while the wiring and circuitry originate in Korea. The plastic knobs could come from a company in China, and the metal structure that holds it all together is shipped from India.
All those parts come together at different times: The wiring and electronic components are installed into the metal frame. Then that piece is shipped to another supplier, who snaps on the plastic face and knobs. The radio could pass through three or four suppliers before being put on a ship, where it will spend weeks at sea heading to its final destination: The assembly plant.
�This isn�t just as straightforward as assembling the iPad 2,� said Brian Johnson, an autos analyst with Barclays Capital.
An example of Japan�s importance in auto parts: its suppliers make many of the electronic components that control music systems and the sensors that monitor fuel levels and airbags.
Although most Japanese auto parts makers are not located in the areas that were inundated by the tsunami, between quake damage, electricity outages and water cutoffs, many factories in the region have remained paralyzed ever since.
Suppliers could be up and running again in April, but it could take until May or June for the entire supply base to be back.
Some car manufacturers, meanwhile, are considering shifting operations to deal with the crisis. Nissan, for example, is thinking of moving some of its engine production to Tennessee from Japan.
But those shifts won�t be easy. First, lean inventories make it hard for automakers to suddenly change sources of supply. And plants that build car electronics, for example, have stringent safety requirements and exacting high-tech specifications that limit a company�s flexibility, said Christopher Richter, an industry analyst at CLSA Asia Capital Markets. A supplier for the computer chip that triggers an air bag, for example, can�t be switched quickly.
But car executives can keep this from becoming a total disaster: They can allocate scarce parts to their more popular or profitable vehicles, keeping those assembly lines running while slowing down the less profitable ones.
That�s what many people believe GM did when it decided to close the Shreveport plant, because dealers have ample inventory of both trucks made there, more than two months� worth.
Newton said car companies will do their best to keep producing the cars people want.
�It�s quite a lot to prioritize, but they�ll do it,� he said.
Kurtenbach reported from Tokyo and Carty reported from Detroit. David Koenig in Dallas contributed to this report.
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| Originally posted by VDub ^^^ You never know when we may get a 9.0 earthquake in Ontario triggering a 20' high tidal wave from the lake... We should close down both Pickering and Darlington. Just in case... |
My source update...
It's a little bit long but informative...
This is what I'm going with guys...
Take it or leave it...
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| Originally posted by The Potter Don't be so daft. Try giving the subject matter a tad more intelligent thought. Did I say that there would be a similar earthquake and tsunmai? No. Does that mean that lessons cannot be potentially learned in other areas, such as how to best to deal with over-heating nuclear reactors (e.g. whether using seawater as opposed to freshwater does more harm than good, due to the corrosive effects of salt) and the best response to radiation emission? No. In case you don't know, nuclear meltdowns and radiation leaks are not solely caused by earthquakes and tsunamis |
This is why Japan must pull through ... inventions that blow our minds!
That's a pretty cool little picker upper...
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Japan on �maximum alert� as nuclear crisis deepens
March 29, 2011 00:03:00
Mari Yamaguchi and Yuri Kageyama
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOKYO�Japan�s prime minister insisted Tuesday that the country was on �maximum alert� to bring its nuclear crisis under control, but the spread of radiation raised concerns about the ability of experts to stabilize the crippled reactor complex.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan told parliament that Japan was grappling with its worst problems since World War II.
�This quake, tsunami and the nuclear accident are the biggest crises for Japan� in decades, said the wan but resolute Kan, dressed in one of the blue work jackets that have become ubiquitous among bureaucrats since the tsunami.
He said the crises remained unpredictable, but added: �We will continue to handle it in a state of maximum alert.�
The magnitude-9.0 offshore earthquake on March 11 triggered a tsunami that slammed minutes later into Japan�s northeast, wiping out towns and knocking out power and backup systems at the coastal Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.
Police said more than 11,000 bodies have been recovered, but the final death toll is expected to exceed 18,000.
Hundreds of thousands remain homeless, their homes and livelihoods destroyed. Damage could amount to $310 billion � the most expensive natural disaster on record, the government said.
Against the backdrop of the humanitarian disaster, the drama at the power plant has unfolded, with workers fighting fires, explosions, radiation scares and miscalculations in the frantic bid to prevent a complete meltdown.
The plant has been leaking radiation that has made its way into vegetables, raw milk and tap water as far away as Tokyo. Residents within 20 kilometres of the plant were ordered to leave and some nations banned the imports of food products from the Fukushima region.
Highly toxic plutonium was the latest contaminant found seeping into the soil outside the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said.
Safety officials said the amounts did not pose a risk to humans, but they said the finding supports suspicions that dangerously radioactive water is leaking from damaged nuclear fuel rods.
�The situation is very grave,� Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters Tuesday. �We are doing our utmost to contain the damage.�
Kan, meanwhile, faced stinging criticism from opposition lawmakers over the handling of a nuclear disaster stretching into a third week.
�We cannot let you handle the crisis,� lawmaker Yosuke Isozaki said in parliament. �We cannot let you be in charge of Japan�s crisis management.�
Edano admitted Tuesday that Japanese safety standards were not enough to protect the complex against the tsunami�s power.
�Our preparedness was not sufficient,� Edano told reporters. �When the current crisis is over, we must examine the accident closely and thoroughly review� safety standards.
An AP investigation following the tsunami found that TEPCO officials had dismissed scientific evidence and geological history that indicated that a massive earthquake � and subsequent tsunami � was far more likely than they believed.
The plant was pounded by water far higher and stronger than the complex was prepared to endure, the investigation found.
The urgent mission to stabilize the Fukushima plant has been fraught with setbacks.
Workers succeeded last week in reconnecting some parts of the plant to the power grid.
But as they pumped water into units to cool the reactors down, they discovered pools of contaminated water in numerous spots, including the basements of several buildings and in tunnels outside them.
The contaminated water has been emitting radiation exposures more than four times the amount the government considers safe for workers and must be pumped out before electricity can be restored to the cooling system.
That has left officials struggling with two crucial but sometimes-contradictory efforts: pumping in water to keep the fuel rods cool and pumping out contaminated water and safely storing it.
Nuclear safety official Hidehiko Nishiyama said cooling the reactors had taken precedence over concerns about leakage.
�The removal of the contaminated water is the most urgent task now, and hopefully we can adjust the amount of cooling water going in,� he said, adding that workers were building sandbag dikes to keep contaminated water from seeping into the soil outside.
The discovery of plutonium, released from fuel rods only when temperatures are extremely high, confirms the severity of the damage, Nishiyama said.
Plutonium is a highly toxic substance which breaks down very slowly, remaining dangerously radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years.
�If you inhale it, it�s there and it stays there forever,� said Alan Lockwood, a professor of Neurology and Nuclear Medicine at the University at Buffalo and a member of the board of directors of Physicians for Social Responsibility, an advocacy group.
High radiation levels detected outside Japan exclusion zone
March 30, 2011 00:03:00
Sylvia Westall and Fredrik Dahl
REUTERS
VIENNA�Radiation measured at a village 40 km from Japan's crippled nuclear plant exceeded a criterion for evacuation, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday, the latest sign of widening consequences from the crisis.
The finding could increase pressure on Japan's government to extend the exclusion zone beyond 20 km around the Fukushima power plant, which has leaked radioactive particles since it was hit by a huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11.
Criticized for weak leadership during Japan's worst crisis since the Second World War, Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said he is considering enlarging the evacuation area to force 130,000 people to move, in addition to 70,000 already displaced.
�The first assessment indicates that one of the IAEA operational criteria for evacuation is exceeded in Iitate village,� Denis Flory, a deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said.
�We have advised (Japan) to carefully assess the situation and they have indicated that it is already under assessment,� he told a news conference.
Greenpeace this week said it had confirmed radiation levels in this village northwest of the plant high enough to evacuate. But Japan's nuclear safety agency on Monday rebuffed a call by the environmental group to widen the evacuation zone.
The IAEA also said it had been told by Singapore that some cabbages imported from Japan contained radioactive iodine above the levels recommended for international trade.
�Some samples were over the Codex Alimentarius values recommended for international trade,� said Flory.
David Byron, a U.N. food agency official seconded to the IAEA, said the recommended level was 100 becquerels per kg and that one of the samples in Singapore was up to nine times above that. �Other samples were also over that level,� he said, although not as much.
IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said the situation at the Fukushima plant remained very serious despite increased efforts by authorities to get it under control.
Saying the Japanese authorities had faced additional difficulties but also experienced some successes, he said he had sent invitations to the IAEA's 151 member states for a ministerial nuclear safety meeting on June 20-24 in Vienna.
�It should be a forward-looking meeting,� he said.
Amano had said on Monday he wanted IAEA member states to assess the response to Japan's nuclear emergency and discuss ways to prevent such a disaster happening again, adding that the international community needed a coordinated response.
The disaster has prompted a rethink of nuclear power around the world, just as the technology was starting to regain momentum as a way to fight global warming.
Hundreds of engineers have been toiling for nearly three weeks to cool the Fukushima plant's reactors and avert a catastrophic meltdown of fuel rods, although the situation appears to have moved back from that nightmare scenario.
In a potentially negative development, Flory said the agency had heard there might be �recriticality� at the plant, in which a nuclear chain reaction would resume, even though the reactors were automatically shut down at the time of the quake.
That could lead to more radiation releases, but it would not be �the end of the world,� Flory said. �Recriticality does not mean that the reactor is going to blow up. It may be something really local. We might not even see it if it happens.�
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| Originally posted by E2EK1EL High radiation levels detected outside Japan exclusion zone March 30, 2011 00:03:00 Sylvia Westall and Fredrik Dahl REUTERS VIENNA�Radiation measured at a village 40 km from Japan's crippled nuclear plant exceeded a criterion for evacuation, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday, the latest sign of widening consequences from the crisis. The finding could increase pressure on Japan's government to extend the exclusion zone beyond 20 km around the Fukushima power plant, which has leaked radioactive particles since it was hit by a huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11. |
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Originally posted by E2EK1EL  Fixed in 6 days ... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-destroyed.html |
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| Originally posted by jester That buts Canada to shame. |
Softbank has announced that it will give free replacements for all lost or damaged iPhones and give free phones and service to all those orphaned by the Japanese tragedy.
Softbank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son recently visited Tamura, a city greatly affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. During the trip he announced that Softbank would cover a year's worth of living expenses and provide jobs for 1,200 people.
Son's goodwill didn't stop there. According to Engadget, one of Son's twitter followers suggest he give orphaned children free credit for limited time so they could stay in contact with family and friends.
Son then retweeted this idea and announced that all earthquake orphans will receive free phones, along with call costs waived until they reach the age of 18. Another gadget-related initiative came in earlier today with Son promising free replacement for all lost or damaged iPhones due to the earthquake, with details to follow later.
It's definitely refreshing to see companies like Softbank and Apple stepping up to help during this crisis.
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| Originally posted by VDub Why do you say that?? You don't think that our road crews would be capable of that type of repair in an emergency situation?? |
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| Originally posted by jester Nope, I don't think we could do it, but I would like to be proven wrong though. |
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| Originally posted by ChemEnhanced so you want Canada to suffer a massive natural disaster that kills tens of thousands of Canadians |
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| Ishikawa to give 2011 golf earnings to Japan victims text size Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Email This Story Print This Story RSS Mar. 31, 2011 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Ryo Ishikawa first made people take notice because of his golf. He won his first Japan Golf Tour event as a 15-year-old amateur, won the money title at 17 and last year became the first player to shoot 58 on a major tour. RELATED Discuss Ishikawa's pledge Join the relief effort His latest eye-opening feat brought attention to his heart. Wanting to do his part to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated his native Japan, Ishikawa decided to donate his entire tournament earnings this year -- plus a bonus for every birdie he makes -- toward relief efforts. "I don't view this as pressure to perform, but it will instead be extra motivation for me," Ishikawa said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. "I always believe in myself, but because I am playing for the people of Japan, I feel like I will be playing with a greater purpose this year." Ishikawa, who at 19 already has nine wins on the Japan Golf Tour, was third on Japan's money list last year with just over $1.82 million. He also has pledged about $1,200 (100,000 yen) for every birdie. He led the Japanese tour last year with 341 birdies, which would amount to over $400,000. Even in a sport driven by charity, Ishikawa's generosity caught the attention of his colleagues. "It's the most unbelievable gesture ever, isn't it?" Geoff Ogilvy said Friday. "I saw it fly past last night on Twitter and I thought, 'Ah, that's nice.' About five minutes later I said, 'Hang on a minute. All his prize money?' Which is ridiculous for anybody, but for someone who's 19 to have that level of thought for others ... it's amazing." Ishikawa was playing the Cadillac Championship at Doral on March 11 when he awoke to news of the earthquake and tsunami, and saw horrific images of the destruction. He finished off a 65 in the first round, then struggled the rest of the week. He missed the cut at the Transitions Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational, then headed to Augusta, Ga., this week to meet up with his family and get ready for the Masters. Ishikawa is from Saitama, about 300 miles away from the area hardest hit by the tsunami. Ishikawa.jpg Ishikawa Ishikawa said he has spent most of his money on making life easier for himself, from building a short-game practice facility near his house to buying fitness equipment. "I feel fortunate to be in a position to afford such things, but I know that my success is a result of the support of so many people," he said in the email. "While golf is my profession, and I want to have a long and successful career, there are things that are more important. And the people of Japan are dealing with life and death issues as a result of the earthquake and tsunami. "I feel it is my turn to give back in whatever way I can to support the people who have been so supportive of me." Known earlier in his career as "Bashful Prince," Ishikawa has become the face of golf in Japan. He played 34 times last year, including one stretch of 20 tournaments in 22 weeks, because the tour and sponsors lean so heavily on him. Ogilvy is among those who understand the level of attention Ishikawa generates in Japan. He was playing the Taheiyo Masters toward the end of 2007 when he saw a horde of photographers rushing across the practice green, cameras over their heads to snap pictures. Ogilvy asked who they were following and was told, "This is the kid who's going to save the Japanese Tour." "He's probably close to being the most famous sportsman in Japan," Ogilvy said. "He's the Tiger Woods of Japan. And a lot of people will see what he's done. It's another sign of how grown up he is." Ishikawa played for the International team in the Presidents Cup two years ago in San Francisco. He went 3-2, with the two losses coming against the undefeated tandem of Woods and Steve Stricker. "I spent a week with him at the Presidents Cup," Ogilvy said. "You don't learn a person in a week. But it doesn't surprise me. You spend time with him and realize that he's a good guy. This isn't a PR thing. He must feel very strongly about his country." Word of his gesture began to filter through the golf industry Thursday night and Friday. "Ryo's unselfish pledge to donate all his worldwide prize money this year ... is an indication of the maturity this 19-year-old has demonstrated on and off the golf course since he burst onto the international golf stage," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "That's unbelievable. I haven't heard of anybody doing that," Stricker said from the Houston Open. "It's a great testament to what kind of kid he is. It obviously touches him pretty deeply." "It warmed my heart that he is the type of character we thought he was, and he continues to display it," said Gerald Goodman, who offered Ishikawa his first PGA Tour exemption two years ago at the Transitions Championship. "Athletes from Japan are rallying to help their country. But to give it all? That's something." The hardest part for Ishikawa was being patient in deciding what he should do. Jumbo Ozaki, who is to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in May, suggested that Japanese players donate 20 percent of their earnings. Ishikawa decided to go even further. "I wanted to help right away, but I discussed with my staff and family over the past three weeks and came up with the idea," Ishikawa said. "A number of other Japanese athletes announced their support right away, and I felt a bit of pressure of jump in quickly. But I wanted to take the time to figure out how I could help best. "I believed right away that it was the right thing to do and am very motivated to not only raise money for the people of Japan, but hopefully also encourage them as the country recovers." |
WOW!!!! I'll buy this phone b/c of the ad, GO JAPAN!
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| Originally posted by VDub Why do you say that?? You don't think that our road crews would be capable of that type of repair in an emergency situation?? |
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| Originally posted by Xavier Moriarty lol. even if they could im pretty sure they wouldnt. |
More radioactive water spills into sea off Japan
RIKUZENTAKATA, JAPAN�More highly radioactive water spilled into the sea from a tsunami-disabled nuclear plant and authorities struggled to seal the leak, as frustrated survivors of last month�s disaster complained that Japan�s government was paying too much attention to the nuclear crisis.
The contaminated water will quickly dissipate into the sea and is not expected to cause any health hazard, but pooling water at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant has hampered the work of technicians trying to stabilize the complex�s reactors. Pouring concrete has so far failed to fill the crack.
Word of the leak Saturday came as Prime Minister Naoto Kan toured the town of Rikuzentakata, his first trip to survey damage in one of the dozens of villages, towns and cities slammed by the March 11 tsunami that followed a magnitude-9.0 earthquake.
�The government has been too focused on the Fukushima power plant rather than the tsunami victims. Both deserve attention,� said 35-year-old Megumi Shimanuki, who was visiting her family at a community centre converted into a shelter in hard-hit Natori, about 160 kilometres from Rikuzentakata.
The double disaster is believed to have left nearly 25,000 dead � 11,800 confirmed. More than 165,000 are still living in shelters, and tens of thousands more still do not have electricity or running water.
Although the government had rushed to provide relief, its attention has been divided by the efforts to stabilize the Fuskushima plant, which suffered heavy damage and has spiralled into the world�s worst nuclear crisis since the 1986 meltdown at Chornobyl in the former Soviet Union.
The plant�s reactors overheated to dangerous levels after electrical pumps � deprived of power � failed to circulate water to keep them cool. A series of almost daily problems have led to substantial amounts of radiation leaking into the atmosphere, ground and sea.
On Saturday, workers discovered a 20-centimetre long crack in a maintenance pit, from which water containing levels of radioactive iodine far above the legal limit was spilling into the Pacific, said Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency spokesman Hidehiko Nishiyama.
Over the past 10 days, pools of contaminated water have been found throughout the plant and high levels of radioactivity have been measured in the ocean, but this marks the first time authorities said they had found a spot where the water was directly entering the sea.
The ultimate source of the contaminated water is believed to be one of the reactor cores.
A search of the plant found no other similar leaks leading directly to the ocean. �We believe that�s the only crack,� said Naoki Tsunoda, a spokesman for the plant�s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co.
Soon after the discovery, workers tried to seal the crack but could not get the concrete to dry. Next, they will try injecting polymer, according to Tsunoda.
The amount of water spilling into the ocean is not clear, but a picture released by TEPCO shows water shooting some distance away from a wall and splashing into the sea.
People living within 20 kilometres of the plant have been evacuated, but it was unclear if the leak posed any new danger to workers.
A nuclear plant worker who fell into the ocean Friday while trying to board a barge carrying water to help cool the plant did not show any immediate signs of being exposed to unsafe levels of radiation, nuclear safety officials said Saturday, but they were waiting for test results to be sure.
Radiation worries have compounded the misery for people trying to recover from the tsunami. Kan�s visit Saturday to Rikuzentakata did little to alleviate their worries.
�The government fully supports you until the end,� Kan told 250 people at an elementary school serving as an evacuation centre. He earlier met with the mayor, whose 38-year-old wife was swept away by the tsunami.
The prime minister bowed his head for a moment of silence in front of the town hall, one of the few buildings still standing, though its windows are blown out and metal and debris sit tangled out front.
Kan also stopped at the sports complex being used as a base camp for nuclear plant workers, who have been hailed as heroes for labouring in dangerous conditions. He had visited the nuclear crisis zone once before, soon after the quake.
Workers have been reluctant to talk to the media about what they are experiencing, but one who spent several days at the plant described difficult conditions in an anonymous interview published Saturday in the national Mainichi newspaper.
When he was called in mid-March to help restore power at the plant, he said he did not tell his family because he did not want them to worry. But he did tell a friend to notify his parents if he did not return in two weeks.
�I feel very strongly that there is nobody but us to do this job, and we cannot go home until we finish the work,� he said.
Early on, the company ran out of full radiation suits, forcing workers to create improvised versions of items such as nylon booties they were supposed to pull over their shoes.
�But we only put something like plastic garbage bags you can buy at a convenience store and sealed them with masking tape,� he said.
He said the tsunami littered the area around the plant with dead fish and sharks, and that the quake opened holes in the ground that tripped up some workers who could not see through large gas masks. They had to yell at one another to be heard through the masks.
�It�s hard to move while wearing a gas mask,� he said. �While working, the gas mask came off several times. Maybe I must have inhaled much radiation.�
Radiation is also a concern for people living around the plant. In the city of Koriyama, Tadashi and Ritsuko Yanai and their 1-month-old baby have spent the past three weeks in a sports arena converted into a shelter. Baby Kaon, born a week before the quake, has grown accustomed to life there, including frequent radiation screenings, but his parents have not.
Asked if he had anything he would like to say to the prime minister, Tadashi, a 32-year-old father, paused to think and then replied: �We want to go home. That�s all, we just want to go home.�
In Natori, where about 1,700 people are living in shelters, others had stronger words for Kan. Toru Sato, 57, lost both his wife and his house in the tsunami and said he was bothered that Kan�s visit to the quake zone was so brief � about a half day.
�He�s just showing up for an appearance,� Sato said. �He should spend time to talk to various people, and listen to what they need.�
I talk to my car everytime I have to drive through snowstorm.
Is it possible rather than trying to contain the leak at the point of origin to build around the leak a concrete containment structure or maybe a series of structures? Start 200 feet out and make sure its solid. Then the radiation can leak into each and eventually coming to an end. Or perhaps secondary storage site so that they can funnel the radioactive water to it once it is completed. Not sure if this understandable lol
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| Originally posted by jchung52 Is it possible rather than trying to contain the leak at the point of origin to build around the leak a concrete containment structure or maybe a series of structures? Start 200 feet out and make sure its solid. Then the radiation can leak into each and eventually coming to an end. Or perhaps secondary storage site so that they can funnel the radioactive water to it once it is completed. Not sure if this understandable lol |
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