End Times and Current Events

General Category => Weather/Earthquakes/Global Science Hoax's => Topic started by: Mark on March 11, 2011, 05:10:43 am



Title: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 11, 2011, 05:10:43 am
32 killed in major tsunami after 8.9 Japan quake

A powerful tsunami spawned by the largest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. Tsunami warnings blanketed the entire Pacific, as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West Coast.

Authorities said at least 32 people were killed. The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter.

A utility company in northeastern Japan reported a fire in a turbine building of nuclear power plant.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions. It unleashed a 23-foot (7-meter) tsunami that swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland.

Large fishing boats and other sea vessels rode high waves into the cities, slamming against overpasses. Upturned and partially submerged vehicles were seen bobbing in the water.

Waves of muddy waters swept over farmland near the city of Sendai, carrying buildings, some on fire, inland as cars attempted to drive away. Sendai airport, north of Tokyo, was inundated with cars, trucks, buses and thick mud deposited over its runways. Fires spread through a section of the city, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The tsunami roared over embankments, washing anything in its path inland before reversing directions and carrying the cars, homes and other debris out to sea. Flames shot from some of the houses, probably because of burst gas pipes.

"Our initial assessment indicates that there has already been enormous damage," Chief government spokesman Yukio Edano said. "We will make maximum relief effort based on that assessment."

rest: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110311/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_earthquake


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Mark on March 11, 2011, 05:11:55 am
Breaking news: 8.9 earthquake and tsunami hits Japan. Watch live coverage.

http://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish?feature=ticker


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Mark on March 11, 2011, 05:14:40 am
Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake

Japanese television showed cars, ships and even buildings being swept away by a vast wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake.

The quake has sparked fires in several areas including Tokyo. At least 32 people were killed, officials said.

It struck about 250 miles (400km) from the capital at a depth of 20 miles. There have been powerful aftershocks.

The tremor, measured at 8.9 by the US Geological Survey, hit at 1446 local time (0546 GMT). Seismologists say it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for many years.

A tsunami warning was extended across the Pacific to New Zealand in the south and North and South America to the east.

The Red Cross in Geneva warned that the tsunami waves could be higher than some Pacific islands, Reuters news agency said.

Coastal areas in the Philippines, Hawaii and other Pacific islands were evacuated ahead of the tsunami's expected arrival.

Wall of water
 
Strong waves hit Japan's Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, officials said, damaging dozens of coastal communities. Kyodo news agency said a 10-metre wave (33ft) struck the port of Sendai in Miyagi prefecture.

rest: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709598


Title: Emergency declared at 2nd Japan nuke plant after cooling fails
Post by: akfools on March 12, 2011, 07:30:16 am
Update at 7:21 p.m. ET: Residents within a 2-mile radius of the Fukushima No. 2 plant have been ordered to evacuate, the government has announced.

Here's the utility's latest update on the troubles at its overheating nuclear plants.

Update at 6:36 p.m. ET: The Japanese government has declared a nuclear emergency at the Fukushima No. 2 power plant (Daini). An emergency also exists at plant No. 1 (Daiichi).

Original post: The cooling system has failed for three reactors at the Fukushima No. 2 nuclear plant, about seven miles from its quake-crippled companion, the Tokyo Electric Power Co. now says.

The utility, which operates both Fukushima plants, notified the government Saturday morning that the failsafe system at the No. 2 plant stopped working as the coolant water topped the boiling point, the Kyodo news service reports.


http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/03/cooling-fails-at-3-reactors-at-another-japanese-nuke-plant/1


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 12, 2011, 07:57:24 am
“Coolant” = “Billion Dollar Kill Switch”

Via: Cringley:http://www.cringely.com/2011/03/flea-powder-may-be-saving-lives-in-japan

Tokyo Electric Power Company isn’t saying much. Utilities tend not to and Japanese utilities are notoriously secretive. But we got a clue to what’s happening from U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, of all people, who remarked that the U. S. military was delivering “coolant” to the stricken reactor.

“Coolant?” wondered aloud all the CNN and Fox News nuclear experts looking for a lede for their stories. “What is she talking about, coolant?” This is a boiling water reactor and the coolant is water. The U. S. Air Force isn’t needed to export water to Japan.

This shows the limits of cable news experts and maybe experts in general, because Hillary isn’t the kind of person to choose the wrong words. She said “coolant” and she meant “coolant.” Though she may not have known she was saying so, she also meant the reactor was dead and will never be restarted.

A boiling water reactor does just what it sounds like — it boils water to make steam that drives a turbine generator. This is as opposed to a pressurized water reactor that uses the nuclear reaction to heat a coolant that never really boils because it is under high pressure, then sends that coolant through a heat exchanger which heats water to make steam to drive the generator. Boiling water reactors are simpler, cheaper, but generally aren’t made anymore because they are perceived as being less safe. That’s because the exotic coolant in the pressurized water reactor can contain boric acid which absorbs neutrons and can help (or totally) control the nuclear reaction. You can’t use boric acid or any other soluble boron-laced neutron absorbers in a boiling water reactor because doing so would contaminate both the cooling system and the environment.

That’s why the experts didn’t expect it because they are still thinking of how the plant can be saved, but it can’t be.

Though the boiling water reactor has already been turned off by inserting neutron-absorbing control rods all the way into the core, adding boric acid or, more likely, sodium polyborate would turn the reactor off-er — more off than off — which could come in really handy in the event of a subsequent coolant loss, which reportedly has already happened. But that’s a $1 billion kill switch that most experts wouldn’t think to pull.



U.S. AIR FORCE DELIVERS COOLANT TO FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Aren’t the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi water cooled? Uh, something is very strange here.

Via: Economic Times:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/us-delivers-coolant-to-quake-hit-japans-n-plant/articleshow/7685383.cms

Washington: The US has transported coolant to a Japanese nuclear power plant affected by the massive earthquake, as it quickly moved naval and air assets along with humanitarian relief material for the tsunami-hit areas of the country.

“We just had our Air Force assets in Japan transport some really important coolant to one of the nuclear plants,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced yesterday, as Tokyo declared a state of emergency for five of its nuclear reactors at two atomic power plants in northeastern coast of Japan, where an 8.9-magnitude quake struck yesterday.

Japan is very reliant on nuclear power and they have very high engineering standards, but one of their plants came under a lot of stress with the earthquake and did not have enough coolant, she said.

“So Air Force planes were able to deliver that. So we’re really deeply involved in trying to do as much as we can on behalf of the Japanese and on behalf of US citizens,” Clinton said.



MARKET WATCH: FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR REACTOR COULD BE MELTING DOWN
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/radiation-leaks-at-japan-quake-hit-nuclear-plant-2011-03-12

Japanese nuclear authorities warned that a nuclear reactor could be experiencing a meltdown Saturday, a day after its cooling mechanism was damaged by the country’s most powerful earthquake in more than a century, according to various media reports in Japan.

Government officials said they were pouring water into the Fukushima Daiichi No. 1 nuclear reactor to stop the meltdown, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

The Tepco reactors are about 150 miles north of Tokyo, and about 40 miles from the epicenter of the 8.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northeastern Japan a day earlier.

Japanese authorities declared a nuclear emergency on Friday evening, and then ordered thousands of residents within 10 kilometers of the plant to evacuate. Some 20,000 people evacuated from the areas around the plants on Saturday, Kyodo reported.



AFP: Radiation 1000 Times Higher than Normal at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/radiation-1000-times-above-normal-at-nuclear-plant/story-fn3dxity-1226020199534

A JAPANESE safety panel says radiation is 1000 times above normal at a nuclear plant in the country’s northeast, Kyodo news agency reports.

Japan’s Government has put the radiation level at the Fukushima plant eight times above normal and has stated that there is only “a possibility of a radioactive” leak from the reactor.

People within 10km (6 miles) of nuclear plant have been ordered to evacuate.



Reuters: Japan: Trying to fix Nuclear Plant Cooling Problem

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFTFD00666420110311

Japan said on Friday a cooling function at Tokyo Electric Power’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was not working after a major earthquake but that it was trying to get backup power for cooling.

The government has declared an emergency situation as a precaution but there was no radioactive leakage and no damage from the cooling problem was expected at this stage, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference.


Title: Quake Moved Japan Coast 8 Feet; Shifted Earth’s Axis
Post by: akfools on March 12, 2011, 08:02:36 am
Quake Moved Japan Coast 8 Feet; Shifted Earth’s Axis

Via: CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/12/japan.earthquake.tsunami.earth/index.html?hpt=T1

The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis.

“At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (8 feet), and we have seen a map from GSI (Geospatial Information Authority) in Japan showing the pattern of shift over a large area is consistent with about that much shift of the land mass,” said Kenneth Hudnut, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Reports from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy estimated the 8.9-magnitude quake shifted the planet on its axis by nearly 4 inches (10 centimeters).



Video of Ground Cracking Open, Water Being Pushed Up, Chiba City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6K6JcAB9T0&feature=player_embedded


BBC: Huge Whirlpool Created After Japan Quake
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709856


LA Times: Hundreds of Bodies Found in Sendai

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-quake-20110311,0,1950058.story


Telegraph: Millions Stranded in Tokyo
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8375957/Christchurch-earthquake-10-deadliest-tremors-in-20th-Century.html

Millions of people in greater Tokyo are stranded far from home after Japan’s biggest earthquake on record shut down the capital’s massive subway system.

Sirens wailed through Tokyo, television helicopters flew overhead and people rushed to the city’s ubiquitous 24-hour convenience stores, quickly emptying shelves of bento boxes, sandwiches and instant noodle cups.

Countless workers, who had fled violently swaying office blocks, found themselves stuck far from their families, and unable to speak to them because the overloaded mobile phone system could not carry most calls.

“I have no idea how I’ll get home,” said an 18 year-old woman waiting outside Ginza subway station.

She described how ceramics shattered around her in a department store when the huge quake hit mid-afternoon.

The government used loudspeaker alerts and television broadcasts to urge people to stay near their workplaces rather than risk long walks home, as highways leading out of the city centre were choked and hotels quickly booked out.





Title: Has The Tsunami In Japan Destroyed The Japanese Economy?
Post by: akfools on March 12, 2011, 01:23:48 pm
Has The Tsunami In Japan Destroyed The Japanese Economy?

(http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/has-the-tsunami-in-japan-destroyed-the-japanese-economy/japan-tsunami)
The entire world is in a state of mourning today as details regarding the horrific damage caused by the massive tsunami in Japan continue to trickle in.  The magnitude 8.9 earthquake that caused the tsunami was the largest earthquake that Japan has ever experienced in modern times.  Waves as high as 30 feet swept over northern Japan.  The tsunami waters reached as far as 6 miles inland, and authorities have already recovered hundreds of dead bodies.  Those of us that have seen footage of this disaster on television will never forget it.  But this nightmare is not over yet.  There have been dozens of aftershocks, and many of them have been quite large.  In fact, there have been 19 earthquakes of at least magnitude 6.0 in the area over the last 24 hours.  So what is this disaster going to do to the 3rd largest economy in the world?  Japan already had a national debt that was well over 200 percent of GDP.  Could this be the "tipping point" that pushes the Japanese economy over the edge and into oblivion?

It is hard to assess the full scope of the damage to Japan at this point, but virtually everyone agrees that much of northern Japan is a complete and total disaster area at this point.  Many towns have essentially been destroyed.  Some are estimating that the economic damage from this disaster will be in the hundreds of billions of dollars.  Others believe that the final total will be in the trillions of dollars.

Fortunately, major cities such as Tokyo came through this event relatively unscathed and most of the major manufacturing facilities are not in the areas that were most directly affected by the earthquake and the tsunami.

But let there be no doubt, this was a nation-changing event.  Japan will never quite be the same again.

Also, it isn't just Japan that will be affected by this.  The truth is that economic ripples from this event will be felt all over the world.

An economist from High Frequency Economics, Carl Weinberg, told AFP the following about the economic consequences of this disaster....

"There is no way to assess even the direct damage to Japan's economy or to the global economy. This is a sad day for Japan, and economic aftershocks could affect the whole world's economy."
It is literally going to take months to figure out exactly how much damage has been done.  Let us just hope that we don't see any more major earthquakes in the area.

The Japanese are a very resilient people and the Bank of Japan is already vowing that it will be doing whatever is necessary to ensure the stability of the financial markets.  The Bank of Japan has announced that it is going to provide as much liquidity as necessary to keep the Japanese economy functioning normally.

But the truth is that the Bank of Japan has already been printing money like crazy....

(http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/has-the-tsunami-in-japan-destroyed-the-japanese-economy/chart4-2)

Is a tsunami of new yen really going to solve the economic damage that has been done by the earthquake and the tsunami?

Of course not.

The truth is that the economy of Japan was already deeply struggling before this disaster.

The national debt of Japan is now well over 200% of GDP and there seems to be no doubt that they will need to borrow massive amounts of money to deal with the aftermath of this crisis.

Up until now the Japanese government has been able to borrow money at ultra-low interest rates of around 1.30 percent for 10-year bonds, drawing on a huge pool of savings from its own citizens.

But in light of what has just happened, will the citizens of Japan still have enough resources to continue to fund the rampant spending of the Japanese government?

At this point, it is estimated that this gigantic mountain of debt breaks down to 7.5 million yen for every single citizen of Japan.

Politicians in Japan have been pledging for years to do something about all of this debt, but nobody has been able to make much progress.

Even before this disaster, the major credit rating agencies were warning that they may have to downgrade Japanese government debt.  The earthquake and the tsunami are certainly not going to make the Japanese even more credit-worthy.

Hideo Kumano, the chief economist at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, has said that a "tipping point" will come when world financial markets finally recognize that the government of Japan simply cannot afford to service its debt any longer....

"It's hard to predict when the bond market might collapse, but it would happen when the market judges that Japan's ability to finance its debt is not sustainable anymore."
Is the massive tsunami that just hit Japan such a tipping point?

Other countries such as Greece and Ireland would have already collapsed if it had not been for the massive international bailouts that they received.

So who is going to bail Japan out?

This could potentially be one of the greatest economic disasters that the world has seen since World War 2.

With the world already on the verge of a major financial collapse, this is the last thing that world financial markets needed.

In fact, much of the rest of the world had been hoping that an influx of capital from Japan would help to stabilize things.

For example, Japanese insurance companies had recently announced that they were planning on buying up lots of European sovereign debt, but now obviously those plans are on hold.  As a result of this disaster, Japanese insurance companies will be forced to sell off assets like crazy in order to pay settlements.  But as Zero Hedge is correctly pointing out, without Japanese financial institutions stepping in to soak up Eurozone bonds this is going to make the European sovereign debt crisis even worse.

But right now the focus in on the devastation in Japan.  At the moment it is unclear how much of the economic infrastructure of Japan has survived.

For example, as USA Today is reporting, some factories cannot even be reached by phone at this point....

Toyota's phone calls to its plants in affected areas were not being answered, said Shiori Hashimoto, a spokeswoman in Tokyo. The Toyota City-based carmaker began production at a new plant in Miyagi this year that makes Yaris compact cars and has capacity to make 120,000 vehicles a year.
What is clear is that the cost of recovering and rebuilding after this disaster is going to put extraordinary financial stress on the Japanese government.

Julian Jessop of Capital Economics certainly does not sound optimistic about what this is going to mean for the Japanese economy....

"Japan's economic recovery has lost momentum and a large part of the reconstruction costs will add to the government's significant debt burden."
Hopefully the full extent of the damage is not as bad as many are now fearing.

But the truth is that this is a huge, huge event for a world economy that was already on the verge of collapse.

May our thoughts and our prayers be with the Japanese people at this time.

This is truly one of the biggest disasters that any of us have

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/has-the-tsunami-in-japan-destroyed-the-japanese-economy


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Mark on March 13, 2011, 03:00:59 pm
Now with Volcanoes!!!

Japanese volcano erupts
Mar 13, 2011 3:01 PM | By Sapa-AFP
A volcano in southwestern Japan erupted Sunday after nearly two weeks of relative silence, sending ash and rocks up to four kilometres (two and a half miles) into the air, a local official says.

(http://endtimescurrentevents.freeforums.org/images/smilies/MoreInfo.png) (http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/article965229.ece/Japanese-volcano-erupts)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Kilika on March 13, 2011, 03:40:01 pm
People ought to get the video cameras handy because I'm thinking there's going to be plenty to catch on tape in the near future.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 12:47:22 am
Bloomberg: Bank of Japan Will Add $146 Billion to Stabilize Markets After Earthquakehttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-14/bank-of-japan-adds-86-billion-to-help-stabilize-markets-after-earthquake.html


Pump It: Bloomberg: Japan Adds $86 Billion to Stabilize Markets After Quake
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-13/japan-readies-massive-liquidity-as-boj-gauges-risk-to-post-quake-economy.html
The Bank of Japan began pouring cash into the banking system after the nation’s most powerful earthquake on record, while later today it may keep its asset- purchase plans unchanged as officials gauge the longer-term effect on the world’s third-largest economy.

Governor Masaaki Shirakawa told reporters late yesterday he’s ready to unleash “massive” liquidity, and the BOJ said today it will pump 7 trillion yen ($86 billion) to maintain financial stability. Economists said officials will likely decide to keep longer-term credit programs at a total of 35 trillion yen. The bank’s main interest rate has already been cut to near zero as policy makers last year sought to end the nation’s deflation.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 12:50:22 am
THREE METER TSUNAMI WARNING FOR FUKUSHIMA COAST; ETA MINUTES
March 14th, 2011

Stick with live sources for updates on this.
CNN Live: Visual Confirmation From Helicopters:

Tsunami inbound, Sendai.



BBC live blog: Sea level has dropped five metres off Fukushima, confirming imminent arrival of tsunami
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698


Source is Reuters live blog. Standby…
http://live.reuters.com/Event/Japan_earthquake2


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Kilika on March 14, 2011, 05:15:18 am
A second reactor has bown up! And the US Navy is pulling their ships back from the area. Not sounding good at all  :-\


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 11:39:24 am
‘Store Shelves Empty in Tokyo’ [???]
March 14th, 2011
Via: Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/us-japan-quake-tokyo-idUSTRE72D1PX20110314

Commuters and residents of the Japanese capital faced confusion and uncertainty on Monday over the supply of food and energy after Friday’s devastating quake and tsunami which crippled a nuclear power plant.

Some store shelves were emptied and many train lines were shut down as Tokyo commuters returned to work after a weekend glued to horrific images of the extensive damage about 150 miles to the north.

In the largely residential Nerima district of Yokyo, staples like rice, bread and instant noodles were sold out. Lights were kept off on the produce shelves and meat refrigeration units to conserve electricity.

“About 40 to 50 people were lined up outside when we opened at 10. A day’s worth of food sold out in an hour. We had a second shipment delivered at midday and that sold out in an hour too,” said Toshiro Imai, a store manager in Tokyo.

“Part of the factory of one of our suppliers is damaged so stock is limited.”



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 11:41:36 am
U.S. Navy: 7th Fleet Repositions Ships After Low Level Radioactive Contamination Detected
March 14th, 2011
Via: U.S. Navy: http://www.cpf.navy.mil/media/news/articles/2011/mar/mar13_C7F_reposition.shtml

From U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (March 14, 2011) – The U.S. 7th Fleet has temporarily repositioned its ships and aircraft away from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant after detecting low level contamination in the air and on its aircraft operating in the area.

The source of this airborne radioactivity is a radioactive plume released from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant. For perspective, the maximum potential radiation dose received by any ship’s force personnel aboard the ship when it passed through the area was less than the radiation exposure received from about one month of exposure to natural background radiation from sources such as rocks, soil, and the sun.

The ship was operating at sea about 100 miles northeast of the power plant at the time.

Using sensitive instruments, precautionary measurements of three helicopter aircrews returning to USS Ronald Reagan after conducting disaster relief missions near Sendai identified low levels of radioactivity on 17 air crew members. The low level radioactivity was easily removed from affected personnel by washing with soap and water. They were subsequently surveyed, and no further contamination was detected.

As a precautionary measure, USS Ronald Reagan and other U.S. 7th Fleet ships conducting disaster response operations in the area have moved out of the downwind direction from the site to assess the situation and determine what appropriate mitigating actions are necessary.

We remain committed to our mission of providing assistance to the people of Japan.



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 11:45:18 am

ITN & Japanese broadcaster Ann: Extraordinary new footage from Japan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4ax1rFCtpM


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 11:58:55 am
Death Toll Could Top 10,000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIyfAmVEDew&NR=1
 

Ground video of massive tsunami in Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S35Q5-XPLo0


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Mark on March 14, 2011, 12:19:44 pm
Japanese Officials: Nuclear Fuel Rods Melting in 3 Reactors


Japanese officials confirmed Monday that nuclear fuel rods appear to be melting inside three reactors compromised by Friday’s earthquake, though nuclear experts differ on whether the outer chamber of a reactor melting in fact constitutes a partial “meltdown.”

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Monday that "although we cannot directly check it, it's highly likely happening."

Unit 3 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in northeastern Japan exploded earlier Monday, wounding 11 workers; it had been under emergency watch for an explosion after a hydrogen blast at Unit 1 of the plant on Saturday. Edano said the Unit 3 reactor’s inner containment vessel was intact.

More than 180,000 people have been evacuated from the area, and as many as 1,500 have been examined for radiation, according to USA Today.

(http://endtimescurrentevents.freeforums.org/images/smilies/MoreInfo.png) (http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/japanese-officials-nuclear-fuel-rods-melting-in-3-reactors-20110314)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 14, 2011, 12:22:15 pm
‘Store Shelves Empty in Tokyo’ [???]
March 14th, 2011
Via: Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/us-japan-quake-tokyo-idUSTRE72D1PX20110314

Commuters and residents of the Japanese capital faced confusion and uncertainty on Monday over the supply of food and energy after Friday’s devastating quake and tsunami which crippled a nuclear power plant.

Some store shelves were emptied and many train lines were shut down as Tokyo commuters returned to work after a weekend glued to horrific images of the extensive damage about 150 miles to the north.

In the largely residential Nerima district of Yokyo, staples like rice, bread and instant noodles were sold out. Lights were kept off on the produce shelves and meat refrigeration units to conserve electricity.

“About 40 to 50 people were lined up outside when we opened at 10. A day’s worth of food sold out in an hour. We had a second shipment delivered at midday and that sold out in an hour too,” said Toshiro Imai, a store manager in Tokyo.

“Part of the factory of one of our suppliers is damaged so stock is limited.”



New Orleans Katrina all over again...


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Mark on March 14, 2011, 03:08:29 pm
2,000 BODIES WASH ASHORE

(http://endtimescurrentevents.freeforums.org/images/smilies/MoreInfo.png) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366093/Japan-earthquake-Experts-predict-eruption-tsunami-hit-stricken-country-days.html)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 03:44:46 pm

Since the massive quake hit in Japan, it became known rather quickly that Japan has an uncommon array of nuclear reactors in the northeast of the country. Uncommon because this is one of the only places on the planet with so many nuclear reactors right next to each other, unfortunately, on a fault line.  If you remember Chernobyl, that was one reactor and that was landlocked with NO jetstream.  The big advantage authorities had in dealing with Chernobyl is that they were able to immediately begin containing the meltdown since it was the single catastrophe they were dealing with and they had the man power and resources, including electricity, to run a containment operation.

Everyone needs to understand something right now and that is that the media is NOT in place to alert people of how bad the situation may or may not be.  They are in place to keep people calm and to keep people orderly until the last possible moments.  They WILL NOT disclose what is currently happening.  So any "experts" or CNN, MSNBC, FOX, you name it program talking about this nuke reactor situation WILL NOT be telling you all the current facts due to national security.

Japan's resources, energy and man power is currently being used up in its largest disaster in history, they DO NOT and CAN NOT have the power to contain the reactors as they begin to fail. 

So why are they failing and why does this matter?  We had 2 different explosions since the quake at 2 different reactors that Japan failed to mention to the United States the reason for the failures.  The United States found out within the last 24-48 hours that the reason these reactors exploded is because there is NO POWER in the north east part of the country and WILL NOT be any power for months to keep the cooling systems running.  These reactors are running on limited backup power systems that are failing.  As they fail, the reactor overheats and thats how you get the explosion.

Well today it was announced that a 3rd reactor's cooling systems are now shutting down.  FYI, there are countless more reactors running on backup power.

Why is this being understated by the media?  Because we literally DO NOT have generators or power systems in any arsenal anywhere on the planet to keep these cooling systems running, which means that YES, these reactors will all at some point fail.  As they fail, a nuclear meltdown is EXTREMELY realistic.  This is where the experts disagree.  Some are saying that meltdown is next to impossible, others say that is bullsh*t and that it is damn near expected once the cooling systems fail. 

The real facts here you won't hear from either side is that Japan is choosing to use Seawater as a cheap resort to try and cool the rods in the reactor.  Problem with that scenario is that seawater WILL CORRODE the rods and we will have a MUCH LARGER environmental situation on our hands.  Tons of radioactivity may or may not be currently leaking into the environment, both air and water.  Tons of radioactivity may or may not be continuing to leak and tons more might be added as more reactors fail.

This is WAY BIGGER than Chernobyl ever was, if all else fails that is and these reactors begin to meltdown.

Remember, the media WILL NOT tell you whether or not these issues are a reality, they are in place to keep you calm.

No one should be alarmists here, however, with that said, you should probably be prepared to deal with nuclear fallout as a possibility due to the jetstreams and the leaking radioactivity here.  Potassium Iodide is what you need in nuclear fallout. 

It never hurts to be prepared for anything and everything, but people should not be alarmists.
You WILL NOT be told information you can trust at this time from ANY source you think may be "credible." PERIOD, due to national security. 

If there is or is not a fallout, that radioactive cloud will literally turn one of the largest disasters of our time in to the largest disaster the planet may have to address because the whole far east region may need to be evacuated.  We are talking shipments of food and supplies CEASE here, people.  We are talking an economic situation, the whole world will have to be engaged in this.  It affects our economy, it affects our environment and YES, the radioactive cloud CAN travel to the United States and although it may dissipate, it will not spread by much due to the extremely unique jetstream we have in the Atlantic during this time of year.  The west coast is literally in the jetstream path. 

This situation will MOST LIKELY be contained, HOWEVER, you should be prepared.
Like it or not, you should be prepared even if this disaster isn't imminent.  You should have weeks of food and water in your house, water filters, survival gear, and the like. 
There is NOT enough supplies in any arsenal by military or anyone else to provide for everyone for any extended period of time.


US NAVY'S website on Japan Quake: http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=59065

here is the Pacific Fleet's website on it:
http://www.cpf.navy.mil/media/news/articles/2011/mar/mar13_C7F_reposition.shtml

Video of the jetstream:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLWlxg95sEE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

More video of the jetstreams:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=898gfo9VLVA



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 03:48:47 pm
Japan Has Asked for IAEA Help with Nuclear Emergency
March 14th, 2011
Via: Montreal Gazette:http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Japan+asked+IAEA+expert+help+watchdog/4436389/story.html

Japan has officially asked the UN atomic watchdog to send a team of experts to help in the current nuclear crisis, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano said Monday.

“Today, the government of Japan asked the agency to provide expert missions. We are in discussions with Japan on the details,” Amano told IAEA member states in a closed-door technical briefing at the watchdog’s Vienna headquarters


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 04:28:19 pm

Experts are now warning a second huge quake - almost as powerful as the first - could hit the country, triggering another tsunami.

The director of the Australian Seismological Centre, Dr Kevin McCue, told the Sydney Morning Herald that there had been more than 100 smaller quakes since Friday, and a larger aftershock was likely.

'Normally they happen within days'......story cont
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366093/Japan-faces-SECOND-earthquake-tsunami-worst-crisis-WW2.html


Title: JAPAN: THREE NUCLEAR REACTORS MELTING DOWN
Post by: akfools on March 14, 2011, 08:32:29 pm
JAPAN: THREE NUCLEAR REACTORS MAY BE MELTING DOWN
March 14th, 2011
Via: CNN:  http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/14/japan.nuclear.reactors/index.html?hpt=T1

A blast at a nuclear reactor and a series of problems at a neighboring one led to a brief spike in radiation levels outside Japan’s troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant Monday, triggering even greater fears that dangerous radiation could add to the country’s devastation.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said he was not ruling out the possibility of a meltdown at all three troubled reactors at the plant.

The blast — caused by a buildup of hydrogen — also damaged the cooling system at reactor No. 2, starting a new round of problems for officials trying to contain the damage from Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.

The explosion at Fukushima Daiichi’s reactor No. 3 Monday morning injured 11 people. It was powerful enough to blow the roof and walls off a building, the Kyodo news agency reported.

More: Unit Three Uses More Toxic ‘MOX’ Fuel

Via: Cnet:  http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-20042852-76.html

The fuel used in the Japanese nuclear reactor where an explosion occurred today is more volatile and toxic than the fuel used in the other reactors there, a Japanese nuclear expert warned.

At a press conference in Tokyo, Masashi Goto, who worked for Toshiba as a reactor researcher and designer, said the mixed oxide (MOX) fuel used in unit 3 of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant contains plutonium, which is much more toxic than the fuel used in the other reactors.

MOX fuel is a mixture of uranium and plutonium reprocessed from spent uranium, and is sometimes involved in the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium.

Goto added that the MOX also has a lower melting point than the other fuels. The Fukushima facility began using MOX fuel last September, becoming the third plant in Japan to do so.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Kilika on March 15, 2011, 03:11:54 am
The information that I have seen is that there is a HUGE difference between Japan and Chernobyl. All of the Japanese reators are in steel containment vessels, whereas Chernobyl had no cantainment at all. Also, it literally had a nuclear explosion, whereas at Fukushima, what blew up is a build up of hydrogen from the seawater reacting with the intense heat. THe first two explosions they say only affected the outer building that surrounds the reactors, but the third explosion late yesterday they are saying took place inside the steel containment vessel, which is not good at all as it may have damage the steel vessel that encloses the fuel rods.

So from what I have read, it isn't as bad as Chernobyl at all. Two completely different reactor designs. The Japanese reactors won't blow up like Chernobyl they say.

Also, another misunderstanding is with what a "meltdown" is. A meltdown is simply when the rods get so hot they break apart and can literally melt through the containment vessel they are in, right through the floor possibly into the ground below.

They say the reason they can't cool them down is that the tsunami damaged the generators that run the cooling systems that circulate the water, and the third backup, the batteries only last about 8 hours they say, and those have since been exhausted. So they have been pumping seawater directly in which destroys the reactor and makes it unrepairable.

One nuke expert calls the seawater move as a "hail mary pass" last ditch effort. Unfortunately, the last second pass isn't working. Apparently the seawater is escaping faster that they can pump it in, so the robs are being exposed which allows them to heat up and eventually melt down. Who knows how much radiation could get out if all 3 melt down. That's what I haven't heard any expert talk about if all 3 were to have a melt down.

The first 2, reactors number 1 and 3, had the outer buildings blow away from the containment vessels, but the thrid one, I assume number 2 reactor, had an explosion within the containment vessel.

If like the article posted says that the number 3 unit is the one with the MOX fuel, then that means the worst one was the second explosion, and the third one is the same as the first.

Completely confused now? Short answer; VERY bad, especially if a melt down causes any particulate radioactive matter to get into the air and carried off by the wind currents. It's one thing to have radioactive matter in the air, but to have actual fuel rob material blowing around in the air is the worst case scenario.

About iodine. People seem to think it's the cure-all for radiation, but it's not. It's very limited to just protecting the thyroid gland, that's it. So all one is doing is protecting themselves from thyroid cancer, but are still fully exposed to other type cancers.

Again, this is a very bad situation.

What's really compelling is that all this happened literally in the blink of an eye. One moment life was fine in Japan and the next all hell broke loose. Tribulation comes on like a woman in travail. "Watch".


Title: EMERGENCY: ‘HIGH’ LEVEL RADIATION RELEASED AT FUKUSHIMA
Post by: akfools on March 15, 2011, 07:29:46 am
EMERGENCY: ‘HIGH’ LEVEL RADIATION RELEASED AT FUKUSHIMA; WORKERS TOLD TO LEAVE AREA; U.S. MILITARY ASKED FOR HELP; LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WIND ETA 10 HOURS TO TOKYO
March 15th, 2011
 
Shelter-in-Place in a Radiation Emergencyhttp://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/shelter.asp

Via: Reuters:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/us-japan-quake-idUSTRE72A0SS20110315
 
Japan’s prime minister warned on Tuesday that radioactive levels had become high around an earthquake-stricken nuclear power plant after explosions at two reactors, adding that the risk of more radioactive leakage was rising.

Naoto Kan urged people within 30 km (18 miles) of the facility north of Tokyo to remain indoors.

The French embassy in the capital warned in an advisory that a low level of radioactive wind could reach Tokyo — 240 km (150 miles) south of the plant — in about 10 hours.

The reactor operator asked the U.S. military for help, while Kyodo news agency said radiation levels nine times normal levels had been briefly detected in Kanagawa near Tokyo.

“We are making every effort to prevent the leak from spreading. I know that people are very worried but I would like to ask you to act calmly,” Kan said in an address to the nation.



The fear at the Fukushima plant is of a major radiation leak after the quake and tsunami knocked out cooling systems.

Jiji news agency said the first explosion on Tuesday damaged the roof and steam was rising from the complex. It also reported some workers had been told to leave the plant, a development one expert had warned beforehand could signal a worsening stage for the crisis.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: akfools on March 15, 2011, 07:31:24 am
Tokyo: Panic Buying, Evacuations
March 15th, 2011
Via: Reuters: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/us-japan-quake-tokyo-idUKTRE72E0ZR20110315

Panic swept Tokyo on Tuesday after a rise in radioactive levels around an earthquake-hit nuclear power plant north of the city, causing some to leave the capital and others to stock up on food and supplies.

Several embassies advised staff and citizens to leave affected areas, tourists cut short vacations and multinational companies either urged staff to leave or said they were considering plans to move outside Tokyo where low levels of radiation have been detected.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Kilika on March 15, 2011, 01:13:49 pm
They've had 3 reactors explode, and a 4th is allegedly on fire and at risk of exploding also! Very bad.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 25, 2011, 03:40:50 pm
Disaster-struck Japan set for record high spending

12/24/11
..

TOKYO (AP) — Disaster-struck Japan is headed to record high budget spending of 96 trillion yen ($1.2 trillion) as the nation tackles the costs of recovery from the March earthquake and tsunami.

The Cabinet approved the draft budget for the fiscal year staring April 2012 on Saturday, covering massive costs for reconstruction in northeastern Japan as well as decontamination efforts for radiation leaked from a damaged nuclear power plant.

The government will rely on new debt for 49 percent of its annual revenue, the highest level ever, according to Kyodo News service.
..

http://news.yahoo.com/disaster-struck-japan-set-record-high-spending-055353612.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 26, 2011, 05:09:16 pm
Japan Budget’s Dependence on Debt Sales to Rise to Record Next Fiscal Year
24 December 2011, by Toru Fujioka (Bloomberg)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-24/japan-budget-s-dependence-on-debt-sales-to-rise-to-record-next-fiscal-year.html

Excerpt:

Japan’s budget for the year starting April showed the government more dependent than ever on bond sales to fund spending as Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda struggles to tame the world’s biggest public debt burden.

The government will sell 44.2 trillion yen ($566 billion) of new bonds to fund 90.3 trillion yen of spending, raising the budget’s dependence on debt to an unprecedented 49%, a plan approved by the Cabinet in Tokyo yesterday showed.

Spending will shrink for the first time in six years after the government delayed appropriations for the nation’s pension fund and used supplementary expenditure packages to pay for earthquake reconstruction.

Noda’s first budget may fail to reassure credit-rating companies and analysts monitoring his efforts to control public debt twice the size of annual economic output.

The government trimmed 2.6 trillion yen from the package by allocating special bonds to delay pension funding until a planned sales-tax increase boosts revenue.

“The government is trying to maintain surface appearances by playing with the numbers,” said Takahide Kiuchi, chief economist at Nomura Securities Co. in Tokyo.

“This budget clearly shows Japan’s fiscal situation is worsening.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 26, 2011, 05:14:53 pm
Noda’s ‘Urgent’ Task Is Tax Rise as Japan Debt Load Swells
26 December 2011, by Andy Sharp and Toru Fujioka (Bloomberg)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-25/noda-s-urgent-task-is-tax-rise-as-japan-debt-load-swells.html

Excerpt:

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda faces escalating pressure to secure support for higher taxes after Japan’s budget plan for the next fiscal year showed a record dependence on borrowing.

The government will sell 44.2 trillion yen ($566 billion) of new bonds to fund 90.3 trillion yen of spending, raising the budget’s reliance on debt to an unprecedented 49%, a plan approved by the Cabinet in Tokyo on Dec. 24 showed.

While spending will decrease for the first time in six years, Noda will delay funding the nation’s pension fund and will create a separate budget account to pay for earthquake reconstruction.

An aging population and two decades of low growth after an asset bubble burst in the early 1990s have left Japan with debt projected at a record 1 quadrillion yen this year.

Noda faces opposition from the public and within his Democratic Party of Japan to boosting sales taxes even as Standard & Poor’s mulls lowering the sovereign rating, already cut in January to AA-.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 28, 2011, 06:47:58 pm
http://theintelhub.com/2011/12/28/debris-field-the-size-of-california-from-japanese-tsunami-begins-to-litter-west-coast/

12/28/11

Debris Field The Size Of California From Japanese Tsunami Begins To Litter West Coast

The fact that no federal agency is preparing for this huge wave of radiated garbage shows just how insane the leaders of this once great country have become.
 
A massive debris field the size of California that is surely fully radiated is on its way to the west coast yet the corporate controlled media(see Project Mockingbird) instead focuses on Iran and its nuclear program.
 
The west coast of the United States WILL be hit with at least partially radiated debris from Japan and the corporate media WILL either heavily downplay the dangers or completely ignore them all together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Z3M53Ek0U&feature=player_embedded


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 28, 2011, 07:36:01 pm
Deflation’s Grip Returns in Japan as Factory Production Declines: Economy
28 December 2011, by Aki Ito (Bloomberg)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-27/japan-factory-output-falls-on-global-slump.html

Excerpt:

Japan’s rebound from the March earthquake and tsunami sputtered in November as production and retail sales tumbled, deepening the nation’s return to the deflation that first took hold a decade ago.

Industrial output slumped 2.6% from October, more than all the forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey of 29 economists, a government report showed today in Tokyo. Retail sales slid 2.1%.

Consumer prices excluding fresh food fell 0.2% from a year earlier after a 0.1% decline the previous month.

The weakening economy, hurt by Europe’s debt crisis and plans by companies from Panasonic Corp. to Nissan Motor Co. to shift production abroad, may undermine Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s plan to raise taxes and cut the world’s largest debt burden.



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 12, 2012, 06:26:49 pm
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/151671#.Tw7-roFfT7g

1/12/12

Japan to Test Mother's Milk for Radiation

Japan may add testing for radiation in mother's milk to the health checks in Fukushima Prefecture.


Japan may add testing for radiation in mother's milk to the health checks in Fukushima Prefecture.

The province is home to three reactors that had partial meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plant following a massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011.

More than 15,000 people lost their lives in the disaster that sent radioactive particles rushing into the air, land and water surrounding the damaged plant in northeastern Japan.

A government spokesman who declined to give his name told CNN the prefecture is working out a plan to sample milk from new mothers in the area.

Scientists last May and June found traces of radioactive cesium in 7 out of 21 samples of mother's milk in Fukushima, but insisted the amounts were minute, and posed no harm to the babies.





Title: Japan tsunami debris spreading across Pacific
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on February 29, 2012, 07:12:48 pm
[size=18]Japan tsunami debris spreading across Pacific[/size]

2/28/12

http://news.yahoo.com/japan-tsunami-debris-spreading-across-pacific-023228762.html

HONOLULU (AP) — Lumber, boats and other debris ripped from Japanese coastal towns by tsunamis last year have spread across some 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) of the northern Pacific, where they could wash ashore on the U.S. west coast as early as a year from now.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimated the first bits of tsunami debris will make landfall soon on small atolls northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands. Other pieces were expected to reach the coasts of Oregon, Washington state, Alaska and Canada between March 2013 and March 2014.

NOAA's tsunami marine debris coordinator, Ruth Yender, told an online news conference Tuesday that agency workers were boarding Coast Guard flights that patrol the Hawaiian archipelago. NOAA also asked scientists stationed at Midway and other atolls to look for the debris.

Debris initially collected in a thick mass in the ocean after tsunamis dragged homes, boats, cars and other parts of daily life from coastal towns out to sea. Most likely sank not far from Japan's eastern coast.

more


Title: Earthquakes in Japan increase five-fold after March 11, 2011 earthquake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 09, 2012, 09:17:47 am
http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/earthquakes-in-japan-increase-five-fold-after-march-11-2011-earthquake/

March 9, 2012 – JAPAN – Figures compiled by the ABC reveal that since the massive earthquake in Japan a year ago the country has been rattled by more than five times as many tremors as usual. That includes 10 aftershocks of magnitude seven or greater. Using figures provided by Japan’s meteorological agency, the ABC found that there have been more than 9,000 significant tremors under and around Japan since last year’s March 11 earthquake. That compares with 1,300 for all of 2010. As well as 10 quakes of magnitude seven or greater in the past year, there were more than 100 that were more violent than magnitude six. Recent media reports suggest Tokyo has a 70 per cent chance of being hit with a major earthquake in the next four years. –ABC


Title: Moment of silence marks 1 year since Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 11, 2012, 10:23:38 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/moment-silence-marks-1-since-japan-quake-055111267.html

3/11/12

RIKUZENTAKATA, Japan (AP) — People along Japan's tsunami-battered northeast coast and elsewhere across the country have observed a moment of silence to mark the exact time a massive earthquake struck the nation one year ago.

The magnitude-9.0 quake on March 11, 2011, triggered a terrifying tsunami that devastated the northeastern coast, killing just over 19,000 people and unleashing a nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant.

At 2:46 p.m. Sunday in the coastal town of Rikuzentakata, a siren sounded and a Buddhist priest in a purple robe rang a huge bell at a damaged temple overlooking a barren area where houses once stood.

At the same time in Tokyo's National Theater, Emperor Akihito and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda stood in silence with hundreds of other people at a memorial service.



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Mark on March 14, 2012, 05:15:05 am
Magnitude 6.8 - OFF THE EAST COAST OF JAPAN

Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes off northeastern Japan coast, tsunami advisory issued - Japan Meteorological Agency

More: Tsunami advisories in place for the coastal regions of Iwate and Aomori prefectures - Japan Meteorological Agency

Update: Tsunami advisory expanded to include central and eastern Hokkaido coast - Japan Meteorological Agency

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usb0008gs0.php


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Kilika on March 14, 2012, 02:36:44 pm
I don't think they should be content that the quakes have stopped. Some indications suggest there is an increase in activity around the world. Biblically, we know it's going to happen.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 14, 2012, 05:54:04 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/tsunami-warning-strong-quake-hits-northern-japan-094031465.html

3/14/12

Small tsunami hits Japan after 6.9 quake

A small tsunami hit Japan's northeastern coastline on Wednesday, officials said, after a strong earthquake rocked the region almost exactly a year on from the country's worst post-war natural disaster.

A 6.9-magnitude quake struck 26.6 kilometres (16 miles) below the seabed off the northern island of Hokkaido in the Pacific at 6:08 pm local time (0908 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.

It was followed by a 20 centimetre (eight inch) tsunami which had prompted local authorities to issue an evacuation warning for coastal residents before it hit land.

The waves hit several locations in Hokkaido as well as Aomori prefecture, which was one of the areas in Japan's northeast devastated by last year's disaster.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 19, 2012, 05:16:14 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqdoaS_u-10


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 01, 2012, 01:49:18 pm
http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/new-study-finds-japans-defenses-woefully-inadequate-to-protect-against-a-major-tsunami/

New study finds Japan’s defenses woefully inadequate to protect against a major tsunami

April 1, 2012 – TOKYO - Japan’s defenses against a major tsunami and the safety of its nuclear plants were thrown into further doubt after two official studies predicted much higher waves could hit and that Tokyo quake damage could be bigger than it was prepared for. The reports, carried in the media over the weekend, are likely to intensify the debate about whether to restart Japan’s 54 nuclear reactors, all but one of which are shut amid public fears about nuclear safety sparked by the Fukushima disaster in March 2011. One report said a quake as big as the one that rocked Japan in 2011 could trigger waves topping 34 meters (112 feet), almost double its previous estimate made in 2003 when it’s worst scenario forecast tsunami of no more than 20 meters (66 feet). The Cabinet Office panel which authored the report, revised its predictions after one of the biggest tremors on record struck Japan last year, setting off a tsunami that topped 20 meters in the worst-affected areas and triggering the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years. “We won’t be able to contain a massive tsunami with the (current) embankments,” said Masaharu Nakagawa, disaster prevention minister on a news conference on Saturday evening. “We will have to work the (changes regarding) the city planning, disaster prevention education and evacuation into the policies,” he said. Waves at the now off-line Hamaoka nuclear plant in Shizuoka prefecture, operated by Chubu Electric Power, could reach 21 meters, breaching the 18-metre breakwater that the operators are currently building, the report said. The government is keen to get some of the reactors running after surging fuels imports resulted in a rare trade deficit, raising worries about its declining ability to fund a huge public debt with domestic savings. But it must first persuade wary locals that the plants are safe. Another official report suggested that the direct impact of a major quake has been underestimated. It said that if a 7.3 magnitude quake hit Tokyo, some parts of the city and surrounding areas would likely be shaken at level 7 on Japan’s seven-point “Shindo” scale of seismic activity, it said. –Reuters


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Kilika on April 01, 2012, 04:35:45 pm
Quote
New study finds Japan’s defenses woefully inadequate to protect against a major tsunami


Ya think?  ::) Just a little late on that breaking news!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 23, 2012, 03:18:43 pm
Japan chemical plant blast kills one

4/23/12

TOKYO: A blast at a chemical plant in western Japan killed one worker and injured at least fifteen others on Sunday, police said.

The accident occurred at a factory operated by comprehensive chemical manufacturer Mitsui Chemicals in Yamaguchi prefecture, some 700 kilometres (434 miles) southwest of Tokyo, an official at Yamaguchi prefectural police said. The deceased was a 22-year-old male employee, police said, with Jiji Press identifying him as Shota Sunakawa.

Nine other company employees and workers for subcontract companies were severely or slightly injured, while at least four residents in the neighbourhood were slightly injured, police said. “The fire is not extinguished yet as the fire department is cooling the plant while waiting for combustible materials to burn out,” he told.

“It may take more than a few days for us to find out the cause of the accident, but we are investigating it as a case of professional negligence resulting in death and injury,” he said. The plant had been manufacturing materials to make adhesives, he said. afp

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C04%5C23%5Cstory_23-4-2012_pg4_5


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 26, 2012, 07:25:37 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-alvarez/the-fukushima-nuclear-dis_b_1444146.html

The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Is Far From Over

Posted: 04/22/2012 3:45 pm

Spent reactor fuel, containing roughly 85 times more long-lived radioactivity than released at Chernobyl, still sits in pools vulnerable to earthquakes.

More than a year after the Fukushima nuclear power disaster began, the news media is just beginning to grasp that the dangers to Japan and the rest of the world are far from over. After repeated warnings by former senior Japanese officials, nuclear experts, and now a U.S. senator, it's sinking in that the irradiated nuclear fuel stored in spent fuel pools amidst the reactor ruins pose far greater dangers than the molten cores. This is why:

• Nearly all of the 10,893 spent fuel assemblies sit in pools vulnerable to future earthquakes, with roughly 85 times more long-lived radioactivity than released at Chernobyl

• Several pools are 100 feet above the ground and are completely open to the atmosphere because the reactor buildings were demolished by explosions. The pools could possibly topple or collapse from structural damage coupled with another powerful earthquake.

• The loss of water exposing the spent fuel will result in overheating and can cause melting and ignite its zirconium metal cladding resulting in a fire that could deposit large amounts of radioactive materials over hundreds, if not thousands of miles.

This was not lost on Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), who after visiting the site on April 6, wrote to Japan's U.S. ambassador, Ichiro Fujusaki, that "loss of containment in any of these pools... could result an even larger release of radiation than the nuclear accident."

The urgency of the situation is underscored by the ongoing seismic activity where 13 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0-5.7 have occurred off the northeast coast of Japan between April 14 and 17. This has been the norm since the first quake and tsunami hit the Dai-Ichi site on March 11 of last year. Larger quakes are expected closer to the power plant.

Spent nuclear fuel is extraordinarily radioactive and must be handled with great care. In a matter of seconds, an unprotected person one foot away from a single freshly removed spent fuel assembly would receive a lethal dose of radiation within seconds. As one of the most dangerous materials on the planet, spent reactor fuel requires permanent geological isolation to protect humans for thousands of years.

It's been 26 years, since the Chernobyl reactor exploded and caught fire releasing enormous amounts of radioactive debris -- seriously contaminating areas over a thousand miles away. Chernobyl revealed the folly of not having an extra barrier of thick concrete and steel surrounding the reactor core that is required for modern plants, in the U.S., Japan and elsewhere. The Fukushima Dai-Ichi accident revealed the folly of operating several nuclear power plants in a high consequence earthquake zone while storing huge amounts of highly radioactive spent fuel in vulnerable pools, high above the ground.

What both accidents have in common is widespread environmental contamination from cesium-137. With a half-life of 30, years, Cs-137 gives off penetrating radiation, as it decays and can remain dangerous for hundreds of years. Once in the environment, it mimics potassium as it accumulates in the food chain. When it enters the human body, about 75 percent lodges in muscle tissue, with, perhaps, the most important muscle being the heart.

Last week, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) revealed plans to remove 2,274 spent fuel assemblies from the damaged reactors that will probably take at least a decade to accomplish. The first priority will be removal of the contents in Pool No. 4. This pool is structurally damaged and contains about 10 times more cesium-137 than released at Chernobyl. Removal of SNF from the No. 4 reactor is optimistically expected to begin at the end of 2013. A significant amount of construction to remove debris and reinforce the structurally-damaged reactor buildings, especially the fuel- handling areas, will be required.

Also, it is not safe to keep 1,882 spent fuel assemblies containing ~57 million curies of long-lived radioactivity, including nearly 15 times more cs-137 than released at Chernobyl in the elevated pools at reactors 5, 6, and 7, which did not experience meltdowns and explosions.

The main reason why there is so much spent fuel at the Da-Ichi site is that the plan to send it off for nuclear recycling has collapsed. It was supposed to go to the incomplete Rokkasho reprocessing plant, just south of the Fukushima nuclear site, where plutonium would be extracted as a fuel for "fast" reactors. This scheme is based on long discredited assumptions that world uranium supplies would be rapidly exhausted and that a new generation of "fast" reactors, which held the promise of making more fuel than they use, would be needed. Over the past 20 years the Rokkasho's costs have tripled along with 18 major delays. World uranium supplies are far from depleted. Moreover, in November of last year, Japan's "fast" reactor project at Monju was cancelled for cost and safety reasons -- dealing a major blow to this whole scheme.

The stark reality, if TEPCO's plan is realized, is that nearly all of the spent fuel at the Da-Ichi containing some of the largest concentrations of radioactivity on the planet will remain indefinitely in vulnerable pools. TEPCO wants to store the spent fuel from the damaged reactors in the common pool, and only to resort to dry, cask storage when the common pool's capacity is exceeded. At this time, the common pool is at 80 percent storage capacity and will require removal of SNF to make room. TEPCO's plan is to minimize dry cask storage as much as possible and to rely indefinitely on vulnerable pool storage. Sen. Wyden finds that that TEPCO's plan for remediation "carries extraordinary and continuing risk" and sensibly recommends that "retrieval of spent fuel in existing on-site spent fuel pools to safer storage... in dry casks should be a priority."

Despite the enormous destruction from the earthquake and tsunami, little attention was paid to the fact that the nine dry spent fuel casks at the Fukushima Da-Ichi site were unscathed. This is an important lesson we cannot afford to ignore.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 26, 2012, 07:33:11 pm
http://www.bellona.org/articles/articles_2012/nikitin_chernobylfukushima

4/26/12

Chernobyl in Fukushima’s shadow – nuclear energy today and in the future

Today, there is great distrust of the safety of nuclear power plants has is seen worldwide. First Chernobyl then Fukushima forced a whole array of countries to reassess their attitude toward nuclear power. There have been no new nuclear plants built in the United States over the past 26 years. Now Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium will be shuttering their reactors. Spain is in the process of electing not building any new nuclear reactors, and Italy decided not to begin a nuclear energy industry at all.  In post-Fukushima Japan, only one reactor out of the country’s 54 is still running. The future of nuclear energy there is especially foggy as the wrecked reactors at Fukushima are in such a condition that they “temporarily or partially” re-achieve criticality – in other words, the emergency is not over. According to expert analysis, more than 30years will be required to fully dismantle Fukushima.
 
The list of those casting a suspicious eye on nuclear power goes on: In March this year, Bulgaria decided to stop construction of it’s Belene Nuclear Power Plant despite the financial losses it would incur. This is the first instance that an active international contract for the construction of a nuclear power plant has been dissolved. Mexico is putting of the construction of 10 nuclear reactors in favor of developing natural gas power plants. The Lithuanian Seimas, or parliament, is deciding to put to a popular referendum on October 12 the construction of the Visaginas nuclear power plant. India is experiencing difficulties in launching its Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant because of months of thousands-strong protests by local residents demanding its closure in the seismically active area.

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Title: Fukushima reactor No. 4 vulnerable to catastrophic collapse; could unleash 85 ti
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 07, 2012, 12:31:44 pm
Fukushima reactor No. 4 vulnerable to catastrophic collapse; could unleash 85 times Cesium-137 radiation of Chernobyl; human civilization on the brink

(NaturalNews) The news you are about to read puts everything else in the category of "insignificant" by comparison. Concerned about the 2012 U.S. presidential election? Worried about GMOs? Fluoride? Vaccines? Secret prisons? None of that even matters if we don't solve the problem of Fukushima reactor No. 4, which is on the verge of a catastrophic failure that could unleash enough radiation to end human civilization on our planet. (See the numbers below.)

The resulting releasing of radiation would turn North America into a "dead zone" for humans... mutated (and failed) crops, radioactive groundwater, skyrocketing infant mortality, an explosion in cancer and infertility... this is what could be unleashed at any moment from an earthquake in Japan. Such an event could result in the release of 85 times the Cesium-137 released by the Chernobyl catastrophe, say experts (see below). And the Chernobyl catastrophe made its surrounding regions uninhabitable by humans for centuries.


Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035789_Fukushima_Cesium-137_Plume-Gate.html#ixzz1uCqRf7Wf


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 20, 2012, 09:00:53 am
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/world/asia/twin-quakes-rock-japan-291

Twin quakes rock Japan

5/20/12
Japan was hit by two shallow earthquakes in the space of just eight minutes on Sunday, one of them measuring a strong 6.2-magnitude, but there were no reports of damage and no tsunami alert.

The 6.2-magnitude quake struck at 4:20pm (0720 GMT) off Japan's northeast Pacific coast, the national meteorological agency said, followed by a tremor with a reading of 5.7 at 4:28pm.

The US Geological Survey estimated the magnitude of the first quake at 6.0.

The depth of both quakes was about 10 kilometres, the agency said.

"Sea levels may change slightly due to the (first) earthquake but there is no fear of damage resulting from it," the agency said in a statement.

A 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake off the same coast triggered a monster tsunami on March 11 last year, leaving about 19,000 people dead or missing and crippling the Fukushima nuclear power plant.



Title: Extreme Radioactive Black Substance Discovered 5 Kilometers From Tokyo
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 20, 2012, 11:58:09 am
http://deathby1000papercuts.com/2012/05/extreme-radioactive-black-substance-discovered-5-kilometers-from-tokyo/

5/15/12

Black substance five times more radioactive than Chernobyl-Belarus mandatory exculsion zone

(http://deathby1000papercuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Mystery-Black-Substance.png)

A mysterious black substance five times more radioactive than the Chernobyl-Belarus mandatory evacuation zone was discovered 4 kilometers from the center of Tokyo, the Hirai Station. The mystery radioactive black substance discovered close to Tokyo on the heels of the discovery of Cesium in Fukushima Prefecture 122 times higher than in Belarus evacuation zone.

(http://deathby1000papercuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Hirai-Station.png)

The Belarus exclusion zone, a 30-mile now wilderness area around the Chernobyl plant. Tokyo is located more than 241 kilometers from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant with four nuclear reactors in “dire” condition according to physicist Dr. Michio Kaku.

Fukushima Diary:

The extremely radioactive black substance was found at 4km from the center of Tokyo.

In 10 minutes walk from Hirai station of JR Sobu line, where is about 4 km from Tokyo station, 5 km from Imperial Palace

black substance was found in several places near the play ground of a public estates.

A local citizen’s group found this and had it analyzed by Prof. Yamauchi from Kobe university. He measured 243,000 Bq/Kg of cesium and the surface dose was 2?Sv/h.

Mr. Ishikawa, the chairman of citizen’s group states, the black substance is now everywhere in Tokyo, and it moves by wind or rain.

Roughly estimating, the soil around the black substance is contaminated as 15,600,000 Bq/m2 (cesium134/137).

In Belarus, the place where is more contaminated than 1,480,000Bq/Kg (cesium137) was defined as mandatory evacuation area.

To double the Belarus standard to make it close to the total of cesium 134 and 137, it becomes 2,960,000Bq/m2.

The graph to compare Tokyo to the mandatory evacuation area in Tokyo is below, which shows the contamination situation around Hirai Station is worse than no-man’s zone of Belarus by 527%.

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Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 23, 2012, 12:08:59 pm
http://www.wsfa.com/story/18605433/magnitude-61-earthquake-shakes-northeastern-japan?clienttype=printable

Magnitude-6.1 earthquake shakes northeastern Japan
Posted: May 23, 2012 11:51 AM CDT Updated: May 23, 2012 11:51 AM CDT

TOKYO (AP) - A strong earthquake has struck off the coast of northeastern Japan, but no tsunami is expected.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-6.1 earthquake hit early Thursday and was centered about 107 kilometers (66 miles) northeast of Hachinohe at a depth of 40 kilometers (25 miles).

Japan's Kyodo News agency says the quake shook Aomori prefecture (state) and other areas of northeastern Japan but no abnormalities were reported at nearby nuclear power plants. No tsunami warning was issued.

A massive magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami ravaged Japan's northeastern coastline in March last year, leaving some 19,000 people dead or missing and badly damaging the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 25, 2012, 09:07:24 am
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/25/world/asia/radioactive-release-at-fukushima-plant-was-underestimated.html?_r=1

5/24/12

Utility Says It Underestimated Radiation Released in Japan

TOKYO (Reuters) — The amount of radioactive materials released in the first days of the Fukushima nuclear disaster was almost two and a half times the initial estimate by Japanese safety regulators, the operator of the crippled plant said in a report released on Thursday.

The operator, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, said the meltdowns it believes took place at three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant released about 900,000 terabecquerels of radioactive substances into the air during March 2011. The accident, which followed an earthquake and a tsunami, occurred on March 11.

The latest estimate was based on measurements suggesting the amount of iodine-131 released by the nuclear accident was much larger than previous estimates, the utility said in the report. Iodine-131 is a fast-decaying radioactive substance produced by fission that takes place inside a nuclear reactor. It has a half-life of eight days and can cause thyroid cancer.

more



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 25, 2012, 06:10:20 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/alaskan-crews-gear-tackle-japan-tsunami-debris-005438805.html

5/24/12

Video: http://news.yahoo.com/video#video=29466363

Alaskan crews gear up to tackle Japan tsunami debris

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Cleanup workers will soon attack a jumble of debris from Japan's 2011 tsunami that litters an Alaskan island, as residents in the state gear up to scour their shores for everything from buoys to building material that has floated across the Pacific.
 
The cleansing project slated to start on Friday on Montague Island is expected to last a couple weeks, and organizers say it marks the first major project in Alaska to collect and dispose of debris from the tsunami.
 
The March 2011 tsunami, caused by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, killed nearly 16,000 people and left over 3,000 missing on Japan's main island of Honshu, and precipitated a major radiation release at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
 
A U.S. senator has sought to obtain $45 million to tackle the problem, and officials have cited fears about invasive species and toxic substances thought to be among the floating mess of objects.
 
While debris from Japan is also floating toward other U.S. states along the West Coast, Alaska has a more extensive shoreline, much of it difficult to reach.

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Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 27, 2012, 03:44:36 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GK03T-c5OY


Title: Tuna in US found with Japan quake radiation: study
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 29, 2012, 07:12:19 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/tuna-may-transport-japan-quake-radiation-report-072245836.html

5/29/12

Bluefin tuna caught off the US coast have been found to contain radioactive material from Japan's quake-struck Fukushima nuclear plant, according to a new study.
 
Researchers found "modestly elevated levels" of two radioactive isotopes in 15 bluefin tuna caught off the coast of San Diego, California in August 2011, according to the study published online Monday by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
 
The researchers said the elevated radioactivity posed no risk to public health as the observed levels were more than an order of magnitude lower than the Japanese safety limit and were lower than other naturally present isotopes.
 
"We were quite surprised to find that bluefin carried both of these isotopes," co-author Nicholas Fisher, of New York's Stony Brook University, told CNN on Tuesday.

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Title: Massive Anti-Govt Protests in Japan Over Fukushima Lies - CNN
Post by: Charrington on May 31, 2012, 11:34:47 pm
CNN reports massive protests are hitting Japan over continued lies from the government about the Fukushima nuclear meltdown and the failure to protect the public.

This video from CNN reports on the massive protests in Japan due to the people’s mistrust after being lied to over and over again by the government of Japan about the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The latest outrage is over the government’s refusal to stop burning radioactive debris to deal with problems such as massive amounts of radioactive sludge building up in Japan’s sewage systems.

The burning of radioactive debris has led to an ash cloud of nuclear radiation blanketing of Easter Japan with radiation.

But as the video shows, the outrage isn’t just about the radioactive debris but is due the “Japan people feeling they have been kept in the dark about the true extent of the damage from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown” and after a year of lie after lie.

As the report bluntly puts it the”people feel they can no longer trust their government”‘ which is really just a bunch of “bureaucrats just trying to keep a system in place just to keep the country running”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wg5jM_1RNw

http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2012/05/29/cnn-massive-antigovt-protests-japan-fukushima-lies-138881/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on June 02, 2012, 11:58:26 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le2Jn4Trifw&feature=player_embedded


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on June 06, 2012, 11:15:18 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/66-foot-concrete-dock-washes-ashore-oregon-may-185118645.html

66-foot concrete dock washes ashore in Oregon, may be from 2011 Japan tsunami

6/6/12

A massive, 66-foot concrete dock mysteriously washed up on the Oregon shore this week. And officials are trying to figure out if the floating structure had traveled all the way from Japan after the March 2011 tsunami.
 
Local affiliate KATU reports that the dock has a placard with Japanese writing that they are attempting to translate. In addition, the station traced a phone number on the placard to a business located in Tokyo.
 
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department sent a picture of the placard to the Japanese consulate in Portland for review.
 
"We don't know where it's from," said Chris Havel with the parks department. "We don't know if it's from Japan or not but we have to eliminate those possibilities as we go forward."
 
Even if the dock did travel thousands of miles to reach the shores of Oregon, it did not defy physics to get arrive there. While the structure is nearly 70 feet long, 7 feet tall and 19 feet wide and made of concrete and metal, it was also reportedly designed to float.
 
The dock was first spotted floating offshore but has now made its way to land. Kirk Tite was walking along the beach on Tuesday with his two sons and described the dock as a "massive hunk of concrete and metal covered in sea creatures." They also found a Japanese symbol and imprint on tires attached to the dock, although those could simply indicate that the tires themselves were made in Japan.

(http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/GKttS8QnvEoHX_5SxDjkAA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/thesideshow/dock.jpg)

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Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on June 17, 2012, 04:47:47 pm
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/17/us-japan-quake-idUSBRE85G0OD20120617

6/17/12

Quake of 6.4 magnitude strikes 72 miles off Japan

Reuters) - A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan early on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

USGS put the quake 115 km (72 miles) southeast of Morioka on Japan's Pacific coast, and 31 km deep.

The Japan Meteorological Agency put it at magnitude 6.1, and slightly deeper at 40 km (25 miles).

The quake was rated only 4 on Japan's seven-point seismic scale, suggesting that no significant damage was expected, and no tsunami warning was issued.



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 30, 2012, 10:42:27 am
http://theintelhub.com/2012/10/14/radiation-alert-common-household-items-we-all-use-found-to-be-contaminated/

10/14/12

Radiation Alert: Common Household Items We All Use Found to be Contaminated

Governments Have Raised Acceptable Radiation Levels Worldwide to Dupe the Populace

By Shepard Ambellas
 theintelhub.com
 October 14, 2012
 
A study by the Journal for Environmental Science and Technology details how dangerous radiation from Fukushima contacted the United States, especially in California “with the greatest exposure in central and southern California”.
 
In fact, the study determined that seaweed off the coast of California had been tested for radiation contamination and that radiation levels within the seaweed were 500% higher than safe levels.
 
You never know what might be contaminated with radiation these days as it is literally all over the world.
 
From nuclear bomb tests to failed nuclear reactors like Russia’s Chernobyl or Japan’s Fukushima Diachi power plant, radioactive isotopes are everywhere.
 
Some researchers have even found extremely high levels of Radiation in parts of the mainland US using a HEPA filter analysis method that tracks accumulative radiation.
 
A test of a HEPA air filter stationed in California recorded radiation levels at 351% and 538% above normal background levels.
 
The tests, conducted by the Enviroreporter, show levels much higher than normal background levels that are most likely coming from the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

It is clear that, despite a large scale misinformation campaign conducted by various governments and sock puppets throughout the internet, an increase in radiation has been seen in the United States after the Japan Fukushima nuclear disaster.
 
But what if ordinary household items that you use everyday are radiated and you just didn’t know it?
 
According to the CBSA, they have sustained an increase in radioactive packages coming from Asia since 2011. This is a red flag in the shipping world as not all ports have radiation detection and monitoring equipment.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 16, 2012, 09:52:16 am
http://news.yahoo.com/japan-pm-dissolves-parliament-planning-dec-vote-070249690.html

Japan PM dissolves parliament, planning Dec. vote
11/16/12

TOKYO (AP) — Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda dissolved the lower house of parliament Friday, paving the way for elections in which his ruling party will likely give way to a weak coalition government divided over how to solve Japan's myriad problems.

Noda followed through on a pledge to call elections after the opposition Liberal Democratic Party agreed to back several key pieces of legislation, including a deficit financing bill and electoral reforms. The Cabinet was expected to quickly announce elections for Dec. 16.

Noda's Democratic Party of Japan has grown unpopular thanks to its handling of the Fukushima nuclear crisis and especially its recent doubling of the sales tax. The elections will probably end its three-year hold on power.

The LDP, which led Japan for most of the post-World War II era, may win the most seats in the 480-seat lower house, though polls indicate it will fall far short of a majority. That could force it to cobble together a coalition of parties with differing policies and priorities.

A divided government could hinder decision-making as Japan wrestles with a two-decade economic slump, cleanup from last year's nuclear disaster, growing national debt and a rapidly aging population — not to mention a festering territorial dispute with China that is hurting business ties with its biggest trading partner. Japan must also decide whether it will follow through with plans to phase out nuclear power by 2040 — a move that many in the LDP oppose.

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Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 07, 2012, 09:22:52 am
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20638696

12/7/12

Japan earthquake sparks tsunami scare

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield Hayes said he felt his building shake "violently"

A 7.3 magnitude quake has struck off Japan's eastern coast, triggering a small tsunami and sparking evacuations.

A one-metre wave hit Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture and many people heeded calls to move to higher ground before all alerts were later lifted.

The quake epicentre was about 245km (150 miles) south-east of Kamiashi at a depth of about 36km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Miyagi was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

Swaying violently
 
The US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had said there was no threat to the wider Pacific Ocean but had warned a local tsunami could be destructive for local coastlines.

There have been no reports of deaths, injuries or serious damage, and all tsunami warnings were cancelled at 19:20 local time (10:20 GMT), broadcaster NHK said.

more


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on February 20, 2013, 09:36:39 am
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/tsunami-debris-litters-alaska/6364343

Tsunami Debris Litters Alaska Coast; Clean Up Funds Insufficient

2/19/13

The beaches of Alaska are piled with debris from the tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, but restoration to their once pristine condition has slowed, as funding remains scarce.
 
"The amount of debris washing ashore has vastly exceeded most people's expectation...,"
said Chris Pallister, Vice President of the Gulf of Alaska Keeper, a non-profit organization dedicated to cleaning marine debris from the coastline of Alaska.
 
"As soon as the tsunami hit and we saw the videos, we knew the northern Gulf of Alaska shoreline was going to get inundated with tsunami debris," he said. "We said so at an international marine debris conference in March 2011. Our assertion was largely dismissed."
 
But Pallister's assertion has proved accurate as debris continues to wash ashore in massive quantities.
 
The debris is no longer only lightweight items such as water bottles and styrofoam. Beaches are now also littered with refrigerators, fuel tanks and other large objects.

Local landfills are struggling to find space for such a large volume of debris.
 
"We are all scrambling to come up with a solution for this," he said.
 
Additionally, most of the sites in need of clean up are remote and therefore more difficult and costly to tend to.
 
According to the Alaska Marine Stewardship Foundation, each of the five Pacific Coast states received $50,000 from the federal government for tsunami debris clean up. Additionally, the Japanese government has gifted the United States $5 million which is being administered by NOAA to individual states.
 
The Gulf of Alaska Keeper received $49 thousand last September from NOAA and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to remove the debris in the Prince William Sound (PWS).
 
The Sound clean up demonstrated how bad the situation truly is, Pallister said.
 
Pallister cites the arrival of tsunami debris as the third major environmental catastrophe the PWS has suffered in the past 50 years.
 
In 1964, an earthquake devastated PWS communities and natural habitats. The quake generated a tsunami that leveled communities and spread oil, fuel and debris throughout the sound from community crushed fuel depots and structures.
 
Then, in 1989, an oil spill occurred. "PWS has taken a beating to say the least," Pallister said.

NOAA has received approximately 1,519 official debris reports from across the country as of February 7, according to Keeley Belva, Public Affairs Officer at NOAA.
 
Only 21 of those items have been confirmed to be tsunami debris. NOAA relies on specific markings, such as japanese text, in order to identify debris. Items without such indications are not classified.
 
Though the amount of confirmed debris remains low, the Gulf of Alaska Keeper maintains that roughly 75 percent of the shoreline in Alaska has been impacted by tsunami debris.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on February 20, 2013, 01:57:29 pm
Quote
According to the Alaska Marine Stewardship Foundation, each of the five Pacific Coast states received $50,000 from the federal government for tsunami debris clean up. Additionally, the Japanese government has gifted the United States $5 million which is being administered by NOAA to individual states.

Wait, what? What kind of math is that? Five states each got $50,000, and the Japanese "gifted" the US $5 million to be "managed" by NOAA? So what about the rest of that money? Why is NOAA hanging on to it? That's just crazy federal theft of funds.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on February 25, 2013, 11:03:02 am
http://news.yahoo.com/magnitude-6-2-quake-jolts-eastern-japan-no-073652409.html

2/25/13

Magnitude 6.2 quake jolts eastern Japan, no tsunami warning

TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 jolted eastern Japan on Monday, public broadcaster NHK said, adding that no tsunami warning had been issued.
 
The quake also shook buildings in Tokyo, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. Tokyo Electric Power Co said there were no reports of irregularities at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in north-eastern Japan or at its other nuclear facilities.
 
(Writing by Linda Sieg; Editing by Shinichi Saoshiro)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 11, 2013, 12:23:26 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/japan-marks-2-years-since-quake-silence-055340223.html
3/11/13
Japan marks 2 years since quake with silence

TOKYO (AP) — Japan has observed a moment of silence to remember the nearly 19,000 people who died in the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck two years ago.
 
At a memorial service Monday in Tokyo attended by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, attendees stood in silence at 2:46 p.m., the precise moment the 9.0-magnitude quake struck off northern Japan on March 11, 2011. The earthquake was the strongest recorded in Japan's history and unleashed a towering wave that wiped out entire coastal communities.
 
The tsunami also set off a crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, causing three reactors to melt down and spew radiation. More than 100,000 people had to evacuate.
 
All told, some 300,000 people remain displaced by the disaster two years later, and virtually no rebuilding has begun.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 06, 2013, 01:39:29 pm
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Japans-Fukushima-nuclear-plant-leaking-contaminated-water-308866
Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant leaking contaminated water
By REUTERS
04/06/2013 05:44

As much as 120 tons of radioactive water may have leaked from a storage tank at Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, contaminating the surrounding ground, Tokyo Electric Power Co said on Saturday.

The power company has yet to discover the cause of the leak, detected on one of seven tanks that store water used to cool the plants reactors, a spokesman for the company, Masayuki Ono, said at a press briefing.

The company plans to pump 13,000 cubic meters of water remaining in the tank to other vessels over the next two weeks.

The facility was the site of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in March 2011 when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake triggered a tsunami that destroyed back-up generators and disabled its cooling system. Three of the reactors melted down.

The storage tanks, pits excavated at the site in the wake of the disaster, are lined with water proof sheets meant to keep the contaminated water from leaking into the soil

Work to decommission the plant is projected to take decades to complete.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 07, 2013, 01:44:59 pm
“Radiation epidemic” killing So. California sea lions? Gov’t experts now checking animals for contamination from Fukushima Daiichi
4/6/13
http://enenews.com/feds-radiation-epidemic-could-be-cause-of-sea-lion-die-off-in-so-california-experts-now-checking-for-contamination-from-fukushima-daiichi

NOAA investigates: natural die-off, radiation?

A team of experts assembled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency is looking into radiation from Japan’s nuclear disaster as one of several possible causes of the ongoing sea lion stranding along Southern California beaches. [...]

Sea lions keep washing ashore, many in more critical condition than in the weeks before.

[...] All sea lions present similar symptoms, including dehydration and starvation. Some are also showing secondary infections. In Ventura County, mammal centers are finding a high amount of lice. [...]

“The radiation epidemic could be a potential cause,” [Sarah Wilkin, NOAA's California stranding coordinator] said. “We need to look at what’s different in 2013 as compared to 2012, 2011 and 2010. “We will work with lab tests that look at radionuclide signatures. Scientifically, we don’t think radiation is the cause but without testing and data we can’t say for sure. We need to rule it in or out.” [...]

“Marine mammals are sentinels of the eco system,” Wilkin said. [...]


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 12, 2013, 11:42:11 pm
http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/two-injured-after-strong-quake-strikes-japan-5404826
Two injured after strong quake strikes Japan

Published: 9:40AM Saturday April 13, 2013 Source: ONE News

At least two people are injured after a 6.0 magnitude earthquake shook western Japan.

The quake struck early this morning near Awaji island southwest of Kobe at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the quake's magnitude at 6.3 and said it had its epicentre 38 km northwest of Wakayama in western Honshu island, and occurred at a depth of 5 km. This was revised to magnitude 6.

more


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 17, 2013, 05:15:32 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/quake-jolts-islands-off-east-japan-no-tsunami-092925938.html
4/17/13
Northeast Japan jolted by magnitude 5.8 quake, no tsunami warning

TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.8 jolted northeastern Japan on Wednesday but no tsunami warning was issued, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The epicenter of the earthquake was off the coast of Miyagi prefecture, more than 300 km (190 miles) northeast of Tokyo, where buildings also shook from the quake.

The northeast was hit two years ago by a magnitude 9 earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami.

Earlier on Wednesday, a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 hit islands about 180 km south of Tokyo.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 21, 2013, 02:24:42 pm
Mag 6.1 - Izu Islands, Japan region 2013-04-21 03:22:16 UTC
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000gczl#summary


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 22, 2013, 12:33:05 pm
READ THIS ARTICLE VERY CAREFULLY OR YOU WILL MISS IT

Fukushima Leaks Won’t Seep Beyond Plant for Decades, IAEA Says

Radioactive water leaks at the Fukushima atomic station won’t seep beyond the plant for decades, the International Atomic Energy Agency said, citing data provided by operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501)

The estimate is based on the properties of the soil and other factors, Juan Carlos Lentijo, who directs the IAEA’s nuclear fuel cycle and waste-technology division, said at a press conference in Tokyo. He didn’t give details, nor did he say if the IAEA had ran its own seepage tests at the wrecked plant.

“This water will only reach the boundary of the site after several tens of years,” Lentijo said. Tepco, as the plant’s operator is known, must in the meantime monitor the water and prevent public exposure, he said.

Leaks were found this month in three of seven pits dug to store radioactive water pumped from basements of reactor buildings at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi atomic station. The water came into contact with melted reactors in the months after the earthquake and tsunami disabled the plant two years ago, when disaster teams used hose pipes and pumps to try to cool the reactors.

Since then, underground water has breached basements in the reactor buildings and is leaking in at a rate of about 400 tons a day and becoming contaminated, according to Tepco’s estimate this month. Because the water levels were rising in the basements, Tepco had to build the storage pits, which are now also leaking.

The pit seepages raised concerns Tepco will have to dump radioactive water in the Pacific Ocean.

Tepco President Naomi Hirose on April 12 said the company won’t “easily” release radiated water into the ocean, indicating the company hasn’t ruled out the possibility if it runs out of storage.

Currently, about 280,000 tons of highly radioactive water is stored at the Fukushima plant, according to Tepco’s latest data. That’s enough to fill about 112 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to Bloomberg News calculations.

Lentijo spoke during a visit to Japan as the leader of an IAEA team reviewing efforts to decommission the Fukushima plant, located 220 kilometers (137 miles) northeast of Tokyo. The IAEA’s final report to the Japanese government will be released in about a month, he said.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-04-22/fukushima-leaks-won-t-seep-beyond-plant-for-decades-iaea-says


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on April 22, 2013, 01:48:12 pm
Quote
Tepco President Naomi Hirose on April 12 said the company won’t “easily” release radiated water into the ocean, indicating the company hasn’t ruled out the possibility

This sure is a concern.

However, when they say, "after several tens of years", and several means about 3-5, that means they are talking about 30-50 years. But in the mean time, all that material is radioactive, STILL, and will be for generations. That also means somebody just created jobs for the next 50 plus years.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 02, 2013, 07:09:19 pm
Nuclear power plant stricken in 2011 tsunami now leaking radioactive groundwater

The Japanese nuclear plant stricken by a deadly tsunami two years ago is facing the dire issue of containing radioactive waste water, as operators rush to repair yet another possible disaster.

The March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami left the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant stricken, badly damaging its reactors, which serve to cool nuclear cores.

Now contaminated groundwater containing radioactive strontium, a byproduct of nuclear fission, is leaking from damaged reactor structures at an alarming rate of 75 gallons per minute.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/power-plant-stricken-tsunami-leaking-radioactive-water-article-1.1332275#ixzz2SBRiVnLu


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 02, 2013, 07:15:08 pm
Now contaminated groundwater containing radioactive strontium, a byproduct of nuclear fission, is leaking from damaged reactor structures at an alarming rate of 75 gallons per minute.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/power-plant-stricken-tsunami-leaking-radioactive-water-article-1.1332275#ixzz2SBRiVnLu

 :o

This is getting really serious.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on May 03, 2013, 04:34:48 pm
Now we are seeing how one third of life in the oceans could be killed. And radiation doesn't stop at the first fish to get radiated. It passes all along the food chain.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 03, 2013, 06:53:07 pm
Now we are seeing how one third of life in the oceans could be killed. And radiation doesn't stop at the first fish to get radiated. It passes all along the food chain.

Don't forget about the Gulf Oil Spill 3 years ago.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on May 18, 2013, 09:58:19 am
Mag 6.0 - 52km NE of Namie, Japan
2013-05-18 05:47:59 UTC
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000gy67#summary


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on July 18, 2013, 08:29:30 am
http://www.survivalistdaily.com/radiation-from-japan-is-already-killing-north-americans/
Radiation From Japan Is Already Killing North Americans Posted by admin on July 14, 2013

This isn’t a conspiracy theory, this is happening and it’s happening right now.

The fancy little picture at the top of the article isn’t showing you the flow of happy fun time thoughts from Japan back in March of 2012, it’s showing you the flow of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant after the devastating earthquake and tsunami of 2011.  Yes, that sharp pain you just felt in your chest is the sudden realization that the image shows the radiation reaching almost past Hawaii more than a year ago.

Do the math – If that radiation screamed across the Pacific Ocean that far in one year, just how far do you think it has gotten since then?  Look at what World Truth TV is saying and then you decide.

Quote
Samples of milk taken across the United States have shown radiation at levels 2000 percent higher than EPA maximums.  The reason that milk is so significant is that it is representative of the entire food supply.  According to an article published on Natural News, “Cows consume grass and are exposed to the same elements as food crops and water supplies. In other words, when cows’ milk starts testing positive for high levels of radioactive elements, this is indicative of radioactive contamination of the entire food supply.”

The  Food and Drug  Administration and the Environmental Deception Protection Agency, instead of refusing to prohibit the sale of tainted foods and mandatory testing of foods produced and harvested from the Pacific Coast, have simply raised the “acceptable levels”  of radioactive material in foods.

If that doesn’t scare the ever-living crap out of you, then take a look at the list of foods you are now supposed to be wary of, you know, for only the next 30,000 years.

Quote
How can we protect ourselves? First, be aware of what items are likely to be highly tainted.

1.)  SEAFOOD:  Question the origin of ALL seafood.  Fish and crustaceans from the Pacific Ocean should all be considered to be poisoned with radiation.

2.)  WATER:  The rainfall and snowfall are all radiated.  Do not drink any water that has not been filtered.   The tap water that flows from your faucet has NOT been treated to rid it of radioactive particles. A recent report from the NY Times stated, “A rooftop water monitoring program managed by UC Berkeley’s Department of Nuclear Engineering detected substantial spikes in rain-borne iodine-131 during torrential downpours …

3.) DAIRY PRODUCTS:  Milk and milk products from the West Coast states currently have the highest levels of radiation in North America.

4.)  PRODUCE:  Leafy Vegetables, Wines, Tomatoes, Strawberries….all produce from California or any other West Coast State are also likely to be tainted.

5.)  MEAT:  If an animal eats any leafy vegetable all along the West Coast, that animal has consumed radiation, and is poisoned.  This is any animal from cows, pigs, goats, sheep to wild deer and other game.

If you eat the above foods from areas with high radiation levels, you are eating radiation and feeding it to your children. Slowly the radiation levels within your body will build up.  This is PERMANENT.

Infant mortality rates across the United States have increased by more than 35% since the nuclear disaster, according to a court statement by Dr. Sherman with independent scientist Leuren Moret, MA, PhD.  A study published in The International Journal of Medicine indicates that more than 20,000 deaths right here in North America can be directly attributed to the release of radioactive material from Fukushima.

Radioactive isotopes of the type released from Fukushima have a half-life of 30,000 years.  This means that we must permanently change the way we prepare our food.

Wash your food with soap and rinse it in filtered water.
Be aware of the origins of your vegetables, fish, game and seafood.
Keep abreast of radiation levels to help monitor where your food is acquired.
Use only filtered water for drinking, cooking and ice.



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on July 25, 2013, 06:38:37 am
Radiation scare sweeps S. Korea
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130725000565
7/25/13

In light of a recent report that Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear had emitted radioactive steam, many South Koreans are expressing concern about the health risk that may stem from the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

Japanese media on Tuesday reported that steam containing high levels of radiation was detected near the No. 3 reactor building of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, which was stricken by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011.

According to Asahi Shimbun, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. measured the levels of dosages to be up to 2,170 millisieverts per hour. Several hours of exposure to such a high dosage is fatal.

The news alarmed many South Koreans who had suspected the Japanese government of attempting to play down the dangers of the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima Prefecture.

“Why are they (Japan) telling us after all this time? There might be more things they are keeping under wraps about the incident. The situation in Japan is SERIOUS,” said an unnamed netizen. Others said the government must move to ban imports of all foods and marine products from Japan.

As of Thursday morning, “Japan radiation,” and “Fukushima” were among the most popular searched keywords on Naver, the nation’s biggest and most influential web portal.

more


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on July 29, 2013, 08:57:59 am
http://www.eturbonews.com/36423/nuclear-contaminated-pacific-ocean-may-become-global-threat
Nuclear-contaminated Pacific Ocean may become a global threat
7/24/13

It has been officially confirmed. The crippled Fukushima Nuclear Plant in Japan is leaking highly contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. This is continuing by the minute causing great concern not only for Japan, but for all nations bordering on the Pacific Ocean, including the United States, Canada, Russia and most Pacific Island nations. Officials finally admitted this alarming news for the first time.

Earlier this month the tourism industry in this Japanese regions seemed to be doing fine. A new scheduled Asiana Airlines Charter Flight arrived with Korean tourists at Fukushima Airport on July 13.

Tourists are supposed to enjoy playing golf and participants in the Oze trekking tour.

In the meantime there are more serious worries reported for this region and beyond.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, admitted the leakage to the ocean for the first time since a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami damaged the plant’s reactors in 2011.

The operator made the acknowledgement after steam was seen at one of the plant's reactors on Tuesday.

TEPCO has come under criticism for its delay in the announcement, since experts had harbored strong suspicions about a possible leak for a long time.

Previously, the company had denied reports suggesting that contaminated water was leaking into the ocean
.

TEPCO spokesman Masayuki Ono said that radioactive water leaking from the wrecked reactors is likely to have run into the underground water system, before joining the ocean, and might therefore be the result of initial leaks to the underground system spotted in 2011.

Ono added that officials believe a leak is possible as underground water levels fluctuate in accordance with tide movements and rainfall.

Meanwhile, the operator said the number of plant workers with thyroid radiation exposures exceeding threshold levels for increased cancer risks was noticeably higher than earlier reports.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 05, 2013, 01:12:12 pm
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/05/us-japan-fukushima-panel-idUSBRE97408V20130805
8/5/13
Exclusive: Japan nuclear body says radioactive water at Fukushima an 'emergency'

(Reuters) - Highly radioactive water seeping into the ocean from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant is creating an "emergency" that the operator is struggling to contain, an official from the country's nuclear watchdog said on Monday.

This contaminated groundwater has breached an underground barrier, is rising toward the surface and is exceeding legal limits of radioactive discharge, Shinji Kinjo, head of a Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) task force, told Reuters.

Countermeasures planned by Tokyo Electric Power Co are only a temporary solution, he said.

Tepco's "sense of crisis is weak," Kinjo said. "This is why you can't just leave it up to Tepco alone" to grapple with the ongoing disaster.

"Right now, we have an emergency," he said.

Tepco has been widely castigated for its failure to prepare for the massive 2011 tsunami and earthquake that devastated its Fukushima plant and lambasted for its inept response to the reactor meltdowns. It has also been accused of covering up shortcomings.

It was not immediately clear how much of a threat the contaminated groundwater could pose. In the early weeks of the disaster, the Japanese government allowed Tepco to dump tens of thousands of metric tons of contaminated water into the Pacific in an emergency move.

The toxic water release was however heavily criticized by neighboring countries as well as local fishermen and the utility has since promised it would not dump irradiated water without the consent of local townships.

"Until we know the exact density and volume of the water that's flowing out, I honestly can't speculate on the impact on the sea," said Mitsuo Uematsu from the Center for International Collaboration, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute at the University of Tokyo.

"We also should check what the levels are like in the sea water. If it's only inside the port and it's not flowing out into the sea, it may not spread as widely as some fear."

NO OTHER OUTLET FOR WATER

Tepco said it is taking various measures to prevent contaminated water from leaking into the bay near the plant. In an e-mailed statement to Reuters, a company spokesman said Tepco deeply apologized to residents in Fukushima prefecture, the surrounding region and the larger public for causing inconveniences, worries and trouble.

The utility pumps out some 400 metric tons a day of groundwater flowing from the hills above the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the basements of the destroyed buildings, which mixes with highly irradiated water that is used to cool the reactors in a stable state below 100 degrees Celsius.

Tepco is trying to prevent groundwater from reaching the plant by building a "bypass" but recent spikes of radioactive elements in sea water has prompted the utility to reverse months of denials and finally admit that tainted water is reaching the sea.

In a bid to prevent more leaks into the bay of the Pacific Ocean, plant workers created the underground barrier by injecting chemicals to harden the ground along the shoreline of the No. 1 reactor building. But that barrier is only effective in solidifying the ground at least 1.8 meters below the surface.

By breaching the barrier, the water can seep through the shallow areas of earth into the nearby sea. More seriously, it is rising toward the surface - a break of which would accelerate the outflow.

"If you build a wall, of course the water is going to accumulate there. And there is no other way for the water to go but up or sideways and eventually lead to the ocean," said Masashi Goto, a retired Toshiba Corp nuclear engineer who worked on several Tepco plants. "So now, the question is how long do we have?"

Contaminated water could rise to the ground's surface within three weeks, the Asahi Shimbun said on Saturday. Kinjo said the three-week timeline was not based on NRA's calculations but acknowledged that if the water reaches the surface, "it would flow extremely fast."

A Tepco official said on Monday the company plans to start pumping out a further 100 metric tons of groundwater a day around the end of the week.

The regulatory task force overseeing accident measures of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, which met Friday, "concluded that new measures are needed to stop the water from flowing into the sea that way," Kinjo said.

Tepco said on Friday that a cumulative 20 trillion to 40 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium had probably leaked into the sea since the disaster. The company said this was within legal limits.

Tritium is far less harmful than cesium and strontium, which have also been released from the plant. Tepco is scheduled to test strontium levels next.

The admission on the long-term tritium leaks, as well as renewed criticism from the regulator, show the precarious state of the $11 billion cleanup and Tepco's challenge to fix a fundamental problem: How to prevent water, tainted with radioactive elements like cesium, from flowing into the ocean.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 05, 2013, 01:17:00 pm
 ???

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21929284.900-more-girls-born-in-japan-after-quake-skews-sex-ratio.html#.Uf_rgWwo5jp
More girls born in Japan after quake skews sex ratio
8/4/13

HERE come the girls. Fewer boys than girls were born in the months after the huge earthquake struck Japan in March 2011.

Ralph Catalano of the University of California in Berkeley and colleagues examined hospital records of births in Japan between 2006 and the end of 2011. After the quake, births in areas closest to the epicentre were more likely to be girls, but provinces farther out showed no gender bias. About 2.2 per cent fewer boys were born in the most damaged areas than expected (American Journal of Human Biology, doi.org/nbj).

It is not the first time such a skew has been noted: fewer boys were born after the US stock market crash of 2008, for instance. The reason may be evolutionary, says Catalano. Boys are more likely to be premature and suffer problems associated with low birth weight than girls. In times of stress, it may therefore be beneficial for the mother to give birth to a girl.

However, it is unclear whether stress causes mothers to miscarry more males or whether fewer males are conceived. Earthquakes provide a natural test for this, Catalano says. If births immediately after show a gender skew, it would suggest that stress is triggering miscarriages. A bias nine months later indicates fewer male conceptions.

The team found evidence for both. Several mechanisms may be at work, says Catalano. Fetuses produce a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, which camouflages them from the mother's immune system. Weak male fetuses make less of this hormone, meaning they may be at greater risk of attack.

William James of University College London believes the father's testosterone level plays a role. During periods of high stress, he says, men produce less testosterone, which can reduce the number and quality of the "male" sperm, which carry a Y sex chromosome.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 07, 2013, 11:37:17 am
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/07/19910577-wrecked-fukushima-nuke-plant-leaking-330-tons-of-contaminated-water-a-day?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=5
8/7/13
Wrecked Fukushima nuke plant leaking 330 tons of contaminated water a day

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday ordered increased efforts to stop radiation-contaminated water from spilling into the Pacific Ocean from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant.

A government official told reporters Wednesday that an estimated 300 metric tons (330 tons) of contaminated water was leaking into the ocean every day from the Daiichi plant, which was devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Reuters reported.

The official also said the government believed the leaks had been happening for two years.

The plant’s operators Tokyo Electric Power Company has been building an underground wall by injecting “liquid glass” into the ground in an attempt to contain the contaminated water.

TEPCO has insisted that so far the level of contamination in the ocean does not pose a risk to health.

But some of the contaminated water has made its way through parts of the underground barrier and started to rise above ground.

In response, TEPCO announced that it would begin pumping out the contaminated underground water at a rate of 100 metric tons (110 tons) a day starting this week.

The main government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, told the press that the government was considering providing financial assistance to help with the project.

The cleanup operation is expected to take more than 40 years and cost $11 billion, Reuters reported.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on August 07, 2013, 04:01:02 pm
Cleanup? They need to level that place, encase it in concrete and lead and call it no man's land!

Considering prophecy, one can now see how a third of the ocean can die. God only knows how all that radiation draining into the ocean will affect things.

But look at how the world's countries are acting. They aren't, when they should be all focused on getting a handle on that situation as quickly as possible, which really does threaten pretty much the whole world. It's one of those movie disasters where the earth is at risk, only this one one is for real. People and equipment should be arriving by the oil tanker loads in the biggest civil engineering project in history. I have zero doubt that with enough manpower, which they can get  workers (both China and India themselves easily could provide 1 million laborers), and the equipment (seriously? we are talking techno giant Japan!) to actually stop that thing from any further damage, particularly it leaking into the water supply.

Instead? The world goes on about it's business as usual, while their house burns down around them!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on August 12, 2013, 12:23:44 pm
Radioactive Water From Fukushima Is Systematically Poisoning The Entire Pacific Ocean

(http://thetruthwins.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Fukushima-Contamination-Pacific-Ocean-450x253.jpg)

Right now, a massive amount of highly radioactive water is escaping into the Pacific Ocean from the ruins of the destroyed Fukushima nuclear facility in Japan.  This has been going on all day, every day for more than two years.  The enormous amounts of tritium, cesium and strontium that are being released are being carried by wind, rain and ocean currents all over the northern Hemisphere.  And of course the west coast of the United States is being hit particularly hard.  When you drink water or eat seafood that has been contaminated with these radioactive particles, they can stick around for a very long time.  Over the coming years, this ongoing disaster could potentially affect the health of millions upon millions of people living in the northern hemisphere, and the sad thing is that a lot of those people will never even know the true cause of their health problems.
 
For a long time, the Japanese government has been trusting Tepco to handle this crisis, but now it has become abundantly clear that Tepco has no idea what they are doing.  In fact, the flow of radioactive water has gotten so bad that authorities in Japan are now calling it an “emergency”…
 

Highly radioactive water seeping into the ocean from Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant is creating an “emergency” that the operator is struggling to contain, an official from the country’s nuclear watchdog said on Monday.
 
This contaminated groundwater has breached an underground barrier, is rising toward the surface and is exceeding legal limits of radioactive discharge, Shinji Kinjo, head of a Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) task force, told Reuters.
 
The amount of water that we are talking about is absolutely enormous.  According to Yahoo, 400 metric tons of water is being pumped into the basements of destroyed buildings at Fukushima every single day…
 

The utility pumps out some 400 metric tons a day of groundwater flowing from the hills above the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the basements of the destroyed buildings, which mixes with highly irradiated water that is used to cool the reactors in a stable state below 100 degrees Celsius.
 
Tepco is trying to prevent groundwater from reaching the plant by building a “bypass” but recent spikes of radioactive elements in sea water has prompted the utility to reverse months of denials and finally admit that tainted water is reaching the sea.
 
And of course all of that water has to go somewhere.  For a long time Tepco tried to deny that it was getting into the ocean, but now they are  finally admitting that it is…
 

Tepco said on Friday that a cumulative 20 trillion to 40 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium had probably leaked into the sea since the disaster. The company said this was within legal limits.
 
Tritium is far less harmful than cesium and strontium, which have also been released from the plant. Tepco is scheduled to test strontium levels next.
 
40 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium have gotten into the Pacific Ocean?
 
And that is what they are publicly admitting.  The reality is probably far worse.
 
And all of that tritium is going to be around for a very long time.  You see, the truth is that tritium has a half-life of about 12 years.
 
But strontium is even worse.  Strontium can cause bone cancer and it has a half-life of close to 29 years.
 
And now Tepco is admitting that extremely dangerous levels of strontium have been escaping from Fukushima and getting into the underground water.  And of course the underground water flows out into the Pacific Ocean…
 

Tepco said in late June that it had detected the highly toxic strontium-90, a by-product of nuclear fission that can cause bone cancer if ingested, at levels 30 times the permitted rate.
 
The substances, which were released by the meltdowns of reactors at the plant in the aftermath of the huge tsunami of March 2011, were not absorbed by soil and have made their way into underground water.
 
Subsoil water usually flows out to sea, meaning these two substances could normally make their way into the ocean, possibly affecting marine life and ultimately impacting humans who eat sea creatures.
 
Cesium has an even longer half-life than strontium does.  It has a half life of about 30 years, and according to samples that were taken about a month ago levels of cesium at Fukushima have been spiking dramatically…
 

Samples taken on Monday showed levels of possibly cancer-causing caesium-134 were more than 90 times higher than they were on Friday, at 9000 becquerels per litre, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) revealed.
 
Levels of caesium-137 stood at 18 000 becquerels per litre, 86 times higher than at the end of last week, the utility said.
 
“We still don’t know why the level of radiation surged, but we are continuing efforts to avert further expansion of contamination,” a Tepco spokesperson stated.
 
When cesium gets into your body, it can do a tremendous amount of damage.  The following is an excerpt from a NewScientist article that described what happens when cesium and iodine enter the human body…
 

Moreover the human body absorbs iodine and caesium readily. “Essentially all the iodine or caesium inhaled or swallowed crosses into the blood,” says Keith Baverstock, former head of radiation protection for the World Health Organization’s European office, who has studied Chernobyl’s health effects.
 
Iodine is rapidly absorbed by the thyroid, and leaves only as it decays radioactively, with a half-life of eight days. Caesium is absorbed by muscles, where its half-life of 30 years means that it remains until it is excreted by the body. It takes between 10 and 100 days to excrete half of what has been consumed.
 
And it is important to keep in mind that it has been estimated that each spent fuel pool at the Fukushima nuclear complex could have 24,000 times the amount of cesium that was produced by the nuclear bomb that the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima at the end of World War 2.
 
Overall, the Fukushima nuclear facility originally contained a whopping 1760 tons of nuclear material.
 
That is a massive amount of nuclear material.  Chernobyl only contained 180 tons.
 
And of course the crisis at Fukushima could be made even worse at any moment by a major earthquake.  In fact, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit northern Japan on Sunday.
 
This is a nightmare that has no end.  Every single day, massive amounts of highly radioactive water from Fukushima is systematically poisoning the entire Pacific Ocean.  The damage that is being done is absolutely incalculable.
 
Please share this article with as many people as you can.  The mainstream media does not seem to want to talk about this, but it is a matter that is extremely important to every man, woman and child living in the northern hemisphere of our planet.

http://thetruthwins.com/archives/radioactive-water-from-fukushima-is-systematically-poisoning-the-entire-pacific-ocean


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on August 12, 2013, 03:12:33 pm
Radioactive water overruns Fukushima barrier – TEPCO


(http://rt.com/files/news/20/10/70/00/fukushima-water-overrun-barrier.si.jpg)
An aerial view shows workers wearing protective suits and masks work at a construction site (C) of the shore barrier to stop radioactive water from leaking into the sea at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on August 9, 2013. (Reuters/Kyodo)
 
Contaminated groundwater accumulating under the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant has risen 60cm above the protective barrier, and is now freely leaking into the Pacific Ocean, the plant’s operator TEPCO has admitted.
 
Follow RT’s LIVE UPDATES on Fukushima leak emergency
 
The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which is responsible for decommissioning the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, on Saturday said the protective barriers that were installed to prevent the flow of toxic water into the ocean are no longer coping with the groundwater levels, Itar-Tass reports.
 
The contaminated groundwater, which mixes with radioactive leaks seeping out of the plant, has already risen to 60cm above the barriers – the fact which TEPCO calls a major cause of the massive daily leak of toxic substances.
 
Earlier on Friday, the company announced it started pumping out contaminated groundwater from under Fukushima, and managed to pump out 13 tons of water in six hours on Friday. TEPCO also said it plans to boost the pumped-out amount to some 100 tons a day with the help of a special system, which will be completed by mid-August. This will be enough to seal off most of the ongoing ocean contamination, according to TEPCO’s estimates.
 
However, Japan’s Ministry of Industry has recently estimated that some 300 tons of contaminated groundwater have been flowing into the ocean daily ever since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that triggered the disaster.
 
TEPCO also promised it will urgently reinforce the protective shields to keep radioactive leaks at bay. The company has repeatedly complained it is running out of space and has had to resort to pumping water into hastily-built tanks of questionable reliability, as more than 20,000 tons of water with high levels of radioactive substances has accumulated in the plant’s drainage system.
 
Water samples recently taken at an underground passage below the Fukushima nuclear plant showed extreme levels of radiation comparable to those taken immediately after the March 2011 catastrophe. The tested water, which had been mixing with ground water and flowing into the ocean, contained 2.35 billion Becquerels of cesium per liter – some 16 million times above the limit.


More at EndtheLie.com - http://EndtheLie.com/2013/08/10/radioactive-water-overruns-fukushima-barrier-tepco/#ixzz2bmtiykSH


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on August 15, 2013, 05:15:16 am
Dangerous Operation at Fukushima’s Reactor No. 4 Could Ignite “Atomic Chain Reaction”

common dreams & World Chaos- Attempt to remove fuel rods from crippled building could cause “unprecedented” disaster. Threatening to trigger a new—and possibly more devastating—nuclear disaster than the original or ongoing one at the Fukishima plant in Japan, a risky plan to remove fuel rods from a damaged reactor building could unleash an “unprecedented” level of radiation, according to experts, if things go wrong.
 


According to reporting by Reuters, the radioactive material within the fuel rods slated for removal are equivalent to 14,000 times the amount released in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the plan to move them “has never been attempted before on this scale.”
 
The 400 tons of highly irradiated spent fuel and other nuclear materials will be taken from the crippled building and moved to a safer location, but the manner of the operation should be put in serious doubt, say the experts.
 
“They are going to have difficulty in removing a significant number of the rods,” said Arnie Gundersen, a veteran U.S. nuclear engineer and director of Fairewinds Energy Education. The fuel rods are being stored in a cooling pool, but if a reaction begins, Gundersen expressed serious concern to Reuters about the company’s ability to respond.
 
“To jump to the conclusion that it is going to work just fine,” said Gundersen, “is quite a leap of logic.”
 
“There is a risk of an inadvertent criticality if the bundles are distorted and get too close to each other,” Gundersen continued.
 
“The problem with a fuel pool criticality is that you can’t stop it. There are no control rods to control it,” he said. “The spent fuel pool cooling system is designed only to remove decay heat, not heat from an ongoing nuclear reaction.”
 
Reuters also quoted from a recent independent report which stated, a “full release from the Unit-4 spent fuel pool, without any containment or control, could cause by far the most serious radiological disaster to date.”
 
The site’s operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has been mired in crisis ever since an earthquake and tsunami severely damaged the plant 2011. Most recently it was discovered that as much as 300 tons of “highly radioactive water” has been pouring into the Pacific Ocean on a daily basis from the plant, with no promising remedy offered by either the plant’s owner TEPCO or the Japanese government.

http://lynleahz.com/2013/08/14/dangerous-operation-at-fukushimas-reactor-no-4-could-ignite-atomic-chain-reaction/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 15, 2013, 11:06:52 am
http://sherriequestioningall.blogspot.com/2013/07/fukushima-reactor-3-on-fire-and-smoking.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SherrieQuestioningAll+%28Sherrie+Questioning+All%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail
7/29/13
Fukushima Reactor 3 on fire and smoking besides Gulf Oil Platform burning

The media of course is silent and most people believe Fukushima problems are history.

 Here is a video from overnight at Fukushima. You can see the glowing fire and smoke coming from Reactor 3. That is of course the MOX fuel reactor. Here is my original post about MOX fuel.

 A huge amount of radiation has been detected on the West Coast and other areas. Also the amount of radiated water that has gone into the Pacific has been in the millions of gallons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYzWqAh6Deo

Here is the live camera for the reactors. It does not show a fire any more.

 Besides this there is a platform in the Gulf on fire and leaking oil at an estimated 6000 gallons a day besides natural gas.

 OH... the media is all over that one too... informing everyone.

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j2z2RQ64y1g/UfaY--fVPKI/AAAAAAAAHIk/hHRtN3hkMYM/s400/Fullscreen+capture+7282013+105857+PM.jpg)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 16, 2013, 01:05:00 pm
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/08/14-6
8/14/13

Dangerous Operation at Fukushima's Reactor No. 4 Could Ignite "Atomic Chain Reaction"

Attempt to remove fuel rods from crippled building could cause "unprecedented" disaster


Threatening to trigger a new—and possibly more devastating—nuclear disaster than the original or ongoing one at the Fukishima plant in Japan, a risky plan to remove fuel rods from a damaged reactor building could unleash an "unprecedented" level of radiation, according to experts, if things go wrong.

According to reporting by Reuters, the radioactive material within the fuel rods slated for removal are equivalent to 14,000 times the amount released in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and the plan to move them "has never been attempted before on this scale."

The 400 tons of highly irradiated spent fuel and other nuclear materials will be taken from the crippled building and moved to a safer location, but the manner of the operation should be put in serious doubt, say the experts.

"They are going to have difficulty in removing a significant number of the rods," said Arnie Gundersen, a veteran U.S. nuclear engineer and director of Fairewinds Energy Education. The fuel rods are being stored in a cooling pool, but if a reaction begins, Gundersen expressed serious concern to Reuters about the company's ability to respond.

"To jump to the conclusion that it is going to work just fine," said Gundersen, "is quite a leap of logic."

"There is a risk of an inadvertent criticality if the bundles are distorted and get too close to each other," Gundersen continued.

"The problem with a fuel pool criticality is that you can't stop it. There are no control rods to control it," he said. "The spent fuel pool cooling system is designed only to remove decay heat, not heat from an ongoing nuclear reaction."

Reuters also quoted from a recent independent report which stated, a "full release from the Unit-4 spent fuel pool, without any containment or control, could cause by far the most serious radiological disaster to date."

The site's operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has been mired in crisis ever since an earthquake and tsunami severely damaged the plant 2011. Most recently it was discovered that as much as 300 tons of "highly radioactive water" has been pouring into the Pacific Ocean on a daily basis from the plant, with no promising remedy offered by either the plant's owner TEPCO or the Japanese government.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on August 16, 2013, 02:07:46 pm
From what little I understand about nuclear reactions and the like, they got a MAJOR problem. They are correct, if a "meltdown" starts, you cannot stop it, you can only possibly contain the reaction. The cooling like they say isn't possible with a reaction. WAY too intense, causing the liquid to boil right off turning to gas almost instantly, then your back to square one with an on-going thermonuclear reaction getting hotter and hotter, till something must give. One of their laws of thermodynamics or something.

I think that they can theoretically get it cool enough to do something to counter the reaction and stop it, but the trick seems to be once it gets so far in the reaction process, it's just too hot to cool.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-meltdown3.htm (http://science.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-meltdown3.htm)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 19, 2013, 02:45:21 pm
8/19/13
Radiation levels in Fukushima bay highest since measurements began - reports

Readings of tritium in seawater taken from the bay near the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has shown 4700 Becquerels per liter, a TEPCO report stated, according to Nikkei newspaper. It marks the highest tritium level in the measurement history.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has detected the highest radiation level in seawater collected in the harbor of the crippled nuclear plant in the past 15 days, Nikkei reports. The last measurement showed tritium levels at 3800 becquerels per liter.

The concentration of tritium in the harbor’s seawater has been continuously rising since May, according to Nikkei.

Earlier, Tepco admitted that an estimated 20 to 40 trillion Becquerel’s of tritium may have flowed into the Pacific Ocean since May 2011.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen which is produced by nuclear reactors. It is potentially dangerous if inhaled or ingested. The legal limits for Tritium in terms of becquerels per liter vary from country to country. The World Health Organization has a limit of 10,000 bq/l, but the European Union’s limit is much lower, at 100 bq/l.

DETAILS TO FOLLOW


http://rt.com/news/fukushima-sea-radiation-highest-686/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 20, 2013, 11:40:40 am
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/20/20099811-crippled-fukushima-nuclear-plant-300-tons-of-radioactive-water-spilled?lite=
8/20/13
Crippled Fukushima nuclear plant: 300 tons of radioactive water spilled

TOKYO - The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant said an ongoing leak had spilled some 300 tons of radioactive water into the ground - the latest in a series of embarrassing revelations involving the tsunami-struck power station.

"We believe it is still leaking at this moment," Tokyo Electric Power Company General Manager Masayuji Ono told reporters at press conference in Tokyo Tuesday. 

High levels of radiation were detected at several hot spots along the hillside section of the plant where the water was thought to have spilled onto the ground, the company said. These areas were emitting a radiation dose of 100 millisieverts an hour measured about 1.6 feet above the surface, it added.

That is equivalent to the limit for accumulated exposure over five years for Japanese nuclear workers
, Ono said. Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority classified the leak as a level 1 incident, the second lowest, on an international scale for radiological releases.

Officials at Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, said they had not discovered any high radiation levels in the nearby water trench and because of the tank's distance from the harbor, did not believe the contamination has reached the ocean.

Workers at TEPCO had started to pump out the remaining water from the defective tank as well as collect the surrounding soil which is thought to have absorbed the radioactive material, TEPCO said.

"We'd like to apologize for the concern we've caused people due to this problem," Ono added.

On April 5, a cooling system at the plant failed  for the second time in a month after an outage caused by construction work to keep out rats suspected of setting off the earlier blackout. The following day, the company announced that as much as 120 tons of radioactive water may have leaked from a storage tank.

On June 19, TEPCO said high levels of toxic Strontium-90 were been found in groundwater Fukushima.

Two weeks ago, the nation's nuclear regulator reprimanded the utility for its poor handling of containing contaminated underground water from seeping into the ocean. And on Aug. 7, the government estimated that the damaged plant was leaking about 300 tons of contaminated water into the ocean every day.

Meanwhile, TEPCO has dug a well and inserted over 26 pipes to pump out 100 tons of contaminated water a day, in addition to erecting an underground barrier.

A much larger plan has also been proposed, involving creating an underground wall to surround the crippled reactor, but the project is still in its planning stage and is expected to take several years to build.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 20, 2013, 12:25:17 pm
http://www.collapsingintoconsciousness.com/at-the-very-least-your-days-of-eating-pacific-ocean-fish-are-over/
At the Very Least, Your Days of Eating Pacific Ocean Fish Are Over

Opinion by Gary Stamper

The heart-breaking news from Fukushima just keeps getting worse…a LOT worse…it is, quite simply, an out-of-control flow of death and destruction. TEPCO is finally admitting that radiation has been leaking to the Pacific Ocean all along. and it’s NOT over….

I find myself moving between the emotions of sorrow and anger.

It now appears that anywhere from 300 to possibly over 450 tons of contaminated water that contains radioactive iodone, cesium, and strontium-89 and 90, is flooding into the Pacific Ocean from the Fukushima Daichi site everyday. To give you an idea of how bad that actually is, Japanese experts estimate Fukushima’s fallout at 20-30 times as high as as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings in 1945

There’s a lot you’re not being told. Oh, the information is out there, but you have to dig pretty deep to find it, and you won’t find it on the corporate-owned evening news.

◦An MSNBC article in April of 2012 reported that seals and polar bears were found to have “external maladies” that consisted of fur loss and open sores, obvious signs of radiation burns from the Fukushima meltdown, despite the conclusions of the article.

◦Fukushima radiation appears to be causing an epidemic of dead and starving Sea Lions in California and the FDA has refused to test for radiation

◦Since the summer of 2011, U.S. scientists have observed several dozen living and dead Pacific Ocean marine mammals with a strangely similar condition of skin sores and hair loss. These animals may be suffering from ‘beta burns,’ which are caused by significant external exposure to ‘beta emitters’ such as radiostrontiums, which were released in copious quantities to the Pacific Ocean at Fukushima Daiichi in 2011

◦.Almost a third more US West Coast newborns may face thyroid problems after Fukushima nuclear disaster

◦Contaminated water from Fukushima reactors could double radioactivity levels of US coastal waters in 5 years — “We were surprised at how quickly the tracer spread”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7UQXfN-J4E

IS THE PACIFIC OCEAN FOOD CHAIN DOOMED?  – May 2013 – Incredibly worrisome levels of cesium, including short-lived radioactive cesium-134, have been found near Hawaii in the LOWEST part of the marine food chain: plankton. Levels up the food chain, i.e. fish, whales, seals, due to bioaccumulation, MUST be magnitudes higher in contamination now or soon – stop eating Pacific wild seafood now – Researchers find high cesium in some Pacific plankton

SEAFOOD LOVERS ACROSS THE WORLD – The ‘levels’ of radiation in the seafood you are eating now and in the future certainly contain Fukushima radiation but will be considered ‘safe’ by government scientists. Let’s boil it down quickly: Scientists say the only safe level of radiation is zero. YET, governments set ‘limits’ for radiation in food well above zero. These limits actually increase every decade or so. If you love nuclear power and nuclear weapons complexes, then you should accept these limits as well as the fact that a fraction of our cancer epidemic is blamed on nuclear emissions. If you don’t want people (or yourself) to die of cancer to preserve nuclear power and nuclear weapons, then you should heed the scientific consensus conclusion that the safe level of radiation is zero becquerels of anything. Unless you are a nuclear nut, please protect your own health and regulate your genetic stability for the sake of your children, grandchildren, etc…by NOT EATING SEAFOOD OR CONSUMING ANYTHING MADE IN THE SEA. Learn more about food safety.

KEYPOINTS ABOUT FISH CONTAMINATION
•Bluefin tuna will grow in radioactivity over years with each migration back to West Pacific; older caught fish will be hotter
•Media is neglecting March (2012) lab study find that North Pacific albacore ‘tuna fish’ has same Fukushima cesium contaminant
All Pacific migratory fish are probably Fukushima contaminated – why isn’t this all over Twitter?
Alaska Halibut also found with same Fuku-cesium contaminant – but did not migrate to Japan’s waters. How did cesium-134 get into Alaska halibut?
•Bluefin tuna in 2012 study aren’t all equally radioactive; sample #8 contained 50% higher cesium concentrations than the average of the 15 samples
•Bluefin scientists did a most non-stellar job. They cherrypicked isotopes for dose comparison.
FDA is telling media and consumers it is ‘testing fish.’ It is testing imports and not testing U.S.-caught wild seafood (billions of pounds caught annually in U.S.) More
Cesium-134 is marker for strontium-90 – causes bone cancer and immune-disorders; babies are ‘sponges’ for calcium and strontium
•Levels in bluefin tuna are similar to record food concentrations in 1960s
ECRR (Busby) predicts ’61,600,000 deaths from cancer’ (and 3.5 million baby deaths) ‘from the nuclear project since 1945,’ mostly the 1960s.
•Bulk of 1960s exposure was internal, largely from ingested FOOD made radioactive from hydrogen bomb test fallout.
FDA saying levels are safe is a lie. FDA says its intervention levels will kill people. Downplays risk as ‘small’ compared to our ~40-50% cancer rate. But much of that rate is prolonged fallout effects from 1960s.
Baseline levels of manmade-radionuclides in Pacific seafood pre-Fukushima caused some genetic defects and cancers in world population
•FDA uses faulty dose calculations that lowball rate of cancer carnage by several magnitudes. Genetic harm from cesium’s gamma rays ignored in dose models
•Alvarez asks would a 1950′s NPR ‘trivialize’ ‘impacts of open-air hydrogen bomb testing?’ You bet. Our government and media is herding us into rail-cars destined for another radioactive holocaust.

Dr. Helen Caldecott Warns West Coast Americans of Contaminated Fish and Surf

- from video of her speaking on March 22, 2012 – see Youtube video segment beginning at about 1 minute 20 seconds….and this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMmaduq-5bw

Quote
“There’s a hell of a lot [of debris] coming towards you. Huge, huge amounts. Because you saw the tsunami come in and take it out. And, of course, some radioactive fallout will have fallen on that, but I’m much, much more worried about the radiation in the ocean.

Woods Hole has said that it’s far more than Chernobyl ever was; [they've] never seen or contemplated anything like this and it will be reaching you quite soon I think in the ocean currents and the fish.

And the fish swim 1000s of miles. The EPA is not testing your fish caught on the West Coast. You should be testing your fish routinely.I would be very cautious about…I don’t know how long it takes for the fish to get here. It’s already been a year.

The fish will be radioactive and I don’t think I’d be surfing.”

What is the greatest threat to humanity? We are, of course….and our technology. Like a dangerous weapon in the hands of a child, technology has overtaken our capacity to control potential consequences.  Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute, led by director Nick Bostrom, says we have entered this new kind of technological era that we have no track record of  surviving.

Our technological intelligence may have the potential for creating a better world, but so far, in areas of the economy, genetics and biologics, arms and warfare, security and surveillance, as well as the environment and energy, technology is also completely indifferent to the law of unintended consequences.

Fukushima is what happens when we have the moral responsibility of infants and the technology of adults.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 21, 2013, 11:45:09 am
http://news.yahoo.com/japan-nuke-watchdog-may-raise-leak-serious-082659490.html
8/21/13
Japan nuke watchdog may raise leak to 'serious'

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese nuclear watchdog on Wednesday said they are taking the leakage of highly radioactive water at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant seriously, and proposed raising the rating to describe it from "an anomaly" to a "serious incident."

The operator of the plant said about 300 tons (300,000 liters, 80,000 gallons) of contaminated water has leaked from one of hundreds of steel tanks around the wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. Tokyo Electric Power Co. hasn't figured out how or where the water leaked, but suspects it did so through a seam on the tank.

The leak, the fifth since last year involving tanks of the same design, also raised concerns that this could be the beginning a new disaster — contaminated water leaking from storage tanks one after another.

"That's what we fear the most. We must remain alert. We should assume that what has happened once could happen again, and prepare for more," watchdog chairman Shunichi Tanaka told a news conference. "We are at a situation where there is no time to waste."

The watchdog proposed at a weekly meeting Wednesday to raise the rating of the leak to level 3 from an earlier level 1 on an International Nuclear and Radiological event scale of eight. The watchdog, however, plans to consult with the U.N. nuclear regulatory agency over whether it is appropriate to use the INES evaluation scale on the already wrecked Fukushima plant.

The watchdog urged TEPCO to step up monitoring for leaks and take precautionary measures.

During the meeting, officials also revealed that plant workers apparently have overlooked several signs of leaks, suggesting that their twice-daily patrols were largely just a walk. They have not monitored water levels inside tanks, obviously missed a puddle forming at the bottom of the tank earlier, and kept open a valve on the anti-leakage barrier around the tanks.

TEPCO spokesman Masayuki Ono said the leaked water seeped into the ground after largely escaping piles of sandbags added to a concrete barrier around the tank. He said that because the tank is about 500 meters (1,650 feet) from the coastline, the leak does not pose an immediate threat to the sea.

But watchdog officials have cautioned that water could reach the sea via a drain gutter, urging the plant to step up water sampling.

Four other tanks of the same design have had similar leaks since last year. The incidents have shaken confidence in the reliability of hundreds of tanks that are crucial for storing water that has been funneled into the broken reactors to keep melted radioactive fuel cool.

The plant suffered multiple meltdowns following a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 — a level 7 "major accident," the highest on the INES rating and the worst since Chernobyl in 1986.

About 350 of some 1,000 steel tanks built across the plant complex containing nearly 300,000 tons (300 million liters, 80 million gallons) of partially treated contaminated water are less-durable ones with rubber seams.

TEPCO says the tanks that have leaked use rubber seams that were intended to last about five years. Ono said TEPCO plans to build additional tanks with welded seams that are more watertight, but will still have to rely on ones with rubber seams.

Figuring out what to do with the radioactive water is among the most pressing issues affecting the cleanup process, which is expected to take decades.

"The growing contaminated water has been one of our biggest concerns since the March 11 accident," said Zengo Aizawa, TEPCO's executive vice president. "The contaminated water remains a problem that could lead to a crisis."

The leaked water's radiation level, measured about 50 centimeters (2 feet) above the puddle, was about 100 millisieverts per hour — the maximum cumulative exposure allowed for plant workers over five years, Ono said.

Contaminated water that TEPCO has been unable to contain continues to enter the Pacific Ocean at a rate of hundreds of tons per day. Much of that is ground water that has mixed with untreated radioactive water at the plant.

Workers were pumping out the radioactive puddle on the plant and the remaining water in the tank and will transfer it to other containers. By Tuesday afternoon they had captured only about 4 tons (4,000 liters, 1,000 gallons), Ono said.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 21, 2013, 11:52:07 am
http://news.yahoo.com/fukushima-radioactive-leak-serious-141500268.html
8/21/13
New Fukushima radioactive leak 'serious'

More than two years after a massive earthquake and tsunami caused a nuclear disaster at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the embattled operator is stuck in damage-control mode.


Japan’s watchdog Nuclear Regulation Authority announced Wednesday that a radioactive water leak at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear power plant was magnitudes more severe than previously thought, further eroding faith in the capacity of the plant owners and government to deal with safety breaches in the aftermath of a disaster there two years ago.

The NRA increased the severity level of the crisis – which began when a leak was discovered in a storage tank Monday – from a level 1 “anomaly” to a level 3 “serious incident” on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale. Each number on the scale represents a 10-fold increase in severity, with a level 3 event signaling exposure that exceeds ten times the limit for workers, according to the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.

"I don't know if describing it this way is appropriate, but [Fukushima] is like a haunted house and, as I've said, mishaps keep happening one after the other," NRA Chairman Shunichi Tanaka said to reporters, according to Reuters. "We have to look into how we can reduce the risks and how to prevent it from becoming a fatal or serious incident."

The announcement came as workers at the plant frantically hauled sandbags to the site of the leak to stem the flow of contaminated water. But Tokyo Electric Power, or Tepco, which runs the hobbled plant, acknowledged to The New York Times that much of the leaked water had already found its way into the surrounding soil, and could eventually reach the ocean.

This is the latest in a series of major crises that have befallen Fukushima since March 2011, when an earthquake and tsunami caused a nuclear meltdown at the plant – the worst disaster of its kind since the 1986 incident at Chernobyl.

Last month, the NRA declared an emergency at the plant after it was discovered that hundreds of tons of radioactive groundwater were leaking into the ocean from the plant each day. And last week, the plant announced that 10 workers had been unwittingly sprayed with a mist – used to cool parts of the building – that had high levels of radiation.

Tepco has been repeatedly criticized for its bungled handling of these crises, and many observers worry the latest leak is a harbinger of further disasters to come. As the Times reports,

Tepco had assumed the tanks would last at least five years. But the tank that leaked could have been in place no more than two, and workers previously found smaller leaks from similar tanks at least four times. And Hiroshi Miyano, an expert in nuclear system design at Hosei University in Tokyo, said that the tanks would be vulnerable to earthquake or tsunami, with the potential for a huge spill.

Meanwhile, the company has not yet identified the precise source of Monday’s leak, which was uncovered when workers found large puddles near a 1,000 ton tank. By the time they identified the problem, some 300 tons of water had already spilled out.

As Fox News reports, the spill will contribute to a cleanup effort that is already projected to take decades, and that has left the area around the plant devastated.

The Japanese government recently allowed international media to travel inside the uninhabited zone around the plant, on the nation's northeastern coast. Villages appear frozen in time, deserted, with everything left as it was when residents were evacuated. The crippled nuclear plant, whose reactors have still not cooled, is situated on a hill overlooking what were once beautiful beaches now littered with vehicles and debris from the tsunami.

Former residents are allowed to visit sometimes their former homes, but can't stay long and face a vigorous radiation checking procedure every time they leave. The sea, was once famous across Japan for the fish it provided, is bereft of fishing boats.

Recent tests of water from wells in the area show that radioactivity is still hundreds of times above safe drinking levels.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 22, 2013, 11:50:44 am
http://news.yahoo.com/high-radiation-spots-found-quake-hit-fukushima-plant-095736693.html
8/22/13
New high-radiation spots found at quake-hit Fukushima plant

TOKYO (Reuters) - The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant said on Thursday new spots of high radiation had been found near storage tanks holding highly contaminated water, raising fear of fresh leaks as the disaster goes from bad to worse.

The announcement comes after Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) said this week contaminated water with dangerously high levels of radiation was leaking from a storage tank.

A tsunami crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi power plant north of Tokyo on March 11, 2011, causing fuel-rod meltdowns at three reactors, radioactive contamination of air, sea and food and triggering the evacuation of 160,000 people.

It was the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986 and no one seems to know how to bring the crisis to an end.

In an inspection carried out following the revelation of the leakage, high radiation readings - 100 millisieverts per hour and 70 millisieverts per hour - were recorded at the bottom of two tanks in a different part of the plant, Tepco said.

Although no puddles were found nearby and there were no noticeable changes in water levels in the tanks, the possibility of stored water having leaked out cannot be ruled out, a Tokyo Electric spokesman said.

The confirmed leakage prompted Japan's nuclear watchdog to say it feared the disaster was "in some respect" beyond Tepco's ability to cope.

The U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday it viewed the situation at Fukushima "seriously" and was ready to help if called upon.

China said it was "shocked" to hear contaminated water was still leaking from the plant, and urged Japan to provide information "in a timely, thorough and accurate way".

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Nick Macfie)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 23, 2013, 10:48:58 am
http://news.yahoo.com/radioactive-groundwater-under-fukushima-nears-sea-110257630.html
8/23/13
Radioactive groundwater under Fukushima nears sea

TOKYO (AP) — Deep beneath Fukushima's crippled nuclear power station a massive underground reservoir of contaminated water that began spilling from the plant's reactors after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami has been creeping slowly toward the sea.

Now, 2 1/2 years later, experts fear it is about to reach the Pacific and greatly worsen what is fast becoming a new crisis at Fukushima: the inability to contain vast quantities of radioactive water.

The looming crisis is potentially far greater than the discovery earlier this week of a leak from a tank used to store contaminated water used to cool the reactor cores. That 300-ton (80,000 gallon) leak is the fifth and most serious since the disaster of March 2011, when three of the plant's reactors melted down after a huge earthquake and tsunami knocked out the plant's power and cooling functions.

But experts believe the underground seepage from the reactor and turbine building area is much bigger and possibly more radioactive, confronting the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., with an invisible, chronic problem and few viable solutions. Many also believe it is another example of how TEPCO has repeatedly failed to acknowledge problems that it could almost certainly have foreseen — and taken action to mitigate before they got out of control.

It remains unclear what the impact of the contamination on the environment will be because the radioactivity will be diluted as it spreads further into the sea. Most fishing in the area is already banned, but fishermen in nearby Iwaki City were hoping to resume test catches next month following favorable sampling results. Those plans have been scrapped after news of the latest tank leak.

"Nobody knows when this is going to end," said Masakazu Yabuki, a veteran fisherman in Iwaki, just south of the plant where scientists say contaminants are carried by the current. "We've suspected (leaks into the ocean) from the beginning ... TEPCO is making it very difficult for us to trust them."

To keep the melted nuclear fuel from overheating, TEPCO has rigged a makeshift system of pipes and hoses to funnel water into the broken reactors. The radioactive water is then treated and stored in the aboveground tanks that have now developed leaks. But far more leaks into the reactor basements during the cooling process — then through cracks into the surrounding earth and groundwater.

Scientists, pointing to stubbornly high radioactive cesium levels in bottom-dwelling fish since the disaster, had for some time suspected the plant was leaking radioactive water into the ocean. TEPCO repeatedly denied that until last month, when it acknowledged contaminated water has been leaking into the ocean from early in the crisis. Even so, the company insists the seepage is coming from part of a network of maintenance tunnels, called trenches, near the coast, rather than underground water coming from the reactor area.

"So far, we don't have convincing data that confirm a leak from the turbine buildings. But we are open to consider any possible path of contamination," said TEPCO spokesman Yoshimi Hitosugi.

The turbine buildings at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant are about 150 meters (500 feet) from the ocean. According to a Japan Atomic Energy Agency document, the contaminated underground water is spreading toward the sea at a rate of about 4 meters (13 feet) a month.

At that rate, "the water from that area is just about to reach the coast," if it hasn't already
, said Atsunao Marui, an underground water expert at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology who is on a government committee studying the contaminated water problem. "We must contain the problem as quickly as possible."

TEPCO, nationalized and burdened with the astronomical cleanup costs, has been criticized for repeatedly lagging in attempts to tackle leakage problems. As a precautionary step, it has created chemical blockades in the ground along the coast to stop any possible leaks, but experts question their effectiveness. After a nearly two-year delay, construction of an offshore steel wall designed to contain contaminated water has begun.

The utility has also proposed building frozen walls — upside down comb-shaped sticks that refrigerate surrounding soil — into the ground around the reactor areas, but that still has to be tested and won't be ready until 2015 if proved successful.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this month announced the government would intervene and provide funding for key projects to deal with the contaminated water problem.

"This is a race against the clock," said Toyoshi Fuketa, a commissioner on the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

Compounding TEPCO's problems is the new leak discovered this week. Most of the 300 tons is believed to have seeped into the ground, but some may have escaped into the sea through a rainwater gutter, said Zengo Aizawa, the company's executive vice president.

That, too, may be a harbinger of more problems ahead.

Some 1,000 steel tanks built across the plant complex contain nearly 300,000 tons (300 million liters, 80 million gallons) of partially treated contaminated water. About 350 of them have rubber seams intended to last for only five years. Company spokesman Masayuki Ono said it plans to build additional tanks with welded seams that are more watertight, but will have to rely on rubber seams in the meantime.

Shinji Kinjo, a regulatory official in charge of the Fukushima disaster, said the rubber-seam tanks are mostly built in a rush when the contaminated water problem started, and often lacked adequate quality tests and require close attention.

Workers have already spotted two more questionable tanks during inspection Thursday.

"It's like a haunted house, one thing happening after another," said Nuclear Regulation Authority Chairman Shunichi Tanaka, referring to the spate of problems at the plant. "But we must take any steps that would reduce risks to avoid a fatal accident."

Leaks of highly contaminated water from the aboveground tanks aggravate the groundwater problem.

"Any contamination in the groundwater would eventually flow into the ocean. That is very difficult to stop even with barriers," said Ken Buesseler, a marine chemist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. He found that radioactive cesium levels in most fish caught off the Fukushima coast hadn't declined in the year following the March 2011 disaster, suggesting that the contaminated water from the reactor-turbine areas is already leaking into the sea.

But TEPCO hasn't provided the details he and other scientists need to further assess the situation.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on August 26, 2013, 09:03:48 am
FUKUSHIMA: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

lots of links

http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd601.htm



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on August 27, 2013, 07:42:38 am
Is Fukushima Radiation Contaminating Tuna, Salmon and Herring On the West Coast of North America?

We've extensively documented that radioactivity from Fukushima is spreading to North America.

More than a year ago, 15 out of 15 bluefin tuna tested in California waters were contaminated with radioactive cesium from Fukushima.

Bluefin tuna are a wide-ranging fish, which can swim back and forth between Japan and North America in a year:

rest: http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2013-08-26/fukushima-radiation-contaminating-tuna-salmon-and-herring-west-coast-north-am


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 30, 2013, 11:17:23 am
http://enenews.com/mystery-tv-expert-says-oceans-radiation-levels-too-high-to-be-explained-by-only-groundwater-there-must-be-other-routes-for-contamination-thats-flowing-into-pacific-devastating-impact
Fukushima Mystery? TV: Japan expert says radiation levels in ocean too high to be explained by groundwater flow alone — Must be coming from “other contamination routes” entering Pacific — “Devastating impact” to come?
8/19/13

Yoichiro Tateiwa, NHK reporter: [Professor Jota] Kanda argues government statistics don’t add up. He says a daily leakage of 300 tons doesn’t explain the current levels of radiation in the water.

Jota Kanda, Tokyo University professor: According to my research there are now 3 gigabecquerels [3 billion becquerels] of cesium-137 flowing into the port at Fukushima Daiichi every day. But for the 300 tons of groundwater to contain this much cesium-137, one liter of groundwater has to contain 10,000 becquerels of the radioactive isotope.

NHK: Kanda’s research and monitoring by Tepco puts the amount of cesium-137 in the groundwater around the plant at several hundred becquerels per liter at most. He’s concluded that radioactive isotope is finding another way to get into the ocean. He’s calling on the government and Tepco to identify contamination routes other than groundwater.

Kanda: If we focus on groundwater too much without contemplating other causes, the situation won’t be resolved. There must be routes other than groundwater that are contaminating the ocean. So what we have to do now is consider all possibilities as we figure out a solution to the problem.

NHK: Professor Kanda says the volume of radioactive particles discharged into the ocean is much smaller than the volume released immediately after the accident. But, he says there may be other sources of contaminated water stored up inside the plant’s infrastructure. He says that water is highly contaminated, and if it gets into the ocean it will again have a devastating impact.

See also: Japan Expert: Contamination from Fukushima flowing beneath seafloor? "Could spring up outside the port"
National Geographic reported on August 7, 2013 that Professor Kanda calculated 10 billion becquerels a day of cesium-137 was flowing into the Pacific from Fukushima Daiichi, not 3 billion becquerels a day as he says in NHK’s broadcast:

In a 2012 study, Jota Kanda, an oceanographer at Toyko University of Marine Science and Technology, calculated that the plant is leaking 0.3 terabecquerels [300 billion Bq/month = 10 billion Bq/day] of cesium-137 per month and a similar amount of cesium-134.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 31, 2013, 01:26:02 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/fukushimas-radioactive-ocean-plume-reach-us-waters-2014-132118620.html
Fukushima's Radioactive Ocean Plume to Reach US Waters by 2014
8/31/13

A radioactive plume of water in the Pacific Ocean from Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, which was crippled in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, will likely reach U.S. coastal waters starting in 2014, according to a new study. The long journey of the radioactive particles could help researchers better understand how the ocean’s currents circulate around the world.

Ocean simulations showed that the plume of radioactive cesium-137 released by the Fukushima disaster in 2011 could begin flowing into U.S. coastal waters starting in early 2014 and peak in 2016. Luckily, two ocean currents off the eastern coast of Japan — the Kuroshio Current and the Kuroshio Extension — would have diluted the radioactive material so that its concentration fell well below the World Health Organization’s safety levels within four months of the Fukushima incident. But it could have been a different story if nuclear disaster struck on the other side of Japan.

“The environmental impact could have been worse if the contaminated water would have been released in another oceanic environment in which the circulation was less energetic and turbulent,” said Vincent Rossi, an oceanographer and postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics and Complex Systems in Spain.

Fukushima’s radioactive water release has taken its time journeying across the Pacific. By comparison, atmospheric radiation from the Fukushima plant began reaching the U.S. West Coast within just days of the disaster back in 2011. [Fukushima Radiation Leak: 5 Things You Should Know]

Tracking radioactivity’s path

The radioactive plume has three different sources: radioactive particles falling out from the atmosphere into the ocean, contaminated water directly released from the plant, and water that became contaminated by leaching radioactive particles from tainted soil.

The release of cesium-137 from Fukushima in Japan’s more turbulent eastern currents means the radioactive material is diluted to the point of posing little threat to humans by the time it leaves Japan’s coastal waters. Rossi worked with former colleagues at the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of New South Wales in Australia to simulate the spread of Fukushima’s radioactivity in the oceans — a study detailed in the October issue of the journal Deep-Sea Research Part 1.

Researchers averaged 27 experimental runs of their model — each run starting in a different year — to ensure that the simulated spread of the cesium-137 as a "tracer" was not unusually affected by initial ocean conditions. Many oceanographers studying the ocean’s currents prefer using cesium-137 to track the ocean currents because it acts as a passive tracer in seawater, meaning it doesn't interact much with other things, and decays slowly with a long half-life of 30 years.

“One advantage of this tracer is its long half-life and our ability to measure it quite accurately, so that it can be used in the future to test our models of ocean circulation and see how well they represent reality over time,” Rossi told LiveScience. “In 20 years' time, we could go out, grab measurements everywhere in the Pacific and compare them to our model.”

Journey across the Pacific Rim

The team focused on predicting the path of the radioactivity until it reached the continental shelf waters stretching from the U.S. coastline to about 180 miles (300 kilometers) offshore. About 10 to 30 becquerels (units of radioactivity representing decay per second) per cubic meter of cesium-137 could reach U.S. and Canadian coastal waters north of Oregon between 2014 and 2020. (Such levels are far below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s limits for drinking water.)

By comparison, California’s coast may receive just 10 to 20 becquerels per cubic meter from 2016 to 2025. That slower, lesser impact comes from Pacific currents taking part of the radioactive plume down below the ocean surface on a slower journey toward the Californian coast, Rossi explained.

A large proportion of the radioactive plume from the initial Fukushima release won't even reach U.S. coastal waters anytime soon. Instead, the majority of the cesium-137 will remain in the North Pacific gyre — a region of ocean that circulates slowly clockwise and has trapped debris in its center to form the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” — and continue to be diluted for approximately a decade following the initial Fukushima release in 2011. (The water from the current power plant leak would be expected to take a similar long-term path to the initial plume released, Rossi said.)

But the plume will eventually begin to escape the North Pacific gyre in an even more diluted form. About 25 percent of the radioactivity initially released will travel to the Indian Ocean and South Pacific over two to three decades after the Fukushima disaster, the model showed.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 01, 2013, 05:57:25 am
MEANWHILE IN FUKUSHIMA: MULTIPLE LEAKS, RADIATION SOARS TO 1.8 SIEVERTS/HR 

http://wchildblog.com/2013/08/31/meanwhile-in-fukushima-multiple-leaks-radiation-soars-to-1-8-sievertshr/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 01, 2013, 02:56:46 pm
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/01/20281539-radiation-spikes-to-lethal-levels-at-japans-fukushima-nuclear-plant?lite=
9/1/13
Radiation spikes to lethal levels at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant

TOKYO — Radiation readings near water tanks at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant have risen dramatically, with one test registering lethal levels, the plant's operators reported Sunday.

The Tokyo Electric Power Co., or TEPCO, said the high readings were discovered at four new locations on Saturday, near the joints at the bottom of storage tanks that are holding highly contaminated water. One of the readings reached 1,800 millisieverts per hour, which is considered enough to kill an exposed person in four hours, the company said. Previous readings around the same tank registered a dose of 100 millisieverts per hour.

Other locations registered readings that ranged from 70 to 230 millisieverts, TEPCO said. The typical American receives a background radiation dose of 6.2 millisieverts per year, and Japanese law sets an annual exposure limit of 50 millisieverts for nuclear plant workers during normal hours.

Radioactive water is being stored in hundreds of tanks at the Fukushima site, in the wake of the plant's catastrophic failure in 2011 during Japan's magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami. Additional contaminated groundwater is being pumped into the tanks from the plant's ruins every day. Last month, TEPCO said 300 tons of water was found leaking from one of the tanks. That prompted nuclear regulators in Japan to classify the leak's severity as a Level 3 "serious incident" on the international scale for radiation releases.

TEPCO has increased its surveillance of the facility and says it will begin removing the contaminated soil around the storage tanks. On Sunday, the company said inspectors have not detected any significant changes in the water level inside the vessels where the latest readings were taken. That led them to believe that the newly detected contamination has not spread beyond the concrete barriers surrounding the tanks.

A TEPCO spokesman told Reuters that "we are investigating the cause" of the rise in radiation levels. He said one factor behind the higher readings was that investigators used an instrument capable of registering greater amounts of radiation. Instruments used previously had been capable of measuring radiation only up to 100 millisieverts, but the new instruments were able to measure up to 10,000 millisieverts, the spokesman told Reuters.

The company said the radiation measured was beta rays, which would be easier to protect against than gamma rays.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 03, 2013, 06:41:02 am
Japan to fund ice wall to stop reactor leaks

 TOKYO (September 3, 2013)- The Japanese government announced Tuesday that it will fund a costly, untested subterranean ice wall in a desperate step to stop leaks of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear station after repeated failures by the plant's operator.

The decision is widely seen as an attempt to show that the nuclear accident won't be a safety concern just days before the International Olympic Committee chooses between Tokyo, Istanbul and Madrid as the host of the 2020 Olympics.

The Fukushima Dai-ichi plant has been leaking hundreds of tons of contaminated underground water into the sea since shortly after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami damaged the complex. Several leaks from tanks storing tainted water in recent weeks have heightened the sense of crisis that the plant's owner, Tokyo Electric Power Co., isn't able to contain the problem.

"Instead of leaving this up to TEPCO, the government will step forward and take charge," said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said after adopting the outline. "The world is watching if we can properly handle the contaminated water but also the entire decommissioning of the plant."

The government plans to spend an estimated 47 billion yen ($470 million) through the end of 2014 on two projects _ the ice wall and upgraded water treatment units that is supposed to remove all radioactive elements but tritium _ according to energy agency official Tatsuya Shinkawa.

The government, however, is not paying for urgently needed water tanks and other equipment that TEPCO is using to stop leaks. Shinkawa said the funding is limited to "technologically challenging projects" but the government will open to additional help when needed.

The ice wall would freeze the ground to a depth of up to 30 meters (100 feet) through an electrical system of thin pipes carrying a coolant as cold as minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 Fahrenheit). That would block contaminated water from escaping the facility's immediate surroundings, as well as keep underground water from entering the reactor and turbine buildings, where much of the radioactive water has collected.

The project, which TEPCO and the government proposed in May, is set for completion by March 2015.

Similar methods have been used to block water from parts of tunnels and subways, but building a wall that surrounds four reactor buildings and their related facilities is unprecedented. The wall could cost 30 billion to 40 billion yen ($300 million to $400 million) for initial installation, plus an annual running and maintenance cost.

Some experts are skeptical about the technology and say the running costs would be a huge burden.

Atsunao Marui, an underground water expert at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, said a frozen wall could be water-tight but is normally intended for use for a couple of years and is not proven for long-term use as planned in the outline. The decommissioning process is expected to take about 40 years.

"We still need a few layers of safety backups in case it fails," Marui told the Associated Press. "Plus the frozen wall won't be ready for another two years, which means contaminated water would continue to leak out."

Marui said additional measures should be taken to stop contaminated water from keep traveling under the seabed during that time and leak further out in the sea.

TEPCO has been pumping water into the wrecked reactors to keep cool nuclear fuel that melted when the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami knocked out the plant's power and cooling system. The utility has built more than 1,000 tanks holding 335,000 tons of contaminated water at the plant, and the amount grows by 400 tons daily. Some tanks have sprung leaks, spilling contaminated water onto the ground.

After spending on the ice wall, the remainder of the public funding _ 15 billion yen until March 2015 _ will go to the development and production of a water treatment unit that can treat the contaminated water more thoroughly and by a larger volume than an existing machine, which is under repair after corrosion was found during a test run.

Nuclear Regulation Authority Chairman Shunichi Tanaka has repeatedly said that the contaminated water cannot be stored in tanks forever and eventually has to be released into the sea after fully processed and diluted.

Other measures include replacing rubber-seamed storage tanks with more durable welded tanks as quickly as possible, and pumping out untainted underground water further inland for release into the sea to reduce the total amount flowing into the plant site. About 1,000 tons of underground water runs into the complex every day.

TEPCO is also constructing an offshore wall of steel panels along the coast to keep contaminants from spreading further into the sea. The utility says radioactive elements have mostly remained near the embankment inside the bay, but experts have reported offshore "hot spots" of sediments contaminated with high levels of cesium.

The leaks came at a worst time as Tokyo headed into the final days of the contest to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. With anti-government demonstrations plaguing Istanbul, Turkey's bid and a recession and high Spanish unemployment hanging over Madrid's candidacy, Tokyo is pushing its bid as the safe choice in uncertain times.

 - See more at: http://www.onenewsnow.com/ap/world/japan-to-fund-ice-wall-to-stop-reactor-leaks#sthash.LWRJfVhD.dpuf


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on September 03, 2013, 04:30:35 pm
They been watching too many Godzilla movies!  ::)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 05, 2013, 08:19:13 am
NBC Nightly News: Concerns are growing tonight, especially out West, about the continuing radiation threat from Fukushima — Japanese Diplomat: U.S. food supply stands to be contaminated (VIDEO)

NBC Nightly News, September 3, 2013 – Brian Williams, Anchor: Concerns are growing tonight — especially out West — about the continuing radiation threat from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. There’s this, the Japanese government said it will spend almost half a billion dollars, much of it to build a giant wall of ice underground to try to stop the flow of radioactive water leaking into the ocean.

Akio Matsumura, Japanese Diplomat, September 3, 2013: Japan is an island nation, connected to the rest of the world through the Pacific Ocean’s currents. For thousands of years those waterways have carried Japanese sailors to distant shores. Now they carry radioactivity to our coasts. Japan’s reluctance to ask for international help in managing Fukushima’s cleanup would be one thing if it put only its own people at risk. But with the rest of the world facing health risks, Japan’s mismanagement of its nuclear crisis is irresponsible and should not be accepted by other governments, especially the United States, whose food supply stands to be contaminated. [...]

Watch the NBC broadcast here
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52916018#52916018

it has to start getting bad when it pops up on NBC


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 05, 2013, 09:21:16 am
it has to start getting bad when it pops up on NBC

Yeah, first time ANY of the MSM outlets said anything about this.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on September 05, 2013, 01:57:50 pm
Well, if what they are saying is even half true, they have a MAJOR problem that requires many countries to attempt to fix it. Japan cannot do it by themselves, obviously. I see this as one of those scifi catastrophe movie events. We are talking making large areas uninhabitable, for hundreds of years, more likely thousands of years, at least.

This ain't no oil spill. This is the worst case scenario event involving an uncontrolled release of lethal radiation into the environment. Once it's in the ocean? You can't clean that up, making the area and the fish in it unsafe.

A large portion of humanity is at risk over this, and they treat it as a follow up story. It should be the number one headline worldwide, every day till something is done to contain that place.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 05, 2013, 08:57:08 pm
S.Korea bans fishery products from 8 Japanese prefectures over anxiety about radiation from Fukushima plant - @Reuters

http://www.trust.org/item/20130906005720-1t4z0/

Guess the rest of the northern Pacific is ok...  ::)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 06, 2013, 05:39:08 pm
http://enenews.com/contamination-now-spiking-in-seawater-off-fukushima-plant-asahi-reports-up-to-18-fold-increase-in-one-week
Contamination now spiking in seawater off Fukushima plant — Asahi reports up to 18-fold increase in a week
8/24/13

High-level radioactive tritium found in seawater at Fukushima plant port

Concentrations of radioactive tritium in seawater from the port of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant have risen between eight and 18 times in one week, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Aug. 23.

[...] On Aug. 12, the concentration in the same area was lower than the limit for detection [...]

[...] contaminated groundwater around the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 reactors [is] flowing into the sea. The government estimates that about 300 tons of groundwater is flowing daily to the sea. [...]

TEPCO also said it is likely that of the highly contaminated water that has accumulated in pits, about 10 liters are flowing into the sea every day. [...]



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 07, 2013, 04:35:32 pm
http://truthalliance.net/Archive/News/tabid/67/ID/10940/Fukushima-Disaster-Leaves-Hundreds-of-Whales-Radiated-to-Death.aspx
Fukushima Disaster Leaves Hundreds of Whales Radiated to Death
9/3/13

<National Report> On August 31st, four days ago the National Report ran the story… Fukushima Crisis Escalates Tons of Radioactive Waste Released into the Pacific Causes Ocean to Boil… http://wp.me/p3dd01-1QB. Since then we have been taking calls and emails from people all over the world wanting to confirm our story.

Two days after running the story we received an email from the World Nuclear Association, the mouthpiece of the nuclear industry who runs the website: www.world-nuclear-news.org, demanding we remove the story as it had resulted in a rush of people contacting this organization for more information. Per our policy however we refused to comply.


Workers at Fukushima Look at Leaking Nuclear Waste Escaping into Pacific Ocean

Due to the great deal of concerns and questions people have since the story broke and the fact that the world now knows that Japan has been anything but forthcoming with the truth the National Report sent it’s Editor-in-Chief Nigel Covington, to Fukushima to get to the bottom of the real Fukushima story.

New revelations coming out of Japan just days ago after the government took charge of this global emergency two years after the March 11, 2011 nuclear plant catastrophe it is clear that the government has intentionally failed to report the extent of the disaster to the people of the world. Nigel is in Fukushima now and we have received his first report on the disaster which follows.

 

<Fukushima> Reporting from the village of Fukushima I was shocked to find on my arrival that hundreds of whale carcasses were found along the beach early this morning which now extend up and down the shore as far as I can see.

The Scene Near Fukushima Today – Killed by Nuclear Radiation

The scene is absolutely devastating especially since no word of this latest crisis has been reported to the Japanese people or to the rest of the world. In fact the Japanese government has remained silent about today’s latest events.

Local residents claim they were told not to worry as the nuclear plant was brought under control shortly after the March 11, 2011 incident and there was little to no radiation concerns.

But what I’m hearing from experts and scientist here today is that they estimate 219,000 tons of nuclear waste has leaked into the Pacific Ocean over the past two years which up until 14 days ago TEPCO had kept a secret. After it was reported that at 300 tonnes (300 long tons; 330 short tons) of “heavily contaminated water” has been leaking from a storage tanks into the ocean daily. They also state the ground water in the region has been contaminated with high levels of radiation, but since the government stepped in to take control of the site relieving TEPCO the government has said little about the events taking place here.

It is an outrage for the government to remain silent. Two scientist I spoke to on the beach tell me maybe the government has been silent because no one can yet begin to image the impact this debacle will have locally as well as globally. Scientist on the site admit this is a major event but they too can only speculate on what will come tomorrow.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on September 08, 2013, 03:18:38 am
Where's the images or better yet video of all those dead whales? Hard to refute a picture.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 08, 2013, 04:25:07 am
Where's the images or better yet video of all those dead whales? Hard to refute a picture.

(http://i1.wp.com/nationalreport.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/beached13.png?resize=300%2C205)

this is the image attached to the story. Apparently the image is from New Zealand in 2010 and the story is a hoax. http://www.hoax-slayer.com/fukushima-dead-whales-hoax.shtml

28 Whales Dead, Euthanized After New Zealand Stranding

02/15/10 08:44 AM ET

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/15/28-whales-dead-euthanized_n_462515.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on September 08, 2013, 05:07:02 am
So who is this "truthalliance.net"? A fake website?

They ran the alleged fake story they claim originated from "the National Report", whoever that is.

Go figure the image was lifted from CNN. How convenient. Blame it on the obvious spinners.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 08, 2013, 05:29:16 am
i believe this is the source story. http://nationalreport.net/breaking-fukushima-disaster-leaves-hundreds-whales-beached/


National Report is a fake mews story site, like the onion


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 11, 2013, 05:57:12 am
Tritium levels spiked more than 15 times in groundwater near a leaked tank at the Fukushima nuclear plant this week, Tepco says - @Reuters



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 11, 2013, 10:53:58 am
Tritium levels spiked more than 15 times in groundwater near a leaked tank at the Fukushima nuclear plant this week, Tepco says - @Reuters



Yeah, this is getting very serious.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 13, 2013, 12:55:55 pm
A month ago, when we quoted an independent expert that "TEPCO has lost control of Fukushima" many took offense, despite all signs to the contrary. Perhaps the skeptics will reevaluate their position following today's news reported by AFP, which cited Kazuhiko Yamashita, who holds the executive-level title of "fellow" at Tokyo Electric Power, who finally admitted what those not mired in prejudice about the state of nuclear energy refuse to accept, that the nuclear plant was "not under control." This promptly led to the government, which last weekend learned it would host the 2020 Olympics and promised that Fukushima would not be a concern by then, to scramble and "reassure people on Friday that they have a lid on Fukushima." Unfortunately, the lies, like the radiation in the plant, are now finally seeping through and more are becoming fully aware of just how serious the catastrophe truly is, and drove yet another steak through the heart of the official narrative by Prime Minister Abe as they "flatly contradict" his assurances.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-13/tepco-official-admits-fukushima-out-control#comments


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 16, 2013, 11:36:11 am
http://news.yahoo.com/typhoon-man-yi-hits-japan-004110591.html
Typhoon hits Japan as Fukushima operator releases water
9/16/13

Typhoon Man-yi hit Japan Monday, leaving two people dead and forcing the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant to release rainwater with low levels of radiation into the ocean.

The powerful typhoon made landfall in Toyohashi, Aichi prefecture, shortly before 8:00 am (2300 GMT Sunday), packing gusts of up to 162 kilometres (100 miles) per hour, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Public broadcaster NHK said a 71-year-old woman was found dead as a landslide engulfed her house in Shiga prefecture, while a 77-year-old woman was also confirmed dead in a separate mudslide in Fukui prefecture, near Shiga.

Four people were still missing while 128 others were injured with more than 4,000 houses flooded and at least 270 houses damaged by strong wind or landslides, NHK said.

The typhoon, losing strength slightly, left Japan's main island by Monday evening after the eye of the storm passed within 50 kilometres north of the capital at around noon.

Workers were pumping out water from areas near tanks storing radioactive water, from which leaks are believed to have seeped into groundwater.

"But we decided to release the water into sea as we reached a conclusion that it can be regarded as rainfall after we monitored levels of radiation," TEPCO spokesman Yo Koshimizu said.

According to the spokesman, one litre of the water contained up to 24 becquerels of strontium and other radioactive materials -- below the 30 becquerel per litre safety limit imposed by Japanese authorities for a possible release to the environment.

However, it was unknown how much water was released to sea under the "emergency measure," Koshimizu said.

Around 300 tonnes of mildly contaminated groundwater is entering the ocean every day having passed under the reactors, according to TEPCO.

Earlier in the day, the meteorological agency issued the highest alert for "possibly unprecedented heavy rain" in Kyoto and neighbouring prefectures, while Kyoto and other local authorities advised some 340,000 households to evacuate.

Television footage showed the banks of the Katsura river in the ancient capital's scenic tourist area of Arashiyama overflowing and inundating nearby hotels and souvenir shops.

Rescue workers and hotel employees were towing a small rowboat with four tourists on board in knee-deep water.

The Kyoto prefectural government requested the Self-Defence Forces to deploy troops to join sandbagging and rescue operations.

In Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo, strong winds ripped off roofs and overturned cars.

About 600 domestic flights scheduled for Monday, a public holiday, were cancelled, mainly those departing Tokyo, NHK reported.

Railway companies temporarily suspended services on many lines in central and eastern Japan, including the Shinkansen bullet trains between Shizuoka and Mishima.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 17, 2013, 10:04:53 pm
http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/after-typhoon-fukushima-dumps-polluted-water-in-sea-130917.htm

Fukushima Dumps Typhoon-soaked, Radiated Water
 
Sep 17, 2013 12:15 AM ET // by AFP

The operator of the leaking Fukushima nuclear plant said Tuesday that it dumped more than 1,000 tons of polluted water into the sea after a typhoon raked the facility.

Typhoon Man-yi smashed into Japan on Monday, bringing with it heavy rain that caused flooding in some parts of the country, including the ancient city of Kyoto.

The rain also lashed near the broken plant run by Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), swamping enclosure walls around clusters of water tanks containing toxic water that was used to cool broken reactors.

Some of the tanks were earlier found to be leaking contaminated water.

"Workers measured the radioactive levels of the water collected in the enclosure walls, pumping it back into tanks when the levels were high," said a TEPCO official.

"Once finding it was mostly rain water they released it from the enclosure, because there is a limit on how much water we can store."

The utility said about 1,130 tons of water with low levels of radiation -- below the 30 becquerels of strontium per liter safety limit imposed by Japanese authorities -- were released into the ground.

But the company also said at one site where water was found contaminated beyond the safety limit workers could not start the water pump quick enough in the torrential rain, and toxic water had leaked from the enclosure for several minutes.

Strontium is a potentially cancer-causing substance that accumulates in bones if consumed.

Thousands of tonnes of water that was poured on the reactors to tame meltdowns is being stored in temporary tanks at the plant, and TEPCO has so far revealed no clear plan for it.

The problem has been worsened by leaks in some of those tanks that are believed to have seeped into groundwater and run out to sea.

Separately, around 300 tonnes of mildly contaminated groundwater is entering the ocean every day having passed under the reactors, TEPCO says
.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on September 18, 2013, 03:49:02 am
Quote
300 tonnes of mildly contaminated groundwater

What? "Mildly"? That's like saying your mildly pregnant!  ::)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 19, 2013, 01:14:07 pm
Magnitude 5.8 earthquake strikes near crippled Fukushima nuclear plant; shaking reported - @weatherchannel, @USGS
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000jw8u#summary

No immediate reports of damage following large earthquake near Fukushima nuclear plant - @HirokoTabuchi

 ::) DOUBT THAT


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 24, 2013, 03:46:54 am
Humankind’s Most Dangerous Moment: Fukushima Fuel Pool at Unit 4. “This is an Issue of Human Survival.”

We are now within two months of what may be humankind’s most dangerous moment since the Cuban Missile Crisis.

There is no excuse for not acting. All the resources our species can muster must be focussed on the fuel pool at Fukushima Unit 4.

Fukushima’s owner, Tokyo Electric (Tepco), says that within as few as 60 days it may begin trying to remove more than 1300 spent fuel rods from a badly damaged pool perched 100 feet in the air. The pool rests on a badly damaged building that is tilting, sinking and could easily come down in the next earthquake, if not on its own.

Some 400 tons of fuel in that pool could spew out more than 15,000 times as much radiation as was released at Hiroshima.

The one thing certain about this crisis is that Tepco does not have the scientific, engineering or financial resources to handle it. Nor does the Japanese government. The situation demands a coordinated worldwide effort of the best scientists and engineers our species can muster.

Why is this so serious?

We already know that thousands of tons of heavily contaminated water are pouring through the Fukushima site, carrying a devil’s brew of long-lived poisonous isotopes into the Pacific. Tuna irradiated with fallout traceable to Fukushima have already been caught off the coast of California. We can expect far worse.

Tepco continues to pour more water onto the proximate site of three melted reactor cores it must somehow keep cool.Steam plumes indicate fission may still be going on somewhere underground. But nobody knows exactly where those cores actually are.

Much of that irradiated water now sits in roughly a thousand huge but fragile tanks that have been quickly assembled and strewn around the site. Many are already leaking. All could shatter in the next earthquake, releasing thousands of tons of permanent poisons into the Pacific.

The water flowing through the site is also undermining the remnant structures at Fukushima, including the one supporting the fuel pool at Unit Four.

More than 6,000 fuel assemblies now sit in a common pool just 50 meters from Unit Four. Some contain plutonium. The pool has no containment over it. It’s vulnerable to loss of coolant, the collapse of a nearby building, another earthquake, another tsunami and more.

Overall, more than 11,000 fuel assemblies are scattered around the Fukushima site. According to long-time expert and former Department of Energy official Robert Alvarez, there is more than 85 times as much lethal cesium on site as was released at Chernobyl.

Radioactive hot spots continue to be found around Japan. There are indications of heightened rates of thyroid damage among local children.

The immediate bottom line is that those fuel rods must somehow come safely out of the Unit Four fuel pool as soon as possible.

Just prior to the 3/11/11 earthquake and tsunami that shattered the Fukushima site, the core of Unit Four was removed for routine maintenance and refueling. Like some two dozen reactors in the US and too many more around the world, the General Electric-designed pool into which that core now sits is 100 feet in the air.

Spent fuel must somehow be kept under water. It’s clad in zirconium alloy which will spontaneously ignite when exposed to air. Long used in flash bulbs for cameras, zirconium burns with an extremely bright hot flame.

 Each uncovered rod emits enough radiation to kill someone standing nearby in a matter of minutes. A conflagration could force all personnel to flee the site and render electronic machinery unworkable.

According to Arnie Gundersen, a nuclear engineer with forty years in an industry for which he once manufactured fuel rods, the ones in the Unit 4 core are bent, damaged and embrittled to the point of crumbling. Cameras have shown troubling quantities of debris in the fuel pool, which itself is damaged.

The engineering and scientific barriers to emptying the Unit Four fuel pool are unique and daunting, says Gundersen. But it must be done to 100% perfection.

Should the attempt fail, the rods could be exposed to air and catch fire, releasing horrific quantities of radiation into the atmosphere. The pool could come crashing to the ground, dumping the rods together into a pile that could fission and possibly explode. The resulting radioactive cloud would threaten the health and safety of all us.

Chernobyl’s first 1986 fallout reached California within ten days. Fukushima’s in 2011 arrived in less than a week. A new fuel fire at Unit 4 would pour out a continuous stream of lethal radioactive poisons for centuries.

 Former Ambassador Mitsuhei Murata says full-scale releases from Fukushima “would destroy the world environment and our civilization. This is not rocket science, nor does it connect to the pugilistic debate over nuclear power plants. This is an issue of human survival.”

Neither Tokyo Electric nor the government of Japan can go this alone. There is no excuse for deploying anything less than a coordinated team of the planet’s best scientists and engineers.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/humankinds-most-dangerous-moment-fukushima-fuel-pool-at-unit-4/5350779


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 27, 2013, 09:48:56 pm
Source is Mike Adams(Natural News)...

http://www.naturalnews.com/041881_Fukushima_radiation_leaks_deception.html
TEPCO admits deliberately using radiation detectors that give deceptively low readings; radiation leaks far worse than reported
Sunday, September 01, 2013

(NaturalNews) At the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant, radiation isn't the only thing leaking out. Each week, it seems there's another small leak of the truth that has been deliberately hidden from the public. Yesterday, TEPCO finally admitted it has been downplaying the ongoing radiation release levels by a factor of almost twenty.

But the real story here is exactly how TEPCO arrived at the deceptively small numbers it has been reporting since the 2011 accident. It turns out (see below) that TEPCO has been deliberately using radiation detectors that "max out" at relatively low levels (i.e. they don't go higher than 100 mSv). When those detectors are pegged at their max readings, instead of switching to a more capable instrument with a larger detection range, they simply report the maximum detection limit of the smaller detector as the "real" exposure number.

Huh? Yeah. Seriously.

Here's how we discovered this:

Radiation leak 18 times higher than previously disclosed
According to a TEPCO press release covered in Bloomberg Japan, "TEPCO announced high-dose radiation of hourly 1800 mSv from the tank periphery has been observed."

This is highly radioactive water leaking from the now-famous "storage tanks" that were never designed to be long-term storage tanks in the first place. Previously, TEPCO told the public these tanks were only leaking 100 mSv per hour, downplaying the actual radiation leak level by almost 95%.

That same story goes on to say:

Ito Tetsuo Professor of Kinki University (radiation biology) said, regarding the level of hourly 1800 mSv, "There is only a thing called death if you stay exposed to this for four hours. One hundred percent of persons will die within 30 days."

The BBC is also covering this story, just in case you want to see this in English. On the BBC's page, it says:

Radiation levels around Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant are 18 times higher than previously thought, Japanese authorities have warned.

It now says readings taken near the leaking tank on Saturday showed radiation was high enough to prove lethal within four hours of exposure.

The new reading will have direct implications for radiation doses received by workers who spent several days trying to stop the leak last week, the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes reports from Tokyo.

And that's the understatement of the year. "Direct implications" means the clean-up workers are already dead.

Why the increase from 100 mSv to 1800 mSv? They finally started using a different radiation detector
So how, exactly, did TEPCO get readings of just 100 mSv per hour until recently when they discovered readings of 1800 mSv per hour?

You won't believe this when I tell you: They were using a radiation meter that maxed out at 100 mSv.

Using the same logic, I'm going to patent the "Fukushima weight loss miracle" program that includes a body weight scale which only goes up to 110 lbs. No matter how heavy you are when you step on it, it will only read 110. It's a TEPCO weight loss miracle!

TEPCO, in other words, has been running around measuring radiation using radiation detectors that are, by design, incapable of measuring the full extent of the radiation being released. It then reports the "actual" radiation level as whatever the MAX detection limit is on the low-end detectors.

This is so intellectually dishonest that it borders on criminal. Not only did TEPCO use "scientific sleight of hand" to deliberately use low-range radiation detectors and thereby mislead the world, the company also used its deceptively low 100 mSv exposure lie to calculate how many hours clean-up workers could safely spend in the facility without being irradiated to death.

It turns out those calculations were off by a factor of 18. And that means all the clean-up workers have received 1800% more radiation than they were told. TEPCO, in other words, has condemned these people to die a painful, suffering death by intentionally withholding from them the actual radiation readings.

Caught deliberately downplaying the radiation leaks
It is inconceivable, of course, that the country's largest nuclear power facility company would not possess radiation detectors capable of detecting 1800 mSv per hour. This deceptive strategy to downplay the actual radiation release was clearly deliberate. It's all part of the TEPCO cover-up / conspiracy to lie to Japan, lie to their workers and lie to the world about the true scale of the nuclear disaster that has taken place there.

That has been the TEPCO approach from day one: LIE!

Remember, TEPCO was also behind the Japanese government's bizarro brainwashing propaganda campaign that told people they would be immune to radiation if they just drank beer or smiled a lot.

We also know from news reports in 2011 that TEPCO ran around the Fukushima facility turning off the radiation detectors to prevent alarms from going off. Radiation? What radiation?

And now we find out the company has been deliberately using radiation detectors that max out at just 100 mSv. But even that explanation doesn't hold water, as every person who uses scientific instruments knows that if your measurement maxes out the instrument, get a bigger instrument!

In other words, if your car's speedometer maxes out at 120 mph, but you floor it on the autobahn and keep accelerating far past 120 mph, it doesn't mean you're still only going 120 mph just because that's what the speedometer says. Hopefully this point is obvious. Yet TEPCO was running around with all these pegged radiation detectors, claiming the "max" was the accurate real-time number.

If TEPCO lied about radiation leaks, what else is it lying about?
This brings up the most important point of this article: What else is TEPCO lying about?

Just about everything, it seems. TEPCO still won't admit the plant suffered a fuel core meltdown. They still won't admit the facility is on the verge of collapsing, which would release a huge deadly cloud of radiation that would devastate North America. And of course they won't admit that they need international help to solve the problem.

As a result, thanks to the arrogance and criminal dishonesty of top-level TEPCO managers and bureaucrats, yet another massive radiation release from Fukushima is inevitable.

In fact, it's just one earthquake away.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on September 28, 2013, 03:21:54 am
Quote
radiation leaks far worse than reported

That's not news. That's expected from the world.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 30, 2013, 01:42:45 pm
http://www.nonaiswa.org/wordpress/radioactive-organic-food-hitting-the-shelves-soon/
Radioactive Organic Food Hitting the Shelves Soon
9/26/13

Will your “organics” be Fukishima glow-in-the dark?

 USDA Signs Streamlined Organic Trade Agreement with Japan

It may seem like an oxymoron but beginning on January 1, 2014 organic products certified in Japan or the United States although there is a question as to whether products were exposed to Fukishima radiation.  In their voracity to garner the Asian trade market the USDA has signed the trade agreement to create economic opportunities for farmers and small businesses.  Just how many local farmers and small businesses that you know are engaged in international trade?  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack says, “It is a win for the American economy.”

Do harmonized agreements protect us against radioactive food?

  Global trade requires all signatory countries to remove trade barriers that prevent a free-flow of goods between countries.  The U.S. is a signatory country.  The new trade agreement eliminates fees, inspections and paperwork just as Congress and Obama increase fees and paperwork screws to domestic small farmers through the Food and Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).  In addition, this historic agreement has ensured that regulations, quality control, certification, and labeling practices between countries are harmonized thereby binding the small American farmer further into the mire of international entanglements.  The “lifecycle” of products will be evaluated to determine the allowed and prohibited substances such as pesticides, but radiation exposure or damage is not taken into the equation, although natural resource conservation practices are noted.  In the final equation U.S. farmers do not have to prove that they didn’t use specific substances to gain access to the Japanese market.  All-the-while, if American farmers want to sell to Americans, they must provide scientific-evidence to prove, under FSMA, that they did not use certain substances and provide detailed record-keeping on production methods and a plethora of other minutia to be compliant to bring their product to market.

Formal letters creating this partnership were finalized on September 26, 2013 during one of the largest organic trade-shows show-casing organic products. 

Does your food have the Proud Seal of Radioactivity?

International trade, beguiling the greedy government and corporate suppliers, heralded to provide American consumers with year-round access to a diverse array of organic products. If GMO is any indication of truth-in-labeling you can be assured that your organic produce will not bear the proud seal of radioactivity! 


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 03, 2013, 05:22:13 am
Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant operator says another tank leaked toxic water

The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant said on Thursday another tank holding highly contaminated water overflowed, probably sending the liquid into the Pacific Ocean, in the second such breach in less than two months.

Recent site mishaps have returned Tokyo Electric Power Co, or Tepco, to the spotlight, calling into question its ability to execute a complex cleanup that could last decades. The company has vowed to monitor the tanks more closely and improve its water management.

Amid mounting international alarm, Japan's government stepped in last month and said it would fund efforts to improvement water management at the plant.

The latest leaks show Tepco's efforts to improve its handling of the contaminated water are not sufficient, Japan's top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters on Thursday. The government will take steps to deal with the water, he said, adding that he thought the situation was under control.

Tepco has been relying on hastily built tanks to hold excess cooling water flushed over damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi site, where three units suffered nuclear meltdowns and hydrogen explosions after a March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Tepco said the water that leaked contained 200,000 becquerels per liter of beta-emitting radioactive isotopes, including strontium 90. The legal limit for strontium 90 is 30 becquerels per liter.

The breach was discovered in a tank holding area away from where 300 metric tons (1 metric ton = 1.1023 tons) of toxic water escaped in August.

About 430 liters (113 gallons) of water spilled over a period of as much as 12 hours after a worker misjudged how much could be held by the tank, which is tilting because of an uneven location, Tepco spokesman Masayuki Ono told reporters.

The company is filling tanks to the brim as it does not have the capacity to accommodate the buildup of contaminated water, Ono said, adding that the water is likely to have flowed into a trench leading to the Pacific Ocean, about 300 m (330 yards) from the tank.

It is also pumping out accumulated rainwater in tank holding areas.

After repeated denials, Tepco admitted in July that contaminated water was flowing into the Pacific Ocean from the wrecked reactor buildings at Fukushima.

Measurable radiation from water leaking from the facility is mostly confined to the harbor around the plant, officials have said, and is not an environmental threat to other countries as the radiation will be diluted by the sea.

Tepco has been pumping hundreds of metric tons of water a day over the Fukushima reactors to keep them cool and storing the radioactive wastewater in tanks above ground.

It has also found high levels of radiation just above the ground near other tanks, suggesting widespread structural problems with the tanks.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-japan-fukushima-water-idUSBRE99200R20131003


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 08, 2013, 12:42:42 am
http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/09/all-bluefin-tuna-caught-in-california-are-radioactive-2780202.html

ALL Bluefin Tuna Caught In California Are Radioactive

Monday, September 30, 2013 18:53

Do NOT eat tuna.  Period.    ALL the bluefin tuna is radioactive.  ALL.  A year ago they told us they were surprised to find the fish contaminated after limited exposure to radioactive water.   As this article points out, all of the bluefin tuna being caught now have spent their entire lives exposed to radioactive water. If you didn’t hear the warning a year ago, please hear it now.

By Ann Werner

Every bluefin tuna tested in the waters off California has shown to be contaminated with radiation that originated in Fukushima. Every single one.

Over a year ago, in May of 2012, the Wall Street Journal reported on a Stanford University study. Daniel Madigan, a marine ecologist who led the study, was quoted as saying, “The tuna packaged it up (the radiation) and brought it across the world’s largest ocean. We were definitely surprised to see it at all and even more surprised to see it in every one we measured.”

Another member of the study group, Marine biologist Nicholas Fisher at Stony Brook University in New York State reported, “We found that absolutely every one of them had comparable concentrations of cesium 134 and cesium 137.”

That was over a year ago. The fish that were tested had relatively little exposure to the radioactive waste being dumped into the ocean following the nuclear melt-through that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in March of 2011. Since that time, the flow of radioactive contaminants dumping into the ocean has continued unabated. Fish arriving at this juncture have been swimming in contaminants for all of their lives.

Radioactive cesium doesn’t sink to the sea floor, so fish swim through it and ingest it through their gills or by eating organisms that have already ingested it. It is a compound that does occur naturally in nature, however, the levels of cesium found in the tuna in 2012 had levels 3 percent higher than is usual. Measurements for this year haven’t been made available, or at least none that I have been able to find. I went looking for the effects of ingesting cesium. This is what I found:

Quote
When contact with radioactive cesium occurs, which is highly unlikely, a person can experience cell damage due to radiation of the cesium particles. Due to this, effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding may occur. When the exposure lasts a long time, people may even lose consciousness. Coma or even death may then follow. How serious the effects are depends upon the resistance of individual persons and the duration of exposure and the concentration a person is exposed to.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 09, 2013, 07:00:50 am
Fukushima worker accidentally switches off the crippled nuclear plant's cooling systems in latest blunder

    Worker accidentally pushed button cutting power to water pumps
    Hundreds of tonnes of water must be injected into reactors every day
    Japan's nuclear regulator said backup system kicked in immediately
    Over 300 tonnes of contaminated water have leaked in last three months
    That is on top of 300 tonnes of groundwater seeping into Pacific every day


A worker at the Fukushima nuclear plant accidentally pushed a button turning off power to the four badly damaged reactors yesterday.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said that a worker carrying out inspections had turned off pumps injecting cooling water into the unstable reactors.

The plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, or Tepco, pours hundreds of tonnes of water a day over the reactors to keep them cool after a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 triggered meltdowns and explosions.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2449412/Fukushima-worker-accidentally-turns-nuclear-plants-cooling-systems.html#ixzz2hE2atm74


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 09, 2013, 03:52:16 pm
I find it hard to believe it was an "accident".


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 15, 2013, 11:46:38 am
“State of emergency should now be declared throughout world community” over Fukushima — Nuclear Expert: Molten corium related leaks into ocean have never stopped
http://enenews.com/state-of-emergency-should-now-be-declared-throughout-world-community-nuclear-expert-molten-corium-related-leaks-have-never-stopped
10/14/13

Fukushima radiation worse than feared – experts

[...] the situation grows increasingly tense despite all efforts by the government.

[...] expert in nuclear physics and nuclear power generation, Igor Ostretsov, Doctor of Engineering [said] “I am absolutely certain that the radioactive water leaks into the ocean have never stopped, because the plant molten corium is continuously cooled. [...]”

A state of emergency should now be declared throughout the world community. Japan needs international control, Tokyo can’t manage it on its own. Whatever the world nations can offer to cope with the situation should be used, or else the northern part of the Pacific will be contaminated. [...] Japan clearly needs an immediate extraordinary solution.

[...] But the Japanese either failed or chose not to use the experience of Russian liquidators who tackled a similar situation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, says Professor of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Vladimir Kuznetsov.

“Japan has been unsuccessfully trying to get the situation under control for more than two years now, under the supervision of the IAEA. But the situation is worsening by the week. Neither Japan, nor the International Atomic Energy Agency is capable of controlling the situation. The decisions made are known to be wrong. We had a concrete cover for the crippled Chernobyl reactor in six months after the accident, while in Japan they still have nothing now that two and a half years have passed since March 11th, 2011. Background radiation is 400 times the normal levels in towns just 10 kilometres away from the crippled nuclear plant”. [...]


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on October 15, 2013, 02:13:50 pm
Well, if what they are saying is even half true, they have a MAJOR problem that requires many countries to attempt to fix it. Japan cannot do it by themselves, obviously. I see this as one of those scifi catastrophe movie events. We are talking making large areas uninhabitable, for hundreds of years, more likely thousands of years, at least.

This ain't no oil spill. This is the worst case scenario event involving an uncontrolled release of lethal radiation into the environment. Once it's in the ocean? You can't clean that up, making the area and the fish in it unsafe.

A large portion of humanity is at risk over this, and they treat it as a follow up story. It should be the number one headline worldwide, every day till something is done to contain that place.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on October 16, 2013, 05:51:58 am
Major typhoon headed for Fukushima area!

(Notice the projected path of the storm)

http://news.yahoo.com/once-decade-typhoon-heads-japan-nuclear-plant-001544104.html (http://news.yahoo.com/once-decade-typhoon-heads-japan-nuclear-plant-001544104.html)

Quote
Tokyo (AFP) - A typhoon described as the "strongest in 10 years" closed in on Japan on Wednesday, on a path that will take it towards the precarious Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Tokyo and surrounding areas were hit by violent winds and heavy rains in the early hours of Wednesday morning as Typhoon Wipha moved northeast off the coast of central Japan.

Thousands were evacuated from their homes in the neighbouring prefecture Chiba and power outages were reported.

Record rainfall of around 118.5 millimetres (4.7 inches) per hour was recorded on Izu Oshima Island, which lies in the Pacific, 120 kilometres (75 miles) south of central Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, according to Kyodo news agency.

Three homes on the island had been washed away by a swollen river, Kyodo reported, citing police.

The weather bureau warned the typhoon could make landfall in the densely populated Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, later in the morning.

Typhoon Wipha, packing winds of nearly 200 kilometres (125 miles) per hour near its centre, was moving northeast at around 55 kilometres per hour in the early hours of the morning, Kyodo said.

The typhoon was forecast to be off the coast of Fukushima later in the day, where the crippled nuclear power plant sits, with the area already experiencing heavy rainfall on Tuesday. (cont.)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 18, 2013, 08:15:48 pm
http://enenews.com/state-of-emergency-should-now-be-declared-throughout-world-community-nuclear-expert-molten-corium-related-leaks-have-never-stopped
“State of emergency should now be declared throughout world community” over Fukushima — Nuclear Expert: Molten corium related leaks into ocean have never stopped
10/14/13

Fukushima radiation worse than feared – experts

[...] the situation grows increasingly tense despite all efforts by the government.

[...] expert in nuclear physics and nuclear power generation, Igor Ostretsov, Doctor of Engineering [said] “I am absolutely certain that the radioactive water leaks into the ocean have never stopped, because the plant molten corium is continuously cooled. [...]”

A state of emergency should now be declared throughout the world community. Japan needs international control, Tokyo can’t manage it on its own. Whatever the world nations can offer to cope with the situation should be used, or else the northern part of the Pacific will be contaminated. [...] Japan clearly needs an immediate extraordinary solution.

[...] But the Japanese either failed or chose not to use the experience of Russian liquidators who tackled a similar situation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, says Professor of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Vladimir Kuznetsov.

“Japan has been unsuccessfully trying to get the situation under control for more than two years now, under the supervision of the IAEA. But the situation is worsening by the week. Neither Japan, nor the International Atomic Energy Agency is capable of controlling the situation. The decisions made are known to be wrong. We had a concrete cover for the crippled Chernobyl reactor in six months after the accident, while in Japan they still have nothing now that two and a half years have passed since March 11th, 2011. Background radiation is 400 times the normal levels in towns just 10 kilometres away from the crippled nuclear plant”. [...]


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 18, 2013, 08:29:15 pm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/10/18/double-whammy-drenching-in-japan-super-typhoon-francisco-may-follow-wiphas-path/
10/18/13
Double whammy drenching in Japan? Super typhoon Francisco may follow Wipha’s path

Just one week following a deadly dousing from Typhoon Wipha, a second typhoon could deluge Japan. On the heels of Wipha comes super typhoon Francisco, about 250 miles west-northwest of Guam, tracking north-northwestward.

Long-term track guidance takes super typhoon Francisco on a course generally towards Japan, with another round of rain and wind possible some time between Wednesday and Friday next week.

(http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/files/2013/10/rbtop0-fran.jpg)

Over the last 36 hours, Typhoon Francisco has rapidly strengthened and, with maximum sustained winds around 155 mph, is the equivalent of a high-end category 4 hurricane.  As its peak winds exceed 150 mph, it has earned super typhoon status.

Its current satellite presentation exhibits the traits of an extremely powerful cyclone, with a well-defined eye surrounded by heavy thunderstorms.

Francisco is expected to hold its own over the weekend, before steady weakening is forecast next week.

By next Wednesday, around the time Francisco may be approaching Japan, peak winds are expected to have decreased to 80-85 mph.

Still, should even a much weakened Francisco make a direct hit on Japan, it would likely bring a second round of torrential rain following up to 33 inches of rain from Wipha.

Wipha’s rain caused mudslides and flooding, leading to 18 deaths.  At the Fukushima nuclear plant, the level of radioactivity spiked after heavy rains may have lifted contaminated soil according to EuroNews.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 19, 2013, 09:38:25 pm
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1848433/the-ocean-is-broken/?cs=12
The ocean is broken
By  GREG RAY
Oct. 18, 2013, 10 p.m.

IT was the silence that made this voyage different from all of those before it.

Not the absence of sound, exactly.

The wind still whipped the sails and whistled in the rigging. The waves still sloshed against the fibreglass hull.

And there were plenty of other noises: muffled thuds and bumps and scrapes as the boat knocked against pieces of debris.

What was missing was the cries of the seabirds which, on all previous similar voyages, had surrounded the boat.

The birds were missing because the fish were missing.

Exactly 10 years before, when Newcastle yachtsman Ivan Macfadyen had sailed exactly the same course from Melbourne to Osaka, all he'd had to do to catch a fish from the ocean between Brisbane and Japan was throw out a baited line.

"There was not one of the 28 days on that portion of the trip when we didn't catch a good-sized fish to cook up and eat with some rice," Macfadyen recalled.

But this time, on that whole long leg of sea journey, the total catch was two.

No fish. No birds. Hardly a sign of life at all.

"In years gone by I'd gotten used to all the birds and their noises," he said.

"They'd be following the boat, sometimes resting on the mast before taking off again. You'd see flocks of them wheeling over the surface of the sea in the distance, feeding on pilchards."

But in March and April this year, only silence and desolation surrounded his boat, Funnel Web, as it sped across the surface of a haunted ocean.

North of the equator, up above New Guinea, the ocean-racers saw a big fishing boat working a reef in the distance.

"All day it was there, trawling back and forth. It was a big ship, like a mother-ship," he said.

And all night it worked too, under bright floodlights. And in the morning Macfadyen was awoken by his crewman calling out, urgently, that the ship had launched a speedboat.

"Obviously I was worried. We were unarmed and pirates are a real worry in those waters. I thought, if these guys had weapons then we were in deep trouble."

But they weren't pirates, not in the conventional sense, at least. The speedboat came alongside and the Melanesian men aboard offered gifts of fruit and jars of jam and preserves.

"And they gave us five big sugar-bags full of fish," he said.

"They were good, big fish, of all kinds. Some were fresh, but others had obviously been in the sun for a while.

"We told them there was no way we could possibly use all those fish. There were just two of us, with no real place to store or keep them. They just shrugged and told us to tip them overboard. That's what they would have done with them anyway, they said.

"They told us that his was just a small fraction of one day's by-catch. That they were only interested in tuna and to them, everything else was rubbish. It was all killed, all dumped. They just trawled that reef day and night and stripped it of every living thing."

Macfadyen felt sick to his heart. That was one fishing boat among countless more working unseen beyond the horizon, many of them doing exactly the same thing.

No wonder the sea was dead. No wonder his baited lines caught nothing. There was nothing to catch.

If that sounds depressing, it only got worse.

The next leg of the long voyage was from Osaka to San Francisco and for most of that trip the desolation was tinged with nauseous horror and a degree of fear.

"After we left Japan, it felt as if the ocean itself was dead," Macfadyen said.

"We hardly saw any living things. We saw one whale, sort of rolling helplessly on the surface with what looked like a big tumour on its head. It was pretty sickening.

"I've done a lot of miles on the ocean in my life and I'm used to seeing turtles, dolphins, sharks and big flurries of feeding birds. But this time, for 3000 nautical miles there was nothing alive to be seen
."

In place of the missing life was garbage in astounding volumes.

"Part of it was the aftermath of the tsunami that hit Japan a couple of years ago. The wave came in over the land, picked up an unbelievable load of stuff and carried it out to sea. And it's still out there, everywhere you look."

Ivan's brother, Glenn, who boarded at Hawaii for the run into the United States, marvelled at the "thousands on thousands" of yellow plastic buoys. The huge tangles of synthetic rope, fishing lines and nets. Pieces of polystyrene foam by the million. And slicks of oil and petrol, everywhere.

Countless hundreds of wooden power poles are out there, snapped off by the killer wave and still trailing their wires in the middle of the sea.

"In years gone by, when you were becalmed by lack of wind, you'd just start your engine and motor on," Ivan said.

Not this time.

"In a lot of places we couldn't start our motor for fear of entangling the propeller in the mass of pieces of rope and cable. That's an unheard of situation, out in the ocean.

"If we did decide to motor we couldn't do it at night, only in the daytime with a lookout on the bow, watching for rubbish.

"On the bow, in the waters above Hawaii, you could see right down into the depths. I could see that the debris isn't just on the surface, it's all the way down. And it's all sizes, from a soft-drink bottle to pieces the size of a big car or truck.

"We saw a factory chimney sticking out of the water, with some kind of boiler thing still attached below the surface. We saw a big container-type thing, just rolling over and over on the waves.

"We were weaving around these pieces of debris. It was like sailing through a garbage tip.

"Below decks you were constantly hearing things hitting against the hull, and you were constantly afraid of hitting something really big. As it was, the hull was scratched and dented all over the place from bits and pieces we never saw."

Plastic was ubiquitous. Bottles, bags and every kind of throwaway domestic item you can imagine, from broken chairs to dustpans, toys and utensils.

And something else. The boat's vivid yellow paint job, never faded by sun or sea in years gone past, reacted with something in the water off Japan, losing its sheen in a strange and unprecedented way.

BACK in Newcastle, Ivan Macfadyen is still coming to terms with the shock and horror of the voyage.

"The ocean is broken," he said, shaking his head in stunned disbelief.

Recognising the problem is vast, and that no organisations or governments appear to have a particular interest in doing anything about it, Macfadyen is looking for ideas.

He plans to lobby government ministers, hoping they might help.

More immediately, he will approach the organisers of Australia's major ocean races, trying to enlist yachties into an international scheme that uses volunteer yachtsmen to monitor debris and marine life.

Macfadyen signed up to this scheme while he was in the US, responding to an approach by US academics who asked yachties to fill in daily survey forms and collect samples for radiation testing - a significant concern in the wake of the tsunami and consequent nuclear power station failure in Japan.

"I asked them why don't we push for a fleet to go and clean up the mess," he said.

"But they said they'd calculated that the environmental damage from burning the fuel to do that job would be worse than just leaving the debris there."


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 21, 2013, 08:04:13 am
Radioactive water leaks at Fukushima as operator underestimates rainfall

Highly radioactive water overflowed barriers into Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, its operating utility said on Monday, after it underestimated how much rain would fall at the plant and failed to pump it out quickly enough.
 
The utility, Tokyo Electric Power Co, also known as Tepco, has been battling to contain radioactive water at the nuclear complex, which suffered meltdowns and hydrogen explosions following a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
 
Dealing with hundreds of tonnes of groundwater flowing through the wrecked nuclear plant daily is a constant headache for the utility and for the government, casting doubt on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's promises that the Fukushima water "situation is under control."
 
After heavy rain on Sunday, water with high levels of radioactive strontium overflowed containment areas built around some 1,000 tanks storing tonnes of radioactive water at the plant, Tepco said. The radioactive water is a by-product of an improvised cooling system designed to keep the wrecked reactors under control in case of further disaster.
 
Tepco said it had planned to pump out the accumulating rainwater into empty tanks, check it for radioactivity, and if it was uncontaminated, release into the sea. But the company was overwhelmed by the amount of rainwater.
 
"Our pumps could not keep up with the rainwater. As a result, it flowed over some containment areas," said Tepco spokesman Yoshikazu Nagai. The company had planned for 30 to 40 millimeters of rainfall on Sunday, but by late afternoon the rainfall already stood at around 100 millimeters, he said.
 
The ongoing crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, 220 km (130 miles) north of Tokyo, highlight the immensity of the task of containing and controlling radioactive water and eventually decommissioning the plant, processes expected to take decades.
 
Earlier this year, Tepco lost power to cool spent uranium fuel rods at the plant after a rat shorted wiring at the plant.
 
In the latest incident, containment areas surrounding 12 of 23 groups of tanks overflowed, with one of them containing Strontium-90 as highly concentrated as 710 Becquerels per liter - 71 times higher than the level set by the company as safe for release.
 
Strontium-90 is a by-product of the fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear reactors as well as nuclear weapons, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says on its website.
 
Tepco said it will prepare some 30 extra pumps and lay additional 10 kilometers of pipes to prevent overflowing from happening again.
 
The utility has come under increased scrutiny after it found in August that 300 tonnes of highly radioactive water had leaked from one of the hastily built storage tanks at the Fukushima site. Japan stepped up support for the embattled utility in September, pledging half a billion dollars to help contain contaminated water at Fukushima.
 
Tepco is seeking permission to restart its only remaining viable plant - Kashiwazaki Kariwa, the world's largest nuclear power station, to cut high fuel costs and restore its finances.
 
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/radioactive-water-leaks-fukushima-operator-underestimates-rainfall-023633953--finance.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on October 21, 2013, 03:20:15 pm
I can't remember now what exactly I was watching recently, but I think it was a weather channel news kind of thing. Anyway, they had a graphic at the bottom that referred to Fukushima, but they used a different name I don't remember seeing before. I'll see if I can find the word, but I think it was the name of a nearby town, Tokushima.

The point being it comes across as somebody not wanting to remind people of the nuclear plant disaster that is still on-going.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 21, 2013, 07:27:15 pm
http://news.msn.com/world/uk-commits-to-nuclear-power-despite-fukushima?ocid=51501
UK commits to nuclear power despite Fukushima
10/21/13

A deal to construct a nuclear power plant in Europe is a boost for the global nuclear industry, which has seen projects canceled since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

LONDON —  Britain has struck an agreement to build a new nuclear power plant — the first such deal in the European Union since the disaster at Fukushima prompted a major rethink of the energy source's merits.

The contract underscores how few options major European economies have if they want to keep households' energy costs from spiking.

The $25.9 billion project, which was agreed on Monday with France's EDF energy and a group of Chinese investors, aims to keep the lights on in Britain amid declining supplies of North Sea gas and rapidly escalating fuel costs.

"If people at home want to be able to keep watching the television, be able to turn the kettle on, and benefit from electricity, we have got to make these investments," Energy Secretary Ed Davey told the BBC. "It is essential to keep the lights on and to power British business."

GERMAN EXAMPLE

Germany led the charge against nuclear energy two years ago following the shock of the meltdown at Fukushima, Japan in 2011. The government decided to shut down all of the country's nuclear power plants by 2022 and to make up for the output gap with renewable energy.

But the effort is proving to be costlier than expected for taxpayers.

Not only do many new wind, solar, water and biomass plants need to be built, but Germany's energy grid has to be overhauled to balance the fluctuating supply such power sources provide. Consumers are also footing the bill for state subsidies that are granted to renewable energy producers and meant to encourage the sector's growth.

UNCERTAIN COST BENEFITS

The deal in Britain, the first of its kind in a generation, shows Germany's example is not winning over many emulators just yet.

The new reactor — which will be built at Hinkley Point in southwest England and will start working in 2023, subject upon EU approval — will guarantee power.

However, while it will help keep the country's carbon footprint from increasing, it may not keep electricity prices down.

Under the terms of the deal, the British government has promised to pay the investors who will build the reactor a price of electricity for 35 years of as much as 92.5 pounds per megawatt hour, plus inflationary increases.

Experts like said Antony Froggatt, a senior research fellow at Chatham House, say that's double the current market rate — and more than that produced by gas and coal fired power stations.

CHINA'S RISE

The deal is a boon to China, which relies on foreign technology for its generating stations and is developing its own reactors.

"(China) is wishing to become a global leader within the nuclear sector," Froggatt said.

China General Nuclear Corp. and China National Nuclear Corp. are majority-owned by the government in Beijing. They will provide 30 percent to 40 percent of the money to build the reactor. The technical expertise will mainly come from French companies, in particular EDF, which is controlled by the French government and will provide 45 percent to 50 percent of financing.

But Chinese engineers will gain experience and learn about navigating a complex licensing process.

The ability to partner with existing players will also help China gain a foothold in foreign markets — a showcase opportunity to eventually export its own work.

"That opens doors," Froggatt said.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 21, 2013, 08:35:46 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pla0QHrMDc


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 22, 2013, 04:16:56 am
28 Signs That The West Coast Is Being Absolutely Fried With Nuclear Radiation From Fukushima

The map above comes from the Nuclear Emergency Tracking Center.  It shows that radiation levels at radiation monitoring stations all over the country are elevated.  As you will notice, this is particularly true along the west coast of the United States.  Every single day, 300 tons of radioactive water from Fukushima enters the Pacific Ocean.  That means that the total amouont of radioactive material released from Fukushima is constantly increasing, and it is steadily building up in our food chain.  Ultimately, all of this nuclear radiation will outlive all of us by a very wide margin.  They are saying that it could take up to 40 years to clean up the Fukushima disaster, and meanwhile countless innocent people will develop cancer and other health problems as a result of exposure to high levels of nuclear radiation.  We are talking about a nuclear disaster that is absolutely unprecedented, and it is constantly getting worse.  The following are 28 signs that the west coast of North America is being absolutely fried with nuclear radiation from Fukushima…

1. Polar bears, seals and walruses along the Alaska coastline are suffering from fur loss and open sores…

    Wildlife experts are studying whether fur loss and open sores detected in nine polar bears in recent weeks is widespread and related to similar incidents among seals and walruses.

    The bears were among 33 spotted near Barrow, Alaska, during routine survey work along the Arctic coastline. Tests showed they had “alopecia, or loss of fur, and other skin lesions,” the U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement.

2. There is an epidemic of sea lion deaths along the California coastline…

    At island rookeries off the Southern California coast, 45 percent of the pups born in June have died, said Sharon Melin, a wildlife biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service based in Seattle. Normally, less than one-third of the pups would die.   It’s gotten so bad in the past two weeks that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared an “unusual mortality event.”

3. Along the Pacific coast of Canada and the Alaska coastline, the population of sockeye salmon is at a historic low.  Many are blaming Fukushima.

4. Something is causing fish all along the west coast of Canada to bleed from their gills, bellies and eyeballs.

5. A vast field of radioactive debris from Fukushima that is approximately the size of California has crossed the Pacific Ocean and is starting to collide with the west coast.

6. It is being projected that the radioactivity of coastal waters off the U.S. west coast could double over the next five to six years.

7. Experts have found very high levels of cesium-137 in plankton living in the waters of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the west coast.

8. One test in California found that 15 out of 15 bluefin tuna were contaminated with radiation from Fukushima.

9. Back in 2012, the Vancouver Sun reported that cesium-137 was being found in a very high percentage of the fish that Japan was selling to Canada…

• 73 percent of mackerel tested

• 91 percent of the halibut

• 92 percent of the sardines

• 93 percent of the tuna and eel

• 94 percent of the cod and anchovies

• 100 percent of the carp, seaweed, shark and monkfish

10. Canadian authorities are finding extremely high levels of nuclear radiation in certain fish samples…

    Some fish samples tested to date have had very high levels of radiation: one sea bass sample collected in July, for example, had 1,000 becquerels per kilogram of cesium.

11. Some experts believe that we could see very high levels of cancer along the west coast just from people eating contaminated fish…

    “Look at what’s going on now: They’re dumping huge amounts of radioactivity into the ocean — no one expected that in 2011,” Daniel Hirsch, a nuclear policy lecturer at the University of California-Santa Cruz, told Global Security Newswire. “We could have large numbers of cancer from ingestion of fish.”

12. BBC News recently reported that radiation levels around Fukushima are “18 times higher” than previously believed.

13. An EU-funded study concluded that Fukushima released up to 210 quadrillion becquerels of cesium-137 into the atmosphere.

14. Atmospheric radiation from Fukushima reached the west coast of the United States within a few days back in 2011.

15. At this point, 300 tons of contaminated water is pouring into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima every single day.

16. A senior researcher of marine chemistry at the Japan Meteorological Agency’s Meteorological Research Institute says that “30 billion becquerels of radioactive cesium and 30 billion becquerels of radioactive strontium” are being released into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima every single day.

17. According to Tepco, a total of somewhere between 20 trillion and 40 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium have gotten into the Pacific Ocean since the Fukushima disaster first began.

18. According to a professor at Tokyo University, 3 gigabecquerels of cesium-137 are flowing into the port at Fukushima Daiichi every single day.

19. It has been estimated that up to 100 times as much nuclear radiation has been released into the ocean from Fukushima than was released during the entire Chernobyl disaster.

20. One recent study concluded that a very large plume of cesium-137 from the Fukushima disaster will start flowing into U.S. coastal waters early next year…

    Ocean simulations showed that the plume of radioactive cesium-137 released by the Fukushima disaster in 2011 could begin flowing into U.S. coastal waters starting in early 2014 and peak in 2016.

21. It is being projected that significant levels of cesium-137 will reach every corner of the Pacific Ocean by the year 2020.

22. It is being projected that the entire Pacific Ocean will soon “have cesium levels 5 to 10 times higher” than what we witnessed during the era of heavy atomic bomb testing in the Pacific many decades ago.

23. The immense amounts of nuclear radiation getting into the water in the Pacific Ocean has caused environmental activist Joe Martino to issue the following warning…

    “Your days of eating Pacific Ocean fish are over.”

24. The Iodine-131, Cesium-137 and Strontium-90 that are constantly coming from Fukushima are going to affect the health of those living the the northern hemisphere for a very, very long time.  Just consider what Harvey Wasserman had to say about this…

    Iodine-131, for example, can be ingested into the thyroid, where it emits beta particles (electrons) that damage tissue. A plague of damaged thyroids has already been reported among as many as 40 percent of the children in the Fukushima area. That percentage can only go higher. In developing youngsters, it can stunt both physical and mental growth. Among adults it causes a very wide range of ancillary ailments, including cancer.

    Cesium-137 from Fukushima has been found in fish caught as far away as California. It spreads throughout the body, but tends to accumulate in the muscles.

    Strontium-90’s half-life is around 29 years. It mimics calcium and goes to our bones.

25. According to a recent Planet Infowars report, the California coastline is being transformed into “a dead zone”…

    The California coastline is becoming like a dead zone.

    If you haven’t been to a California beach lately, you probably don’t know that the rocks are unnaturally CLEAN – there’s hardly any kelp, barnacles, sea urchins, etc. anymore and the tide pools are similarly eerily devoid of crabs, snails and other scurrying signs of life… and especially as compared to 10 – 15 years ago when one was wise to wear tennis shoes on a trip to the beach in order to avoid cutting one’s feet on all the STUFF of life – broken shells, bones, glass, driftwood, etc.

    There are also days when I am hard-pressed to find even a half dozen seagulls and/or terns on the county beach.

    You can still find a few gulls trolling the picnic areas and some of the restaurants (with outdoor seating areas) for food, of course, but, when I think back to 10 – 15 years ago, the skies and ALL the beaches were literally filled with seagulls and the haunting sound of their cries both day and night…

    NOW it’s unnaturally quiet.

26. A study conducted last year came to the conclusion that radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster could negatively affect human life along the west coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska “for decades”.

27. According to the Wall Street Journal, it is being projected that the cleanup of Fukushima could take up to 40 years to complete.

28. Yale Professor Charles Perrow is warning that if the cleanup of Fukushima is not handled with 100% precision that humanity could be threatened “for thousands of years“…

    “Conditions in the unit 4 pool, 100 feet from the ground, are perilous, and if any two of the rods touch it could cause a nuclear reaction that would be uncontrollable. The radiation emitted from all these rods, if they are not continually cool and kept separate, would require the evacuation of surrounding areas including Tokyo. Because of the radiation at the site the 6,375 rods in the common storage pool could not be continuously cooled; they would fission and all of humanity will be threatened, for thousands of years.”

Are you starting to understand why so many people are so deeply concerned about what is going on at Fukushima?

For much more on all of this, please check out the video posted below…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH3AlPmavDk&feature=player_embedded

http://thetruthwins.com/archives/28-signs-that-the-west-coast-is-being-absolutely-fried-with-nuclear-radiation-from-fukushima


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 23, 2013, 02:27:59 pm
http://rt.com/news/fukushima-high-radioactivity-well-335/
10/18/13
Radioactivity level spikes 6,500 times at Fukushima well

Radioactivity levels in a well near a storage tank at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan have risen immensely on Thursday, the plant’s operator has reported.

Officials of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said on Friday they detected 400,000 becquerels per liter of beta ray-emitting radioactive substances - including strontium - at the site, a level 6,500 times higher than readings taken on Wednesday, NHK World reported.

The storage tank leaked over 300 tons of contaminated water in August, some of which is believed to have found its way into the sea through a ditch.

 The well in question is about 10 meters from the tank and was dug to gauge leakage.

 TEPCO said the findings show that radioactive substances like strontium have reached the groundwater. High levels of tritium, which transfers much easier in water than strontium, had already been detected.

 Officials at TEPCO said they will remove any contaminated soil around the storage tank in an effort to monitor radioactivity levels of the water around the well. 

The news comes after it has been reported a powerful typhoon which swept through Japan led to highly radioactive water near the crippled nuclear power plant being released into a nearby drainage ditch, increasing the risk of it flowing into the sea.

On Wednesday TEPCO said it had detected high levels of radiation in a ditch leading to the Pacific Ocean, and that it suspected heavy rains had lifted contaminated soil.

‘Decades-long problems being faced at Fukushima’

Robert Jacobs, a professor at Hiroshima Peace University, told RT the compounding problems at Fukushima Daiichi underscore one critical reality: no one really knows what to do.

“Nobody really knows how to solve the problems at Fukushima. There is nobody who has solutions. The problems at Fukushima are unprecedented, so even bringing in outside expertise, all that they can try to do is problem solve. There is no solution that other countries have that they can come in and fix the reactors, or rather, shut down the contamination, shut down the leaks.”

Experts believe that even a small earthquake could lead to more serious nuclear damage in the area


“They have a thousand tanks that are held together with a plastic pipe, so if there is a moderate earthquake the plastic pipes will fail and all that material will run across the ground surface and into the ocean,” nuclear power expert Arnold Gundersen told RT.

“Facilities themselves, the four reactors that are the most damaged had a series of explosions internally, so it would not take an earthquake as big as the one they had two and a half years ago to potentially do a lot of serious damage there.”

He added that the health risks are great and continue to increase every year. “Somewhere between 100,000 to 1,000,000 [people] will over the next thirty years get cancer from this accident...1,000 additional cancers a year from eating fish from the Pacific.”

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s open request for advanced knowledge from overseas is a welcome step, as this will bring a higher degree of professionalism than Tepco has demonstrated since the crisis first erupted, Jacobs says. But even though, those experts will be at a loss to solve the immense problems they’ll be facing for decades at Fukushima.     

Even in the one area where Japan could potentially help contain the disaster, the authorities have wavered, Konstantin Simonov from the Moscow-based Fund for Energy Security told RT.


“Fukushima should be treated just like Chernobyl – as a wreck that must be retired and put in a sarcophagus, with radioactive waste slowly and thoroughly utilized. Why does the problem persist at Fukushima? Because they can’t decide whether they want to close it or to keep it going.”

Tokyo Electric Power Company in fact seems reluctant to shut down Fukushima for good. Tepco is in fact pushing to reopen its Kashiwazaki Kariwa facility –  the world's largest nuclear power station –  which itself was shut down in 2007 following  reports of radioactive leaks in the wake of an earthquake.

In September, Japan announced its only operating nuclear reactor had been closed for maintenance, leaving the country with no nuclear power supply for only the second time in four decades.

Atomic power accounted for 30 percent of Japan’s energy needs prior to the Fukushima disaster, and the country was forced to increase fossil fuel imports to make up for the deficit.

As a result, Japan become the world’s largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), prompting the world’s third-largest-economy to post its first trade deficit since the second oil shock 31 years ago.

Under these circumstances, the crisis gripping Fukushima will not be the only factor in deciding the fate of the country’s nuclear industry.


Title: 7.5 Quake Off Coast Of Fukushima, Tsunami Warning Issued
Post by: Mark on October 25, 2013, 02:00:15 pm
7.5 Quake Off Coast Of Fukushima, Tsunami Warning Issued

http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/10/7-5-quke-off-coast-of-fukushima-2804390.html


A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the Fukushima region of Japan, according to the U.S. Geological Service.

The epicenter was located 231 miles east of Japan's Honshu Island. The tremor was felt 300 miles away in Tokyo.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning at 1:14 p.m. EST for Fukushima Prefecture.

"Marine threat is in place," the agency warns. "Get out of the water and leave the coast immediately. As the strong current will continue, do not get in the sea or approach coasts until the advisory is cleared."

The warning has been expanded to include Iwate, Miyagi, Ibaraki, and Chiba Prefectures.

The agency said it expects a slight sea level change in coastal regions, but no tsunami damage.

NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake was not expected to trigger a Pacific-wide tsunami and that there was no threat to Hawaii.

All but two of Japan's 50 reactors have been offline since the March 2011 magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami triggered multiple meltdowns and massive radiation leaks at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, about 160 miles northeast of Tokyo. About 19,000 people were killed.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/10/25/earthquake-japan/3189061/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 25, 2013, 02:24:21 pm
Sometimes I wonder if TPTB is behind this to further cripple the Pacific Ocean. As we all know, it's all but dead now.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 25, 2013, 02:38:39 pm
Small tsunami of about 1 ft. observed in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, at 2:07 p.m. ET - @weatherchannel

Operator of Japan's wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant says there is no damage or spike in radiation levels after earthquake - @Reuters

I really do not believe anything those people say...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/25/us-japan-quake-idUSBRE99O0T820131025

All tsunami alerts lifted for Japan after earthquake off Fukushima coast - @HirokoTabuchi

http://www.breakingnews.com/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 25, 2013, 05:01:19 pm
Small tsunami of about 1 ft. observed in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, at 2:07 p.m. ET - @weatherchannel

Operator of Japan's wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant says there is no damage or spike in radiation levels after earthquake - @Reuters

I really do not believe anything those people say...


Yep, that's what they've been saying for over 2 years now("there is no damage...").

Also - apparently 2 more quakes there(don't know if they were aftershocks or not)...

M5.1 - Off the east coast of Honshu, Japan
(BETA) 2013-10-25 17:57:39 UTC
http://comcat.cr.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usc000kn76#summary


M4.8 - Off the east coast of Honshu, Japan (BETA)
2013-10-25 19:02:58 UTC
http://comcat.cr.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usc000kn8v#summary


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 25, 2013, 05:04:35 pm
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/typhoon-francisco-sideswipes-j/19165889
Francisco Brings More Than a Foot of Rain to Japan
10/25/13

Francisco has made a sharp turn toward the northeast which will keep the center of the storm off the coast of Japan. However, it will still bring heavy rain and a risk of flooding to part of the nation.

Although the tropical storm has been following a track similar to deadly Typhoon Wipha from last week, Francisco will pass farther offshore and produce only a limited wind threat for eastern Japan.

The greatest threat from Francisco will be the heavy rainfall that will continue into Saturday before ending as Francisco is pulled farther northeast into the open Pacific Ocean.

Thus far, the heaviest rainfall has occurred across Shikoku and southern Honshu, where many locations have received 150-250 mm (6-10 inches) of rainfall. One of the hardest hit areas is Kochi, where rainfall has totaled 313 mm (12.32 inches) through Friday evening, local time.

Across the Tokyo metropolitan area, one of the hardest hit by Typhoon Wipha, rainfall totals between 25-75 mm (1-3 inches) are forecast through Saturday night. The heaviest rainfall is expected to continue into the day on Saturday, local time.

In eastern Kyushu, Oita recorded 217 mm (8.54 inches) of rain. Morotsuka has seen a extremely high amount of rainfall, reaching 381 mm (15 inches). The major city of Fukuoka in northern Kyushu has had 151 mm (5.95 inches) of rainfall.

South of the mainland, the tiny island of Minamidaito recorded nearly 254 mm (10 inches) of rain from the storm.

The rainfall from Francisco will cause many areas across southern and eastern Japan to reach 200-300 percent of their normal monthly rainfall for October.

Unlike Wipha, the winds from Francisco will be noticeably lighter. Sustained winds will be 20 to 30 mph with isolated gusts to 40 mph near the coast of eastern Japan.

The weakened state of Francisco is contributed to a number a factors, including cooler northern waters and interaction with a frontal boundary to the north. This front pushing through northern Japan will also steer Francisco northeastward.

Additionally, Typhoon Lekima will push northward over the open waters of the Pacific and will help pull Francisco to the east of Japan.

Lekima, which strengthened to a super typhoon Wednesday morning, EDT, was estimated to have a central pressure of 905 mb, making it the strongest typhoon of the 2013 season.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 28, 2013, 07:56:04 am
'Nothing like this has ever been attempted' — Yale Professor: 'All of humanity will be threatened for 1000s of years' if rods in Unit 4 pool touch and have nuclear reaction during removal process — Tepco: 'Not clear' if fuel is already damaged

http://revolutionradio.org/?p=60191


Fukushima nuclear plant operators prepare for dangerous procedure Hundreds of radioactive rods must be removed at Fukushima without exposing them to air

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1340687/fukushima-nuclear-plant-operators-prepare-dangerous-procedure


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on October 28, 2013, 12:47:22 pm
Quote
if rods in Unit 4 pool touch and have nuclear reaction

Yeah, they do not want that to happen! That would be the ultimate worst-case scenario. You don't just pour a bucket of water on a nuclear reaction.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 29, 2013, 11:56:34 am
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/27/fukushima-horse-breeder-radiation-animals
10/27/13
Fukushima horse breeder braves high radiation levels to care for animals

Despite the departure of all his neighbours and the unexplained deaths of some of his stock, Tokue Hosokawa refuses to budge


Until March 2011, Tokue Hosokawa had only to peer through the window of his home in Iitate village to confirm that all was well with his 100-year-old family business.

The 130 or so horses that once roamed this sprawling farm in Fukushima prefecture have sustained three generations of Hosokawa's family. Some were sold for their meat – a local delicacy – but his animals were better known for their appearances in commercials, period TV dramas and films, and local festivals celebrating the region's samurai heritage.

For decades, the 62-year-old horse breeder barely registered that his farm was just 25 miles north-west of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. But the rural idyll was shattered on the afternoon of 11 March 2011, when the facility was hit by a towering tsunami that caused meltdowns in three of its reactors.

Even as people living in the path of the plant's radioactive plume were fleeing in their thousands, Iitate's 6,500 residents remained in their homes, convinced by official assurances that the village was safe.

But two and half years after the accident, Iitate has become a nuclear ghost town. When Hosokawa looks out of his window these days, it is at empty, irradiated fields.

Like several other farmers in Fukushima, Hosokawa ignored a government order to exterminate all of his horses and cows. "I told them that if the animals had been suffering from an infectious disease, then I'd have them destroyed," he said. "But not for something like this.

"Just after the accident one of the horses gave birth. When I saw that foal get to its feet and start feeding from its mother, I knew there was no way I could leave."

The order to evacuate Iitate did not come until weeks after the meltdown, as local authorities debated the risk posed to the village, which had only recently been voted one of Japan's most picturesque places. Rather than acting as a shield, the mountain forests surrounding Iitate had trapped radioactive particles, turning the village into a repository for dangerously high levels of contamination.

Hosokawa, short and wiry with the weathered complexion of a man who spends most of his waking hours outside, sent his wife and their daughter, Miwa, to safer parts of the prefecture.

But, unable to bear the thought of leaving his animals to starve, he stayed put and joined the handful of residents who continue to live in the contaminated homes they were ordered to abandon.

Although the evacuation order in parts of Iitate has been partially lifted to allow residents to visit during the day, radiation levels are still too high for a permanent return.

Last week, visiting officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urged the government to prepare displaced residents from Iitate and other contaminated towns and villages for the grim news that cleaning up their former homes will take much longer than expected.

The IAEA report was published soon after Japanese officials admitted that the 5tn yen (£31.7bn) decontamination effort was woefully behind schedule. "We will have to extend the cleanup process, by one year, two years or three years. We haven't decided for sure yet," said Shigeyoshi Sato, an environment ministry official in charge of decontamination.

As Iitate's population plummeted in the spring of 2011, Hosokawa managed to find new homes for more than 80 of his horses. Then, in January this year, he noticed that several among the 30 that remained, mainly foals, had become unsteady on their feet.

Within weeks, 16 had died in mysterious circumstances. Autopsies on four of the horses found no evidence of disease and tests revealed caesium levels at 200 becquerels per kilo – twice as high as the government-set safety limit for agricultural produce, but not high enough to immediately threaten their health.

Hosokawa recently began legal action against the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power [Tepco], claiming 200m yen (£1,269,534) compensation for the loss of the horses he was forced to sell or give away. The animals that died last winter are not included.

Tepco agreed to pay him 10m yen for the loss of 39 horses he could prove were born on the farm, but refused to compensate him for the rest. The family refuses to back down. "No matter how long it takes," said Miwa, "we will keep on fighting."

The 30 or so animals left behind are sustained by feed paid for with donations, many of them sent anonymously, from horse lovers around Japan. One woman turned up on their doorstep with a million yen in cash. Hosokawa repays their generosity with gifts of Fukushima's famed peaches.

He estimates that he has lost about 100m yen in income since March 2011: the compensation the family received for the enforced evacuation has already been spent on uncontaminated feed from the US and Australia. "There was nothing left for the family," he said.

This summer, Miwa, 27, quit her job in Fukushima city to help her father rescue what little is left of their business. But with no end in sight to the evacuation order and a shortage of people willing to take on his remaining horses, Hosokawa reluctantly accepts that the farm's days may be numbered.

"We can't give these horses the same life as they had before the nuclear disaster, and no one wants to buy them," he said. "We can't make a living from them, but unless we feed them they will die."

As Fukushima's long and bitter winter draws in, the Hosokawas again fear the worst. "We don't know why the foals died, only that they died in winter," Miwa said. "I'm worried that we'll find more dead horses this winter."

Almost three years on, one of the few signs of human activity in Iitate is the crews of workers who have the near-impossible task of cleaning up the village's contaminated landscape. As quickly as they remove irradiated soil from around homes, schools and other public buildings, rain washes more radioactive particles down from the mountainous forests that cover much of Fukushima prefecture.

Few are convinced by official assurances that their village will again be fit to live in. "Our neighbours have all gone," Miwa said. "They're scattered all over the place. I don't even know where most of them are. The only people who say they'll come back are old. There's nothing here for people with young children." Fellow rebel farmers aside, Hosokawa's only companions are his daughter and the salespeople who frequently cold call with offers of "anti-radiation" pills.

"Life here has been very hard for everyone since the disaster," he said. "Most of the people I know want to return, but because of the radiation they know that they never will. This place is awash with tears. It's a village with no tomorrow."


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 30, 2013, 04:09:59 am
Something Is Killing Life All Over The Pacific Ocean – Could It Be Fukushima?

Why is there so much death and disease among sea life living near the west coast of North America right now?  Could the hundreds of tons of highly radioactive water that are being released into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima every single day have anything to do with it?  When I wrote my last article about Fukushima, I got a lot of heat for being “alarmist” and for supposedly “scaring” people unnecessarily.  I didn’t think that an article about Fukushima would touch such a nerve, but apparently there are some people out there that really do not want anyone writing about this stuff.  Right now, massive numbers of fish and sea creatures are dying in the Pacific Ocean.  In addition, independent tests have shown that significant levels of cesium-137 are in a very high percentage of the fish that are being caught in the Pacific and sold in North America.  Could this have anything to do with the fact that the largest nuclear disaster in the history of mankind has been constantly releasing enormous amounts of radioactive material into the Pacific Ocean for more than two years?  I don’t know about you, but to me this seems to be a question that is worth asking.

Since I wrote my last article, major news outlets have reported that large numbers of sea stars living off of the west coast of North America appear to be “melting“…

    Divers were out in Puget Sound waters Saturday to see if they can help solve a mystery. Scientists are trying to figure out what’s causing one species of starfish to die in parts of Puget Sound and the waters off of Canada.

    Seattle Aquarium biologists Jeff Christiansen and Joel Hollander suited up in scuba gear in their search for answers.  “We’re going to look for both healthy and potentially diseased sea stars,” Christiansen explained. “We’ve got some sea stars that look like they’re melting on the bottom.”

    The same thing is happening in the waters near Canada and nobody’s sure why.

If scientists don’t know why this is happening, perhaps there is an unusual explanation for this phenomenon.

Could it be Fukushima?

The following is what one invertebrate expert quoted by National Geographic says is happening to the starfish…

    “[The starfish] seem to waste away, ‘deflate’ a little, and then just … disintegrate. The arms just detach, and the central disc falls apart. It seems to happen rapidly, and not just dead animals undergoing decomposition, as I observed single arms clinging to the rock faces, tube feet still moving, with the skin split, gills flapping in the current. I’ve seen single animals in the past looking like this, and the first dive this morning I thought it might be crabbers chopping them up and tossing them off the rocks. Then we did our second dive in an area closed to fishing, and in absolutely amazing numbers. The bottom from about 20 to 50 feet [6 to 15 meters] was absolutely littered with arms, oral discs, tube feet, gonads and gills … it was kind of creepy.”

That certainly does not sound normal to me.

Shouldn’t we be trying to figure out why this is happening?

Something is also causing a huge spike in the death rate for killer whales living off of the coast of British Columbia…

    A Vancouver Aquarium researcher is sounding the alarm over “puzzling” changes he’s observed in the killer whale pods that live off the southern British Columbia coast.

    Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard says he fears changes in the ocean environment are prompting odd behaviour and an unusually high mortality rate.

    Barrett-Lennard says the southern resident orca pod, which is found in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland, has lost seven matriarchs over the past two years, and he’s noticed a lack of vocalizations from the normally chatty mammals.

Once again, scientists do not know why this is happening.

Could it be Fukushima?

I am just asking the question.

Clearly something unusual is happening to the Pacific.  The following is what one Australian discovered as he journeyed across the Pacific Ocean recently…

    The next leg of the long voyage was from Osaka to San Francisco and for most of that trip the desolation was tinged with nauseous horror and a degree of fear.

    “After we left Japan, it felt as if the ocean itself was dead,” Macfadyen said.

    “We hardly saw any living things. We saw one whale, sort of rolling helplessly on the surface with what looked like a big tumour on its head. It was pretty sickening.

    “I’ve done a lot of miles on the ocean in my life and I’m used to seeing turtles, dolphins, sharks and big flurries of feeding birds. But this time, for 3000 nautical miles there was nothing alive to be seen.”

    In place of the missing life was garbage in astounding volumes.

    “Part of it was the aftermath of the tsunami that hit Japan a couple of years ago. The wave came in over the land, picked up an unbelievable load of stuff and carried it out to sea. And it’s still out there, everywhere you look.”

What would cause the Pacific Ocean to be “dead”?

Could it be Fukushima?

When you consider the evidence presented above along with all of the other things that we have learned in recent months, it becomes more than just a little bit alarming.

The following are some more examples of sea life dying off in the Pacific from my recent article entitled “28 Signs That The West Coast Is Being Absolutely Fried With Nuclear Radiation From Fukushima“…

-Polar bears, seals and walruses along the Alaska coastline are suffering from fur loss and open sores…

    Wildlife experts are studying whether fur loss and open sores detected in nine polar bears in recent weeks is widespread and related to similar incidents among seals and walruses.

    The bears were among 33 spotted near Barrow, Alaska, during routine survey work along the Arctic coastline. Tests showed they had “alopecia, or loss of fur, and other skin lesions,” the U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement.

-There is an epidemic of sea lion deaths along the California coastline…

    At island rookeries off the Southern California coast, 45 percent of the pups born in June have died, said Sharon Melin, a wildlife biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service based in Seattle. Normally, less than one-third of the pups would die.   It’s gotten so bad in the past two weeks that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared an “unusual mortality event.”

-Along the Pacific coast of Canada and the Alaska coastline, the population of sockeye salmon is at a historic low.  Many are blaming Fukushima.

-Something is causing fish all along the west coast of Canada to bleed from their gills, bellies and eyeballs.

-Experts have found very high levels of cesium-137 in plankton living in the waters of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the west coast.

-One test in California found that 15 out of 15 bluefin tuna were contaminated with radiation from Fukushima.

-Back in 2012, the Vancouver Sun reported that cesium-137 was being found in a very high percentage of the fish that Japan was selling to Canada…

• 73 percent of mackerel tested

• 91 percent of the halibut

• 92 percent of the sardines

• 93 percent of the tuna and eel

• 94 percent of the cod and anchovies

• 100 percent of the carp, seaweed, shark and monkfish

Is it really so unreasonable to wonder if Fukushima could be causing all of this?

And the total amount of nuclear material in the Pacific Ocean is constantly increasing.  According to the New York Times, the latest releases from Fukushima contain “much more contaminated water than before”, and the flow of contaminated water will not stop until 2015 at the earliest…

    The latest releases appear to be carrying much more contaminated water than before into the Pacific. And that flow may not slow until at least 2015, when an ice wall around the damaged reactors is supposed to be completed.

And that same article explained that cesium-137 is entering the Pacific at a rate that is “about three times as high” as last year…

    The magnitude of the recent spike in radiation, and the amounts of groundwater involved, have led Michio Aoyama, an oceanographer at a government research institute who is considered an authority on radiation in the sea, to conclude that radioactive cesium 137 may now be leaking into the Pacific at a rate of about 30 billion becquerels per year, or about three times as high as last year. He estimates that strontium 90 may be entering the Pacific at a similar rate.

Right now, approximately 300 tons of contaminated water is pouring into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima every 24 hours.

But apparently we are not supposed to ask any questions about this and we are just supposed to blindly accept that this is not having any significant impact on our environment even though sea life in the Pacific appears to be dying in unprecedented numbers.

I don’t know about you, but I really think that the people of the world deserve to know the truth about what is happening out there.

http://thetruthwins.com/archives/something-is-killing-life-all-over-the-pacific-ocean-could-it-be-fukushima


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on October 30, 2013, 07:22:53 am
It's rather ironic that the US nuked Japan, and now it seems Japan is nuking the US!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 01, 2013, 08:51:29 pm
http://enenews.com/radio-weve-opened-a-door-to-hell-at-fukushima-plant-and-may-never-be-able-to-close-it-host-you-mean-that-even-with-robots-they-dont-know-where-3-reactor-cores-are-audio
10/30/13
“We’ve opened a door to hell” at Fukushima plant, and may never be able to close it — Radio Host: You mean that even with robots they don’t know where the 3 reactor cores are? (AUDIO)

Title: Discussing Fukushima
Source: Art Bell’s Dark Matter
Date: Oct. 29, 2013

Paul Gunter, nuclear power industry watchdog at Beyond Nuclear: We’ve got 3 reactors, the cores have left the vessel. They’ve burned through the bottom of the vessel. We don’t really know where they are, because the radioactive environment even fries robots that Tepco’s been trying to send in there. They have been sending very innovative robotic machinery and sensors in there to get a picture, to get a reading, and these things don’t return. We have opened a door to hell that cannot be easily closed — if ever. We’ve got those 3 cores that are melting, they could be somewhere in the concrete base mat burning their way through, they could have already burned through and entered into the ground. They hopefully have formed a huge solid ‘elephant’s foot’ of highly radioactive material.

Art Bell, host: You mean that even with robotic help, they don’t know where the cores are?

Gunter: Correct. We’ve got 3 molten cores that we don’t have a status report on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev-EVnvB3e8


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on November 02, 2013, 04:01:53 am
Quote
We’ve got 3 reactors, the cores have left the vessel. They’ve burned through the bottom of the vessel. We don’t really know where they are,

That's worst case scenario and exactly what they wanted to prevent.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 03, 2013, 11:21:21 am
West Coast Evacuation May Be Needed – “Most Terrifying Situation I Can Imagine”

The story below from ENENews is eye opening and tells the latest ‘worst case scenario’ coming out of Fukushima Japan from an award-winning scientist who warns us that the entire West Coast of America might have to be evacuated due to Fukushima and the fuel rod crisis at reactor #4. Calling what is happening now ‘the most terrifying situation I can imagine’, environmental expert David Suzuki also talks about the unfolding Fukushima disaster in the video below.
 
David Suzuki is an award-winning scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster. [...] Dr. Suzuki is a geneticist [...] He held a research associateship in the Biology Division of Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Lab [...]
 
Wikipedia: Suzuki was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 2009 [...] In 2004, David Suzuki was selected as the greatest living Canadian in a CBC poll.
 
David Suzuki at the University of Alberta, October 30, 2013 (At 2:45 in): Fukushima is the most terrifying situation I can imagine. You ask, what can we do? First of all you have got a government that is in total collusion with Tepco, they’re lying through their teeth. […] The fourth one has been so badly damaged that the fear is if there’s another quake of a 7 or above that that building will go, and then all hell breaks loose. And the probability of a 7 or above quake in the next 3 years is over 95%. […] They don’t know what to do. We need to get a group of international experts to go in with complete freedom to do what they suggest. Right now the Japanese government has too much pride to admit that. I’ve seen a paper which says that if in fact the fourth plant goes under an earthquake and those rods are exposed, it’s bye-bye Japan, and everybody on the West Coast of North America should evacuate. Now if that isn’t terrifying, I don’t know what is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iTqzqoKMLEg

http://beforeitsnews.com/japan-earthquake/2013/11/fuked-west-coast-evacuation-may-be-needed-most-terrifying-situation-i-can-imagine-2444402.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 03, 2013, 03:42:34 pm
5.0 Earthquake Near Fukushima!! Tremors In Tokyo, #Blackout Still In Effect! (Video)

Yet another earthquake has hot near the already crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, which is already struggling to minimize the radiation leaks and contaminated water flowing into the Pacific ocean.
 
This 5.0 magnitude earthquake follows the Great earthquake and tsuamni of 2011 which devastated the nuclear plant and the subsequent 7.2 earthquake that hit near Fukushima last week, which resulted in an Internet blackout of firsthand news from the Japanese people.
 
Sunday’s tremors were felt as far away as Tokyo, but no casualties or damage reports were released at the time.
 
The news comes just ahead of one of the most dangerous nuclear cleanup operations ever attempted. Scheduled to start at the beginning of November, it will involve the careful, manual removal of 400 tons of spent nuclear fuel rods from the plant’s Reactor No. 4 – with an atomic yield greater than the Hiroshima bomb. The long and cumbersome operation will not permit even the slightest tremor, or Japan risks a catastrophe greater than Chernobyl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGyKD944gV0&feature=player_embedded

http://beforeitsnews.com/earthquakes/2013/11/another-earthquake-near-fukushima-tremors-in-tokyo-blackout-still-in-effect-video-2476874.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 03, 2013, 04:17:59 pm
Quote
5.0 Earthquake Near Fukushima!! Tremors In Tokyo, #Blackout Still In Effect! (Video)

Did this happen just now?

Is there a link to this story?


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 03, 2013, 04:21:37 pm
Did this happen just now?

Is there a link to this story?

http://beforeitsnews.com/earthquakes/2013/11/another-earthquake-near-fukushima-tremors-in-tokyo-blackout-still-in-effect-video-2476874.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 03, 2013, 04:39:44 pm
Thanks! :)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on November 04, 2013, 02:19:16 am
Quote
And the probability of a 7 or above quake in the next 3 years is over 95%.

Now I'd like to know where he gets his information from. Since when can they "predict" earthquakes like that? They can't as far as I know.

Quote
I’ve seen a paper which says that if in fact the fourth plant goes under an earthquake and those rods are exposed, it’s bye-bye Japan

You don't need some "paper" to know that. It's basic physics and chemistry. If those rods start reacting, yes, game over for at least the northern half of Japan, and God only knows the fallout to the rest of the world. We can easily see how this can play a part in the prophecy of a third of sea life dying.

I'm no expert obviously, but I know enough to know there is no scenario that a nuclear reaction would be acceptable. They simply cannot afford to let that happen. That would be the ultimate worst case scenario by far, and a situation they couldn't handle.

If I didn't know prophecy of the end times, I'd say Fukushima has the very real potential of being the most devastating disaster in history, ever, and possibly an event that literally would cause a mass migration of millions of people due to Japan becoming unlivable, even worse than Chernobyl.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 05, 2013, 06:44:24 am
Another earthquake: New 4.9 tremor near Fukushima

A 4.9 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter close to Fukushima Prefecture has struck the eastern coast of Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The tremor was registered at a depth of 20 km. There have not been immediate reports of damage or injuries. No tsunami warning has been issued.
 
It is the second earthquake to hit Fukushima neighboring prefecture in the past two days. A 5.0 earthquake was registered on Japan’s east coast, with Sunday’s tremors felt as far away as Tokyo.
 
The news comes amid preparations for a tough and dangerous cleanup operation to remove fuel rods from Unit 4 at Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Scheduled to start in mid-November, it will involve the careful, manual removal of 400 tons of spent nuclear fuel rods.

Should the attempt fail, horrific quantities of radiation could be released into the atmosphere, or cause an explosion many times worse than the original disaster.

Even the slightest tremor during the operation would risk a catastrophe greater than Chernobyl.   

The mid-November fuel removal operation will be just the first step in a decommissioning process that is expected to take decades.
 
http://rt.com/news/fukushima-japan-earthquake-nuclear-194/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 06, 2013, 11:05:44 am
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/floating-island-rubbish-three-times-2678207
Floating island of rubbish three times size of BRITAIN floating towards California

Five millions tons of debris made up of devastated property is making its way to the US following the 2011 tsunami in Japan

11/5/13

A floating island of debris three times the size of BRITAIN is heading for the California coastline sparking huge environmental concerns.

Five millions tons of rubbish made up of devastated homes, boats, cars and businesses is making its way across the Pacific Ocean following the 2011 tsunami in Japan.

Scientists have already discovered debris on the west coast but their latest findings suggest California is expected to be hit with a deluge all at once.

America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released their latest findings showing a huge island of rubbish floating northeast of the Hawaiian Islands.

Boffins have been unable to say for certain when the debris will wash ashore but they have been closely monitoring its movements which stretches from Alaska to the Philippines.

Seven months ago, the first documented debris from the tsunami reached Crescent City, California.

A 20-foot boat belonging to the marine sciences program at Takata High School in the north east city of Rikuzentakata was discovered washed up.

NOAA spokeswoman Keeley Belva said more than 1,600 reports of debris had been firmly traced back to the tsunami.

They included a small boat found in Hawaii, a motorbike washed ashore on the coast of British Columbia and large pieces of a dock in Washington state and Oregon.

A football was also discovered on an Alsakan island still with its owner’s name it.

The boy was traced to Rikuzentakata.

The tsunami devastated the east coast of Japan in March 2011.

Caused by the massive T?hoku earthquake it sent a colossal undersea “megathrust” creating waves up to 41 metres tall crashing on to the shoreline.

The tsunami was so powerful scientists measured it had moved Honshu - the main island of Japan - eight feet.

The Fukushima nuclear power plant was left destroyed sending three of its reactors in to meltdown.

It led to hundreds of thousands of residents being evacuated up to 50 miles away.

However despite the leaking radioactive reactor water from the plant, none of the floating debris has tested positive for radiation.

Check out our before and after pictures of the areas devastated by the tsunami in our gallery below.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on November 06, 2013, 02:34:29 pm
Sounds like Japan needs to get some garbage bags and get busy!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 06, 2013, 04:53:57 pm
ABC: Fukushima 3 Exploded – Lies At Highest Levels – Plutonium Escaped

Despite an ongoing coverup more than 2 1/2 years old, the world continues to get more truth from ENENews today about Fukushima from ABC Australia who shares that even the Prime Minister of Japan was unable to get answers from TEPCO about an explosion that he himself witnessed at Fukushima’s reactor #3. We also learn below that plutonium escaped during the explosion which featured an ‘orange flash’, suggesting temperatures of thousands of degrees, now being called a nuclear explosion. You can see the explosion of Fukushima #3 in the 2nd video below. The 1st video is entitled, Fukushima: Oceans of the Dead – What You Aren’t Being Told. Is this why much of the Pacific Ocean has now turned into a ‘dead zone’ and what does this plutonium release mean for humanity?

(http://beforeitsnews.com/contributor/upload/5385/images/US-West-Coast-Has-Been-Bombarded-By-Plutonium-Since-March-18th.jpg)

ABC Australia: Even [Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan] can’t get answers. There’s one point he’s back in his office watching reactor 3 explode, there’s black smoke. “What’s going on,” asks Kan. There was silence. No one had any answer. But then over at Tepco, they’re watching that too. They know what’s going on, but the president of Tepco basically says, “Well, don’t tell them that, tell them something different.” Basically tell them it was a hydrogen explosion. So there’s willful denial and lying going on here, even at the highest levels. Even the Prime Minister can’t get the answers.
Akio Takahashi, a senior Tepco official: “We do not know whether it was a hydrogen explosion, but since the government–the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency–is saying it is a hydrogen explosion, we can just say so–a hydrogen explosion, can’t we?”
‘Fukushima‘ by ABC correspondent Mark Willacy, published July 1, 2013 (Excerpt): ‘All right. I agree. This is fine,’ replied [Tepco] President Shimizu. And that was exactly what happened. At a press conference later that day, a TEPCO public-relations official said with utmost confidence, it was a hydrogen explosion.’ But the exact cause of the Reactor 3 blast has even now not been conclusively determined. Some have speculated it could have been a nuclear explosion — just like Chernobyl. ‘I watched video of the Reactor 3 explosion,’ said veteran Japanese nuclear-reactor designer Setsuo Fujiwara. ‘There was an orange flash, which suggests the temperature must have been thousands of degrees centigrade before the explosion. Then there was black smoke.’ Fujiwara insisted to me that a hydrogen explosion created white smoke and steam, as witnessed after the Reactor 1 building was torn apart. He continued, ‘The second piece of evidence is that plutonium was scattered about after this blast. Plutonium is consistent with the mixed oxide fuel [used in Reactor 3]. The third point is that the Reactor 3 building was bent like candy, unlike the Reactor 1 building, where the steel framework remained intact. So this could only mean it was a nuclear explosion.’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ICgo1dpC0cc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9k3Ofs6R9cg

(http://beforeitsnews.com/contributor/upload/5385/images/download(16).jpg)

http://beforeitsnews.com/japan-earthquake/2013/11/abc-fukushima-3-exploded-lies-at-highest-levels-plutonium-escaped-2444448.html?utm


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 07, 2013, 10:57:05 am
http://news.yahoo.com/fukushima-plant-readies-dangerous-fuel-rod-removal-031526203.html
11/7/13
Fukushima plant readies for dangerous fuel rod removal

Fukushima Daiichi (Japan) (AFP) - Nuclear engineers in Japan are preparing to move uranium and plutonium fuel rods at Fukushima, their most difficult and dangerous task since the plant's runaway reactors were brought under control two years ago.

Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) is expected this month to begin removing fuel rods from a pool inside a reactor building at the tsunami-hit plant, in a technically challenging operation that will test the utility's expertise after months of setbacks and glitches.

Experts say the operation is a tricky but essential step in the decades-long decommissioning and recovery after the worst atomic accident in a generation.

But, they add, it pales in comparison with the much more complex task that awaits engineers in the future. They will have to remove the misshapen cores of three reactors that went into meltdown, probably relying on technology that has not yet been invented.

More than 1,500 nuclear fuel assemblies -- bundles of rods -- must be pulled out of the storage pool where they were being kept when a tsunami smashed into Fukushima in March 2011
.

The reactor which the pool serves -- No. 4 -- was not in operation at the time. But hydrogen from Reactor No. 3 escaped into the building and exploded, tearing the roof off and leaving it at the mercy of natural hazards like earthquakes, storms or another tsunami.

TEPCO says it has not yet found any damage to the assemblies at No. 4, which contain a mixture of uranium and plutonium, but will be monitoring for abnormalities.

The removal of fuel is part of regular work at any nuclear power plant, but "conditions are different from normal because of the disaster", said company spokeswoman Mayumi Yoshida.

"It is crucial. It is a first big step towards decommissioning the reactors," she said. "Being fully aware of risks, we are determined to go ahead with operations cautiously and securely."

"This is an operation TEPCO cannot afford to bungle"

Chunks of debris that were sent flying into the pool by explosions have largely been removed and a crane has been installed. A protective hood has been erected over the building's skeleton to contain any radioactive leaks.

A remotely-controlled grabber will sink into the pool and hook onto a fuel assembly, which it will pull up and place inside a fully immersed cask.

The 4.5-metre (15-foot) bundles weighing 300 kilograms (660 pounds) have to be kept in water throughout the operation to keep them cool.

The 91-tonne cask will then be hauled from the pool -- containing as many as 22 fuel assemblies and a lot of water -- to be loaded onto a trailer and taken to a different storage pool, where the operation will be reversed.

Experts warn that any slip-ups could quickly cause the situation to deteriorate. Even minor mishaps will create considerable delays to the already long and complicated decommissioning.

If the rods are exposed to the air they would release radiation and could heat up, a process that if left unchecked could lead to a self-sustaining nuclear reaction. TEPCO says that is unlikely, but sceptics say that with so many unknowns in the novel operation, there is potential for a catastrophe.

"This is the first practical milestone for the project," said Hiroshi Miyano, a nuclear systems expert and visiting professor at Hosei University in Tokyo.

"Any trouble in this operation will considerably affect the timetable for the entire project," he said. "This is an operation TEPCO cannot afford to bungle."

Hiroaki Koide, assistant professor at Kyoto University Reactor Research Institute in Kyoto, said success was far from guaranteed.

"It is not easy work," he said.

The comments reflect an increasingly widespread view that the giant utility is not capable of dealing with the mess its nuclear plant has created
.

Months of setbacks have included multiple leaks from tanks storing the water used to keep reactors cool, and a power outage caused when a rat electrocuted itself on a circuit board.

TEPCO's management of the problems has been criticised as haphazard and uncoordinated, with one government minister saying it was like watching someone playing "whack-a-mole".

The full decommissioning of Fukushima is likely to take decades and include tasks that have never been attempted anywhere in the world.

Meanwhile, villages and towns nearby remain largely empty, their residents unable or unwilling to return to live in the shadow of the leaking plant because of the fear of radiation.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 08, 2013, 07:58:12 pm
http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2013-11-08/we%E2%80%99re-most-dangerous-moment-cuban-missile-crisis
11/8/13
We’re In The Most Dangerous Moment Since the Cuban Missile Crisis

Scientists Warn of Extreme Risk
We’ve long said that the greatest short-term threat to humanity is from the fuel pools at Fukushima.

The Japanese nuclear agency recently green-lighted the removal of the spent fuel rods from Fukushima reactor 4′s spent fuel pool. The operation is scheduled to begin this month.

The head of the U.S. Department of Energy correctly notes:

The success of the cleanup also has global significance. So we all have a direct interest in seeing that the next steps are taken well, efficiently and safely.

If one of the pools collapsed or caught fire, it could have severe adverse impacts not only on Japan … but the rest of the world, including the United States. Indeed, a Senator called it a national security concern for the U.S.:

The radiation caused by the failure of the spent fuel pools in the event of another earthquake could reach the West Coast within days. That absolutely makes the safe containment and protection of this spent fuel a security issue for the United States.

Hiroaki Koide – a nuclear scientist working at the University of Kyoto – says:

I’m worried about whether Tepco can treat all the 1,331 [spent-fuel] assemblies without any problem and how long it will take.

Award-winning scientist David Suzuki says that Fukushima is terrifying, Tepco and the Japanese government are lying through their teeth, and Fukushima is “the most terrifying situation I can imagine”.

Suzuki notes that reactor 4 is so badly damaged that – if there’s another earthquake of 7 or above – the building could come down. And the probability of another earthquake of 7 or above in the next 3 years is over 95%.

Suzuki says that he’s seen a paper that says that if – in fact – the 4th reactor comes down, “it’s bye bye Japan, and everyone on the West Coast of North America should evacuate. Now if that’s not terrifying, I don’t know what is.”

much more in the link


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 08, 2013, 08:04:59 pm
Well, obviously we're not in the time of Jacob's trouble now - but nonetheless you can't deny this could very well be another piece on the chess board.

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Rev 8:8  And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Rev 8:9  And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
Rev 8:10  And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
Rev 8:11  And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on November 09, 2013, 02:31:26 am
While scripture describes all kinds of disasters, it's not specific. So we don't know really just how bad stuff will get even before the "tribulation". We have earthquakes, and some big ones, we have volcanoes, but who's to say those are anything other than normal? I suspect we haven't seen anything yet, that times will get much worse before the real fireworks begin in the tribulation period. It wouldn't surprise me to see a super volcano go off, or some major quake in a major city, etc. Even stuff like Fukushima could turn into a real nightmare, radiating half the US, but it's not the tribulation.

We've had earthquakes kill tens of thousands in modern times, more than once, and it ain't the tribulation period yet!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 09, 2013, 08:47:45 pm
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/09/us-japan-quake-idUSBRE9A80FR20131109
11/9/13
Tokyo area hit by magnitude 5.5 earthquake

(Reuters) - An earthquake with preliminary magnitude of 5.5 shook eastern Japan, including the capital Tokyo, on Sunday morning, but there were no immediate reports of damage and no irregularities at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant.

The earthquake was centered in southwest Ibaraki Prefecture, just northeast of Tokyo. There was no threat of a tsunami.

Tokyo Electric Power Co, operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant 220 km (130 miles) northeast of Tokyo, said there was no apparent impact from the quake.

"We have so far seen no abnormalities in monitoring post figures around the plants or in other parameters," a Tokyo Electric spokesman said.

The Tohoku Shinkansen bullet trains connecting Tokyo with northern Japan were briefly suspended, while Tokyo's two international airports were operating normally and there were no reports of irregularities at the Tokai Daini nuclear facility, public broadcaster NHK said.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 13, 2013, 09:46:56 pm
http://fukushimaupdate.com/unit-4-three-fuel-assemblies-deformed-or-damaged-says-tepco/
11/13/13
Unit 4: Three Fuel Assemblies Deformed or Damaged, says TEPCO

via EX-SKF / It must be from the explosion! Or from something TEPCO has done since the accident, whatever it is!

No.

If TEPCO is to be believed, TEPCO has been hiding the damages for at least 10 years; the oldest damage was from 25 years ago.

According to the Yomiuri Shinbun, that’s not clear, and you would be excused if you thought the damages were recent (after March 11, 2011).

From Yomiuri Shinbun (11/12/2013):

On November 12, TEPCO disclosed that there were three fuel assemblies out of 1533 fuel assemblies in the Spent Fuel Pool of Reactor 4 at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant that were deformed and would be difficult to remove. The removal of fuel assemblies from the Reactor 4 SFP will start this month.

The three fuel assemblies has slight deformation or damage caused by the past work [in the SFP]. No leak of radioactive materials has been observed. TEPCO will transport other fuel assemblies first, while they figure out how to remove and transport these three fuel assemblies. Nuclear Regulation Authority has already approved the fuel removal, and the work will start within this month as scheduled.

So, are these fuel assemblies new? used? How long ago was the “past work”?

I found the answer in Fukushima Minyu, one of the local newspapers in Fukushima Prefecture. It was long before the start of the March 11, 2011 nuclear accident, with the oldest “past work” 25 years ago…

From Fukushima Minyu (11/13/2013; part):

According to TEPCO, one of the damaged fuel assemblies is bent at a 90-degree angle [literal meaning: bent in the shape of a Japanese character "く"; actual angle could be less]. It was bent 25 years ago when a mistake occurred in handling the fuel. The other two were found to be damaged 10 years ago; there are small holes on the outside from foreign objects.

TEPCO is investigating whether the damages to the fuel assemblies were made public when they were discovered.

According to Fukushima Minyu, the occasion was a visit by the delegation of the Fukushima Prefectural Council for Decommission Safety Monitoring. The council members include officials from the Fukushima prefectural government, municipalities around Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, and experts.

How do you bend a fuel assembly at a 90-degree angle, handling it in the spent fuel pool?

And how could Yomiuri call a fuel assembly bent at a 90-degree angle “slight deformation”?


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 18, 2013, 09:06:27 am
Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant begins fuel rod removal

Workers at Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant have begun removing fuel rods from a storage pond at the Unit 4 reactor building.

The delicate operation is seen as a necessary step in stabilising the site.

It will take about two days to remove the first 22 fuel rod assemblies, plant operator Tepco says.

Overall, more than 1,500 assemblies must be be removed in what correspondents describe as a risky and dangerous operation set to take a year.

Experts say hydrogen explosions after the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 have made the current storage facility vulnerable to further tremors.

The fuel rod assemblies are four-metre long tubes containing pellets of uranium fuel, and the fear is that some may have been damaged during the disaster.


Removing fuel rods
The fuel rods - 4m-long tubes containing pellets of uranium fuel - are in a precarious state in the Unit Four storage pool
The rod assemblies will be lifted out in batches of 22 in casks filled with water, using a crane - each batch will take 7-10 days
Two critical issues are whether the rods were damaged during the disaster and so are likely to leak, and whether the casks remain watertight so the rods have no contact with air
The fuel rods will be deposited into a new "common" pool with a cooling system

rest: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24958048


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 18, 2013, 11:12:19 am
Quote
Overall, more than 1,500 assemblies must be be removed in what correspondents describe as a risky and dangerous operation set to take a year.

And they're waiting until NOW to do this?


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on November 18, 2013, 03:41:02 pm
I suspect it's because of all the rubble they had to remove, which of course is all radioactive.

They cannot mess up the rod removal. it's critical.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 19, 2013, 12:13:53 pm
http://beforeitsnews.com/japan-earthquake/2013/11/pacific-ocean-now-a-gigantic-experiment-2444568.html

Pacific Now A ‘Gigantic Experiment’: “Amazing How Many People Are In Denial”

Saturday, November 16, 2013 6:57

This story from ENENews is enlightening and shows that not only are most Americans and people around the world completely in the dark about what’s really unfolding at the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plants but also shows that we are in deep trouble because of it. Confirming that ‘top of the food chain animals’ will likely become ‘contaminated’, have we forgotten that the ‘top of the food chain’ is us? Calling what’s happening in the Pacific Ocean a ‘gigantic experiment’, experts warn that we really have no idea what is going to happen. A video report is also below.

Arnie Gundersen, Fairewinds Chief Engineer: Unlike a cloud of smoke that passes over, Fukushima continues to spew cesium into the ocean and strontium too, I have to add. So the net effect is that the spigot hasn’t been turned off yet, and we’re contaminating the Pacific Ocean in the process […] It’s not heavier than water, it’s very, very small particles that sort of float almost like dust in air, so that it is moving in the entire water column across the Pacific. […] We’ve got contamination of the aquatic chain. […] the top of the food chain animals will likely become contaminated.

Steven Starr, Director of the Clinical Laboratory Science Program at the University of Missouri, Senior Scientist at Physicians for Social Responsibility: We’re looking at the whole Pacific is full of this stuff, and we have no idea how it’s going to build up. It’s a gigantic experiment, what’s going to happen.

John B. Wells, Host: Isn’t it amazing how many people are in denial about this? [...] This is a problem, and it’s not going away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbcHWEotPbQ


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on November 19, 2013, 12:51:35 pm
Quote
This is a problem, and it’s not going away.

No, it's not, according to scientists. Once it's in the ocean, it's too late.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 01, 2013, 04:42:53 pm
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6179864/Muttonbirds-in-radiation-study
Muttonbirds in radiation study

12/22/2011

New Zealand muttonbirds are being studied to see if they were affected by radiation from Japan's damaged nuclear power plant.

Samples are being taken from the birds as part of the research into the effects of radiation from the Fukushima plant, which was severely damaged following the earthquake and tsunamis which hit the country in March.

The research aims to determine the degree to which the mutton bird population was exposed to radiation.

Experts have said the Fukushima disaster was responsible for the largest single release of radioactivity into the ocean, threatening wildlife and fisheries in the region.

Millions of the birds, known as sooty shearwaters, come to this country to breed during the summer months before heading north during the colder southern months.

However, it is not thought there would be any radioactivity problems for Stewart Island residents who harvest mutton bird chicks in the autumn.

US Geological Service biologist Josh Adams heads the research and said the chicks' food would come from sub Antarctic waters and waters off New Zealand. Those areas were probably relatively unaffected by the radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, he said.

From his own knowledge, he did not think there should be too much of a problem, Adams told Radio NZ.

But he noted adult birds could be holding onto some radioactive isotopes in their feathers, although it was unlikely they would pass those on to their chicks.

The Ministry of  Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for food safety, but said it had no information to suggest mutton birds might be significantly exposed to radioactive contamination.

But it continued to monitor any new information that might cause it to change its advice to people about eating muttonbirds.

Adams said it was planned to take tissue samples from birds in this country in late March or early April.

Sooty shearwaters had been chosen for the research mainly because they were one of the most abundant seabirds in the Pacific.

Part of the research was to determine what portion of the New Zealand birds were spending the southern winter in Japan and the Kamchatka Peninsula in the far east of Russia, rather than at other wintering grounds.

Adams suggested it might be a third of the 21 million birds in this country.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on December 02, 2013, 08:41:17 am
Radioactive Japanese wave nears US

In the wake of the deadly tsunami that hit Japan in 2011 and severely damaged a nuclear reactor, Japanese officials say the levels of radiation are safe for everyone outside the reactor area itself. But as radioactive water from the plant nears the West Coast of North America -- the water is expected to hit in 2014 -- can we be sure it's safe?

The nuclear reactor continues to leak radioactive water due to poor management, while Japanese subcontractors at the plant have admitted they intentionally under-reported radiation and that dozens of farms around Fukushima that were initially deemed safe by the government actually had unsafe levels of radioactive cesium.

Fukushima locals also claim they're seeing cancer at higher rates and the Japanese government is covering up the scale of the problem.

So what do independent estimates say? The first measures come from the U.S. government. The FDA has stepped up its monitoring of radiation in seafood due to the Fukushima incident.

“Since the time FDA began its targeted testing of Japanese imports following the Fukushima incident, FDA has only found one sample of food -- a ginger powder -- that contained detectable levels of cesium, but those levels were far below FDA’s [safety levels] and posed no public health concern,” FDA spokeswoman Theresa Eisenman told FoxNews.com.

“We are actively watching for information that could implicate U.S. food and are always ready to take further action,” she said.

Meanwhile, the EPA keeps track of radiation within U.S. borders and presents the data online in nearly real time through RadNet, a nationwide system of monitors.

“RadNet sample analyses and monitoring results of precipitation, drinking water, and milk provide baseline data on background levels of radiation,” the EPA said in a statement to FoxNews.com.

The agency does not monitor radiation levels at sea, however, and in a statement pointed to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which relies on Japanese government data.

Independent estimates confirm that radiated particles at sea are relatively low. One measurement comes from researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

“I stood on a ship two miles from the Fukushima reactors in June 2011 and as recently as May 2013, and it was safe to be there (I carry radiation detectors with me),” Ken Buesseler a Senior Scientist at the WHOI, has reported. He also tested radioactivity in the water.

“Although radioactive isotopes in the samples and on the ship were measurable back in our lab, it was low enough to be safe to handle samples without any precautions,” he has said.

In Japan, more than 100 volunteer-run radioactivity testing sites have also started up, which would likely notice a sharp uptick in radioactivity.

Doug Dasher, who studies radioecology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said it remains possible that there will be minor effects for people on the U.S. West Coast, despite the low test results.

“No acute effects resulting in mortality or damage to organs … would be expected,” he told FoxNews.com. But he added that more subtle effects might occur.

“Longer term chronic effects, cancer or genetic effects… odds are statistically low, if the concentrations in the models remain within the projections, [but] cannot be said to be zero.”

Additional leakage from Fukushima could increase the odds, he said.

“The estimates [of radiation] vary substantially and do not, at least so far, account for the continued leakage from the Fukushima site to the marine environment,” he said.

Scientists also warn that if an another earthquake or other natural disaster occurs while the Fukushima nuclear plant is still being decommissioned, that could have catastrophic consequences. To help the decommissioning happen smoothly, the U.S. government has supported the cleanup by sending 34 experts and over 17,000 pounds of equipment to Japan.

In the end, some experts say, Japanese near the Fukushima reactor have reason to worry -- a World Health Organization report found that the likelihood of a Japanese infant living near Fukushima getting thyroid cancer over her lifetime is expected to increase from the standard 0.75 percent to 1.25 percent -- but Americans do not.

“There should be no concern among Americans, of any age or location,” Gilbert Ross, executive director of the American Council on Science and Health, told FoxNews.com.

“If you want to list health concerns that Americans should worry about, start with the real killers -- drunk driving and smoking,” Ross said.

“If you went down a list of things people really should worry about, you would never even get to a concern about radiation leakage from Fukushima.”

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/11/29/is-it-safe-radioactive-japanese-wave-nears-us/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on December 03, 2013, 10:52:10 am
Fukushima earthquake actually changed Earth's gravity, European Space Agency says - @esa

ESA’s GOCE satellite has revealed that the devastating Japanese earthquake of 2011 left its mark in Earth’s gravity – yet another example of this extraordinary mission surpassing its original scope.
 
GOCE mapped Earth’s gravity with unrivalled precision for over four years, but nobody really expected the data to show changes over time.
 
Now, careful analysis shows the effects of the 9.0 earthquake that struck east of Japan’s Honshu Island on 11 March 2011 are clearly visible in GOCE’s gravity data.
 
Large earthquakes not only deform Earth’s crust, but can also cause tiny changes in local gravity.
 
rest: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/GOCE/Earth_s_gravity_scarred_by_earthquake


Title: Dr. Helen Caldicott On the Dangers of Fukushima and Radiation - Planet Killer.
Post by: Charrington on December 03, 2013, 08:55:30 pm
http://youtu.be/nsrik7HEvh8



Title: Re: Dr. Helen Caldicott On the Dangers of Fukushima and Radiation - Planet Killer.
Post by: Kilika on December 04, 2013, 02:27:32 am
Based on prophecy, we know Fukushima won't kill the planet, but I do think it's playing a part in the end times "beginnings of sorrows".


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on December 05, 2013, 12:56:40 pm
They’re Going to Dump the Fukushima Radiation Into the Ocean

Washington’s Blog
 December 5, 2013
 
Tepco is planning on dumping all of the radioactive water stored at Fukushima into the ocean.
 

Image: Fukushima Plant (Wikimedia Commons).
 
The industry-controlled nuclear regulators are pushing for dumping the radiation, as well.
 
As EneNews reports:
 

Juan Carlos Lentijo, head of IAEA’s mission to Fukushima Daiichi, Dec. 4, 2013: “Controlled discharge is a regular practice in all the nuclear facilities in the world. And what we are trying to say here is to consider this as one of the options to contribute to a good balance of risks and to stabilize the facility for the long term.”
 
Shunichi Tanaka, chairman of Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, Dec. 4, 2013: “You cannot keep storing the water forever. We have to make choice comparing all risks involved.”
 
Xinhua, Dec. 4, 2013: Lentijo said that TEPCO should weigh the possible damaging effects of discharging toxic water against the total risks involved in the overall decommissioning work process. [...] Tanaka highlighted the fact that while highly radioactive water could be decontaminated in around seven years, the amount of water containing tritium will keep rising, topping 700,000 tons in two years. [...] nuclear experts have repeatedly pointed out that [tritium] is still a significant radiation hazard when inhaled, ingested via food or water, or absorbed through the skin. [...] fisherman, industries and fisheries bodies in the Fukushima area and beyond in Japan’s northeast, have collectively baulked at the idea of releasing toxic water into the sea [...] TEPCO will be duty-bound to submit assessments of the safety and environmental impact [...]
 
NHK, Dec. 4, 2013: IAEA team leader Juan Carlos Lentijo [...] said it is necessary and indispensable to assess the impact the tritium discharge might have on human health and the environment, and to get government approval as well as consent from concerned people.
 
Japan Times, Dec. 4, 2013: “Of course . . . public acceptance for this purpose is necessary,” said Lentijo, adding strict monitoring of the impact of the discharge would also be essential.
 
AFP, Dec. 4, 2013: [L]ocal fishermen, neighbouring countries and environmental groups all oppose the idea.
 
See also: Gundersen: They want to dump all Fukushima’s radioactive water in Pacific — Tepco: It will be diluted, then released — Professor suggests pumping it out in deep ocean (VIDEOS)
 
In the real world, there is no safe level of radiation.
 
And there are alternatives.
 
Dr. Arjun Makhijani  – a recognized expert on nuclear power, who has testified  before Congress, served as an expert witness in Nuclear Regulatory Commission proceedings, and been interviewed by many of the largest news organizations – told PBS in March:
 

We actually sent a proposal to Japan two years ago, some colleagues of mine and I, saying you should park a supertanker or a large tanker offshore, and put the water in it, and send it off someplace else so that the water treatment and the water management is not such a huge, constant issue. But [the Japanese declined].
 
Tepco – with no financial incentive to actually fix things – has been insanely irresponsible and has only been pretending to contain Fukushima. And see this.
 
Unfortunately, Japan has devolved into crony capitalism … and even tyranny.
 
So instead of doing something to contain the radiation, they’re going to dump it.
 
Postscript: In related news, the Japanese government has embarked on a massive program ofburning radioactive waste throughout Japan … instead of encapsulating it in glass or otherwise containing it.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/12/theyre-going-dump-fukushima-radiation-ocean.html


Title: Re: Dr. Helen Caldicott On the Dangers of Fukushima and Radiation - Planet Killer.
Post by: Charrington on December 06, 2013, 04:43:55 am
Based on prophecy, we know Fukushima won't kill the planet, but I do think it's playing a part in the end times "beginnings of sorrows".

True - It's also one more thing that shows man can't rule over man or rules man to his own injury.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 07, 2013, 07:52:55 pm
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20131207_01.html

Highest radiation levels measured outside reactor

Tokyo Electric Power Company says radiation levels are extremely high in an area near a ventilation pipe at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

 TEPCO found radiation of 25 sieverts an hour on a duct, which connects reactor buildings and the 120-meter-tall ventilation pipe.

 The estimated radiation level is the highest ever detected outside reactor buildings. People exposed to this level of radiation would die within 20 minutes.

 The exhaust pipe in question was used to release radioactive gases following the outbreak of the accident 2 years ago.

 TEPCO says radioactive substances could remain inside the pipes.

Dec. 6, 2013 - Updated 21:13 UTC


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on December 16, 2013, 07:13:08 am
Fukushima Aftermath? 98 Percent Of The Pacific Ocean Floor Covered By Dead Sea Creatures

According to an absolutely shocking study that has just been released, one area of the Pacific Ocean floor was 98 percent covered by decomposing sea creatures in July 2012.  But in March 2012, only 1 percent of that same section of the Pacific Ocean floor was covered by dead sea creatures.  This study has been going on for 24 years, and the scientists that are running this study say that during “the past 2 years” they have seen “the biggest amounts of this detritus by far”.  In other words, the scientists that are studying this section of the ocean floor have never seen anything quite like this before.  And when you consider this in conjunction with all of the other reports that have been coming in of sea creatures dying all over the Pacific Ocean, it is only natural to start asking some hard questions.  Could radiation from Fukushima be responsible for all of this death?
 
National Geographic recently published a very interesting article about this study of the Pacific Ocean floor.  The scientists running the study cannot really explain the very strange changes that they have observed since 2011…
 

In March 2012, less than one percent of the seafloor beneath Station M was covered in dead sea salps. By July 1, more than 98 percent of it was covered in the decomposing organisms, according to the study, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
 
The major increase in activity of deep-sea life in 2011 and 2012 weren’t limited to Station M, though: Other ocean-research stations reported similar data.
 
Although climate change is a leading contender for explaining the major increases in 2011 and 2012, Huffard says that these spikes could be part of a longer-term trend that scientists haven’t yet observed.
 
Even though they do not have a “scientific explanation” for what is happening, the scientists are admitting that they have never seen a die-off of this magnitude in the 24 years that this study has been going on…
 

“In the 24 years of this study, the past 2 years have been the biggest amounts of this detritus by far,”  said study leader Christine Huffard, a marine biologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California.
 
Could this phenomenon possibly be related to what has been going on at Fukushima?
 
It should be a fair question to ask.  Especially in light of all of the other sea creature deaths that have been happening all over the Pacific.  The following is a short excerpt from a recent CNN article…
 

“One of my favorite sayings right now is we may be experiencing global weirding,” Jim Covel at the Monterey Bay Aquarium said.
 
The Pacific recently has seen its fair share of weird. Last year, there was an invasion of Humboldt squid around coastal California and sea lion dying off in worrying numbers. And in recent weeks, disturbingly, sea stars – from Alaska to San Diego are wasting away, literally melting.
 
So what in the world would cause sea stars to begin “literally melting”?
 
Once again, scientists do not have an answer.
 
But clearly, something definitely appears to be significantly affecting life throughout the Pacific Ocean.  In fact, one very experienced Australian adventurer has stated that he felt as though “the ocean itself was dead” as he journeyed from Japan to San Francisco recently…
 

The next leg of the long voyage was from Osaka to San Francisco and for most of that trip the desolation was tinged with nauseous horror and a degree of fear.
 
“After we left Japan, it felt as if the ocean itself was dead,” Macfadyen said.
 
“We hardly saw any living things. We saw one whale, sort of rolling helplessly on the surface with what looked like a big tumour on its head. It was pretty sickening.
 
“I’ve done a lot of miles on the ocean in my life and I’m used to seeing turtles, dolphins, sharks and big flurries of feeding birds. But this time, for 3000 nautical miles there was nothing alive to be seen.”
 
In place of the missing life was garbage in astounding volumes.
 
“Part of it was the aftermath of the tsunami that hit Japan a couple of years ago. The wave came in over the land, picked up an unbelievable load of stuff and carried it out to sea. And it’s still out there, everywhere you look.”
 
Shouldn’t someone out there be trying to put all of the pieces together and asking if Fukushima could somehow be responsible for all of this?
 
For much more on the epidemic of death that we have been witnessing in the Pacific Ocean lately, please check out some of my previous articles about Fukushima…
 
-”28 Signs That The West Coast Is Being Absolutely Fried With Nuclear Radiation From Fukushima”
 
-”Something Is Killing Life All Over The Pacific Ocean – Could It Be Fukushima?”
 
-”What Is Happening To Alaska? Is Fukushima Responsible For The Mass Animal Deaths?”
 
And this is a crisis that is not going away any time soon.  In fact, it just keeps getting worse.  The Japanese government has estimated that approximately 300 tons of highly radioactive water is pouring into the Pacific Ocean from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear facility every single day, and according to a recent RT article, outdoor radiation levels at Fukushima recently hit a new all-time high…
 

Outdoor radiation levels have reached their highest at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant, warns the operator company.  Radiation found in an area near a steel pipe that connects reactor buildings could kill an exposed person in 20 minutes, local media reported.
 
So the total amount of radioactive material that has been released into the Pacific Ocean is constantly going up, and considering the fact that some of these radioactive particles have a half-life of about 30 years, all of this nuclear material is going to be sitting in the Pacific for a very, very long time.
 
And guess what?  Even more highly radioactive water may soon be released into the Pacific Ocean.  The Japanese are running out of places to store the radioactive water that they have been able to capture, and the IAEA is actually recommending that the “storage problem” should be solved by dumping the water into the ocean…
 

In an attempt to solve the storage problem the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) proposed on Wednesday to consider dumping toxic water into the ocean after lowering the level of radioactive materials.
 
It is almost as if they consider the Pacific Ocean to be a giant trash dumpster.
 
And the mainstream media has been greatly misleading the public as to the true nature of the disaster at Fukushima.
 
According to nuclear expert Mycle Schneider, the lead author of the World Nuclear Industry status reports, the rest of the world should be very alarmed by what is happening…
 

“It is much worse than we have been led to believe, much worse.”
 
But the mainstream media in the United States really doesn’t talk much about Fukushima anymore.
 
They seem to believe that it isn’t a crisis worth talking about anymore.
 
Meanwhile, dangerous radiation levels are being measured all over the country.
 
NETC, an independent organization that collects and monitors radiation data from locations all over America, recently issued an alert for Austin, Texas and Grand Junction, Colorado…
 
RADCON 5 Alerts have been reported in both Austin, Texas as well as Grand Junction, Colorado as shared in the screenshots below from the Nuclear Emergency Tracking Center – NETC. Radiation levels are also way above normal background levels in St. George, Utah and Augusta, Georgia.
 
Posted below is a picture of what the NETC map looked like when those alerts were issued…
(http://thetruthwins.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/NETC-December-2013-450x199.jpg)

Over the past couple of years, radiation levels have been abnormally high in the U.S. – especially in the western half of the country.
 
So why isn’t the mainstream media talking about this?
 
And is all of this something that we should be deeply concerned about?

http://thetruthwins.com/archives/fukushima-aftermath-98-percent-of-the-pacific-ocean-floor-covered-by-dead-sea-creatures


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on December 16, 2013, 07:14:33 am
What Is Happening To Alaska? Is Fukushima Responsible For The Mass Animal Deaths?

Why are huge numbers of dead birds dropping dead and washing up along the coastlines of Alaska?  It is being reported that many of the carcases of the dead birds are “broken open and bleeding”.  The photo of some of these dead birds at the top of this article was originally posted by Alaska native David Akeya on Facebook.  You can find more photos of these dead birds right here.  And of course it isn’t just birds that are dying.  As you will see below, something is causing mass death events among various populations of fish as well.  In addition, it has been reported that large numbers of polar bears, seals and walruses in Alaska are being affected by hair loss and “oozing sores”.  So precisely what is causing all of this?  Could Fukushima be responsible?  Authorities are claiming that all of this is being caused by “disease” or “harsh weather”, but are they actually telling us the truth?  Evaluate the evidence that I have shared below and decide for yourself…
 
#1 Something is causing large numbers of dead birds to wash up on shores all over Alaska.  The following is a report from Alaska Public Media about just one of these incidents…
 
Hundreds of dead birds washed up on the shores of St. Lawrence Island towards the end of November. And though the cause of the die off isn’t yet known, the quick response demonstrates a mounting capacity for dealing with unexpected environmental events in the region.
 
Scientists do not know why this is happening.  Some of them are blaming “harsh weather”.
 
#2 Something is causing large numbers of seals and walruses to lose hair and develop “oozing sores”…
 
For example, while skin ulcers and other conditions — hair loss, lethargy, oozing sores, bloody mucous, congested lungs — are affecting seals and walruses, it’s not known if the two species are suffering from the same sickness. And although much studying has been done to determine whether it’s the result of a virus or radiation, and no tests have linked these origins to the illness, it’s not yet known what the root cause is. Toxins and environmental factors, like harmful algae blooms and thermal burns, are under consideration. As is whether allergy, hormone or nutritional problems might play a role.
 
Once again, scientists do not know why this is happening.
 
#3 Polar bears along the Alaska coastlines are also suffering from fur loss and open sores…
 
Wildlife experts are studying whether fur loss and open sores detected in nine polar bears in recent weeks is widespread and related to similar incidents among seals and walruses.
 
The bears were among 33 spotted near Barrow, Alaska, during routine survey work along the Arctic coastline. Tests showed they had “alopecia, or loss of fur, and other skin lesions,” the U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement.
 
Once again, scientists do not know why this is happening.
 
#4 The population of sockeye salmon along the coastlines of Alaska is at a “historic low”…
 
Aboriginal people in British Columbia who rely on Skeena River sockeye are facing some extremely difficult decisions as sockeye salmon returns plunge to historic lows.
 
Lake Babine Chief Wilf Adam was on his way to Smithers, B.C., on Monday for a discussion about whether to entirely shut down the food fishery on Lake Babine, something he said would be drastic and unprecedented – but may ultimately be necessary.
 
Authorities say that the number of sockeye salmon has dropped by more than 80 percent since last year…
 

Mel Kotyk, North Coast area director for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said the department’s monitoring activities were finding one of the lowest runs in 50 years.
 
Only 453,000 sockeye are expected to swim along the Skeena this year, Kotyk said, compared to approximately 2.4 million last year, forcing all commercial and recreational Skeena sockeye fisheries to be closed.
 
 Once again, scientists do not know why this is happening.
 
#5 Something is causing Pacific herring to bleed from their gills, bellies and eyeballs…
 
Independent fisheries scientist Alexandra Morton is raising concerns about a disease she says is spreading through Pacific herring causing fish to hemorrhage.
 
Ms. Morton has called on the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans to investigate, saying it could cause large-scale herring kills and infect wild salmon, which feed heavily on herring.
 
“I’ve been seeing herring with bleeding fins,” Ms. Morton said Monday. “Two days ago I did a beach seine on Malcolm Island [near Port McNeill on northern Vancouver Island] and I got approximately 100 of these little herring and they were not only bleeding from their fins, but their bellies, their chins, their eyeballs. These are very, very strong disease symptoms.”
 
Once again, scientists do not know why this is happening.
 
#6 Some residents of Alaska are absolutely convinced that Fukushima is to blame for the rapidly declining fish populations.  For example, just check out the following excerpt from a recent editorial in one Alaskan newspaper…
 
We are concerned this hazardous material is hitching a ride on marine life and making its way to Alaska.
 
Currents of the world’s oceans are complex. But, generally speaking, two surface currents — one from the south, called the Kuroshio, and one from the north, called the Oyashio — meet just off the coast of Japan at about 40 degrees north latitude. The currents merge to form the North Pacific current and surge eastward. Fukushima lies at 37 degrees north latitude. Thousands of miles later, the currents hit an upwelling just off the western coast of the United States and split. One, the Alaska current, turns north up the coast toward British Columbia and Southeast Alaska. The other, the California current, turns south and heads down the western seaboard of the U.S.
 
The migration patterns of Pacific salmon should also be taken into consideration. In a nutshell, our salmon ride the Alaska current and follow its curve past Sitka, Yakutat, Kodiak and the Aleutian Islands. Most often, it’s the chinook, coho and sockeye salmon migration patterns that range farthest. Chum and pink salmon seem to stay closer to home. Regardless of how far out each salmon species ventures into the Pacific, each fish hitches a ride back to its home rivers and spawning grounds on the North Pacific current, the same one pulling the nuclear waste eastward.
 
We all know too much exposure to nuclear waste can cause cancer. And many understand that certain chemicals, such as cesium-137 and strontium-9, contained in said waste products can accumulate in fish by being deposited in bones and muscle permanently.
 
We are concerned our Alaska salmon are being slowly tainted with nuclear waste. We are worried about the impact this waste could have on our resources, and especially the people who consume them.
 
#7 Something also seems to be causing a substantial spike in the death rate for killer whales living off of the coast of British Columbia…
 
A Vancouver Aquarium researcher is sounding the alarm over “puzzling” changes he’s observed in the killer whale pods that live off the southern British Columbia coast.
 
Dr. Lance Barrett-Lennard says he fears changes in the ocean environment are prompting odd behaviour and an unusually high mortality rate.
 
Barrett-Lennard says the southern resident orca pod, which is found in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland, has lost seven matriarchs over the past two years, and he’s noticed a lack of vocalizations from the normally chatty mammals.
 
Once again, scientists do not know why this is happening.
 
These kinds of things are happening further south along the Pacific coast as well.
 
For example, the recent death of thousands of birds down in Oregon is absolutely baffling scientists…
 
Residents have reported groups ranging from 10 to 200 dead or dying barn and violet-green swallows in barns and around other structures where they perch. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said the dieoffs appear to be worst close to rivers and standing water where the birds tend to gather.
 
The toll, estimated in the thousands, has stunned Fish and Wildlife specialists. “This type of mortality event is unprecedented and considered a rare and unusual event,” said Colin Gillin, wildlife veterinarian for the agency. “The effect on bird populations is unknown.”
 
Some scientists are blaming these deaths on “harsh weather”.
 
Do you buy that?
 
Clearly something very unusual is happening, and it should not be unreasonable to ask if Fukushima is at least partially responsible for all of this.
 
Without a doubt, the Pacific Ocean appears to be a much different place than it was before the Fukushima disaster.  In fact, one very experienced Australian adventurer said that he felt as though “the ocean itself was dead” as he journeyed from Japan to San Francisco recently…
 
The next leg of the long voyage was from Osaka to San Francisco and for most of that trip the desolation was tinged with nauseous horror and a degree of fear.
 
“After we left Japan, it felt as if the ocean itself was dead,” Macfadyen said.
 
“We hardly saw any living things. We saw one whale, sort of rolling helplessly on the surface with what looked like a big tumour on its head. It was pretty sickening.
 
“I’ve done a lot of miles on the ocean in my life and I’m used to seeing turtles, dolphins, sharks and big flurries of feeding birds. But this time, for 3000 nautical miles there was nothing alive to be seen.”
 
In place of the missing life was garbage in astounding volumes.
 
“Part of it was the aftermath of the tsunami that hit Japan a couple of years ago. The wave came in over the land, picked up an unbelievable load of stuff and carried it out to sea. And it’s still out there, everywhere you look.”
 
What in the world would cause the Pacific Ocean to be “dead” like that?
 
Where did all the life go?
 
Hopefully we will start to get some answers to these questions.
 
For much more on all of this, please see my previous articles entitled “28 Signs That The West Coast Is Being Absolutely Fried With Nuclear Radiation From Fukushima” and “Something Is Killing Life All Over The Pacific Ocean – Could It Be Fukushima?”
 
Meanwhile, radiation levels around Fukushima just continue to increase.  The following is from a recent RT article…
 
Outdoor radiation levels have reached their highest at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant,warns the operator company.Radiation found in an area near a steel pipe that connects reactor buildings could kill an exposed person in 20 minutes,local media reported.
 
The plant’s operator and the utility responsible for the clean-up Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) detected record radiation levels on a duct which connects reactor buildings and the 120 meter tall ventilation pipe located outside on Friday. TEPCO measured radiation at eight locations around the pipe with the highest estimated at two locations – 25 Sieverts per hour and about 15 Sieverts per hour, the company said. This is the highest level ever detected outside the reactor buildings, according to local broadcaster NHK.
 
And every single day, another 400 tons of very highly radioactive water gets released into the Pacific Ocean.  The total amount of radioactive material in the Pacific is constantly rising, and because many of these radioactive particles have a half-life of 30 years or longer, much of this material is going to be with us for a very, very long time.
 
This is turning out to be the greatest environmental disaster in modern history, and it is very far from over.

http://thetruthwins.com/archives/what-is-happening-to-alaska-is-fukushima-responsible-for-the-mass-animal-deaths


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 16, 2013, 12:53:51 pm
Yes, this is BIG news!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 19, 2013, 11:27:12 am
http://enenews.com/another-20-navy-sailors-uss-ronald-reagan-crew-with-thyroid-cancer-leukemia-brain-tumors-bleeding-blindness-children-becoming-sick-after-responding-to-311-crisis-japan-govt-and-tepc
Another 20 Navy Sailors: USS Ronald Reagan crew with thyroid cancers, leukemia, brain tumors, bleeding, blindness after Fukushima disaster — Young kids developing problems — Gov’t and Tepco involved in major conspiracy (AUDIO)
12/12/13

At 27:00 in

Charles Bonner, attorney representing sailors from the USS Ronald Reagan: They’re not only going to the rescue by jumping into the water and rescuing people out of the water, but they were drinking desalinated sea water, bathing in it, until finally the captain of the USS Ronald Reagan alarmed people that they were encountering high levels of radiation. As a result of this exposure, the 51 sailors that we represent right now have come down with a host of medical problems, including cancers and leukemias, all kinds of gynecological problems [...]  people who are going blind, pilots who had perfect eyesight but now have tumors on the brain. These service men and women are young people 21, 22, 23 years old and no one in their family had ever (inaudible) any of these kinds of illnesses before.

At 33:00

Bonner: These sailors had none of these kind of medical problems, now they have back pains, memory loss, severe anxiety. They have testicular cancer, they have thyroid cancers, they have leukemias, they have a host of problems, rectal and gynecological bleeding, a host of problems that they did not have before [...] And it’s only been 3 years since they went in. [...] The Japanese government is in a major conspiracy with Tepco to hide and conceal the true facts.
At 34:30 in

Bonner: We’ll be adding approximately 20 sailors, bringing the total number in the lawsuit to 70 to 75.

At 47:30 in

Bonner: 21 and 22 year-olds who are just beginning to start their lives, start their families, and many have little children and now they’re sick. They are going constantly to the doctors, their children are sick — we even have small children as some of our plaintiffs, because they too have developed problems.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on December 19, 2013, 03:45:30 pm
A main stream news source...

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/US-sailors-sue-Japanese-utility-over-radiation-185092741.html (http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/US-sailors-sue-Japanese-utility-over-radiation-185092741.html)

Quote
Local Sailors Sue Japanese Utility Over Radiation

Saturday, Dec 29, 2012  |  Updated 2:33 PM PST


Eight U.S. sailors are suing the Tokyo utility that operates the Fukushima nuclear power plant, charging that the company lied about the high level of radiation in the area where they were carrying out a humanitarian mission after the tsunami that triggered the reactor crisis.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in San Diego last week against Tokyo Electric Power Co., which is owned by the Japanese government. Plaintiffs include the infant daughter of two of the sailors who was born seven months after the March 2011 disaster.

The sailors served on the San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, which was carrying out "Operation Tomadachi" ferrying food and water to citizens in the city of Sendai in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami.

The sailors claim the Japanese government repeatedly said there was no danger to the carrier crew "all the while lying through their teeth about the reactor meltdowns" so rescuers would "rush into an unsafe area."

The U.S. Navy, the suit said, relied on information from the Japanese government, which only belatedly admitted that radiation had leaked into the atmosphere from the damaged power plant.

An email seeking response from the utility's corporate office in Tokyo was not immediately returned.

The 37-page suit, which cites numerous reports about the Fukushima crisis and response, said that after discovering the truth of how much radiation they were exposed to, the sailors have undergone extensive medical testing and will be required to undergo periodic examination in the future.

They say they are at risk for developing cancer and a shorter life expectancy, and are undergoing considerable mental anguish as a result.

The sailors are suing for more than $200 million in damages. Each sailor is suing for more than $10 million a piece.

Two of the sailors met with their attorney in Encinitas Friday.

Lead plaintiff Lindsay Cooper told NBC 7 she became sick after serving in Japan aboard USS Ronald Reagan.

Cooper says breast cancer runs high in her family and she now believes she has a greater risk of developing cancer herself due to radiation exposure.

She's also been experiencing digestive issues, which are commonly linked to radiation exposure, weight control and thyroid issues and migraines. Cooper says she suffers emotionally too from her time aboard USS Ronald Reagan.

“Digestive issues have been coming up. It’s frustrating,” said Cooper.

Local Kim Gieseking is also one of the plantiffs involved in the lawsuit. She told NBC 7 she's had several health issues stemming from her time serving on USS Reagan's flight deck.

Gieseking was unknowingly pregnant with her daughter, Autumn, while carrying out Operation Tomadachi. The infant is the ninth plaintiff in the lawsuit. Gieseking worries Autumn may develop health issues in the future due to radiation exposure.

The Tokyo Electric Power Co. has not yet issued a statement in response to the lawsuit. NBC 7 reached out to the company for comment, but the company has not yet responded.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 7 San Diego




Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 21, 2013, 11:48:04 am
http://beforeitsnews.com/earthquakes/2013/12/fuku-warning-to-northern-hemisphere-increasingly-critical-reactor-blocks-are-sinking-2481962.html

Fuku Warning To Northern Hemisphere – Increasingly Critical ‘Reactor Blocks Are Sinking’

Friday, December 20, 2013 6:45

Experts are issuing some dire warnings about Fukushima from “real apocalyptic thing would be an earthquake” at Fukushima” to warnings from German physicist Sebastian Pfugbeil [President of the German Society for Radiological Protection] expressing pessimism that an “elementary Fukushima disaster can be averted” and asserting without a doubt that the consequences would be felt over the entire northern hemisphere.

Perhaps the most chilling of these revelations is this:

The situation is becoming increasingly critical due to the decay of the buildings. The fuel rods have not been brought to safety. The reactor blocks are sinking. The ground on which the reactor sits can no longer bear any weight…It is floating.

Despite these warnings the MSM and governments across the globe continue to downplay the apocalyptic ramifications of what has happened at Fukushima and what continues to happen every single day since 2011 when the great earthquake and tsunami crippled the nuclear plant causing meltdowns and unprecedented levels of radiation throughout the atmosphere as well and hundreds of tons of radioactive water pouring into the Pacific ocean every single day.

In the video below experts discuss the Fukushima issue in-depth, the Iintroduction takes approx. 4 minutes. So if you already know Dr. Helen Caldicott, Arnie Gundersen, and Harvey Wasserman, just skip to the 4 minute mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjucEgEq1W8


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 21, 2013, 05:16:54 pm
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/dec/17/reagan-radiation-lawsuit-dismissed-tomodachi/
12/17/13
Judge dismisses sailor radiation case

Door open for follow-on lawsuit; attorney says he will refile with more plaintiffs


A San Diego federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit alleging that U.S. sailors were exposed to dangerous radiation during the humanitarian response to the March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

But Judge Janis L. Sammartino left the door open for a follow-on lawsuit, and the attorney representing several sailors from the San Diego-based aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan said he intends to refile.

The judge dismissed the case Nov. 26 on jurisdictional grounds, saying that it was beyond her authority to determine whether the Japanese government had perpetrated a fraud on its American counterpart.

The defendant in the December 2012 case was Tokyo Electric Power Co., operator of Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The lawsuit argued that power company officials lied about the amount of leakage from the damaged plant, in concert with the government of Japan. It says the Navy used those reports in its own calculations about the safety of U.S. sailors in the relief effort, called Operation Tomodachi.

The carrier Reagan responded to the disaster and for more than three weeks stayed off the coast, launching aircraft to help Japanese survivors.

Two days after the disaster, the Navy repositioned the Reagan after detecting low levels of contamination in the air and on 17 aircrew members.

Sailors represented in the lawsuit were deckhands who washed down the flight deck, and performed over decontamination tasks on the ship.

Paul Garner, the Encinitas lawyer leading the case, said the sailors’ ailments include rectal bleeding and other gastrointestinal trouble, unremitting headaches, hair loss and fatigue. Some have thyroid and gallbladder cancer. Many are in their 20s.

Garner said he will refile the case without alleging the conspiracy with the Japanese government.

The number of plaintiffs is now at 51 people. Garner said he intends to add at least 20 more when he refiles.

Radiation experts interviewed by U-T San Diego earlier this year said that acute illness such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea usually comes on quickly — in days or weeks — after massive radiation exposure.

Unless there are fatalities, people recover within a few months. So, with typical radiation sickness, these former Reagan sailors wouldn’t still have symptoms today.

Long-term illnesses, such as cancer, may result from a smaller amount of radiation exposure. But that type of ailment wouldn’t typically come on so soon, less than two years after the incident.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on December 22, 2013, 04:32:22 am
Quote
The judge dismissed the case Nov. 26 on jurisdictional grounds, saying that it was beyond her authority to determine whether the Japanese government had perpetrated a fraud on its American counterpart.

Not sure why lawyers do that unless it's to at least establish a US legal presence, to get it started "on record", but of course the US judge would dismiss. Their complaint is against a foreign company. I would think they need to file a complaint in a Japanese court. I suspect Tokyo Electric Power Co. didn't even have any representatives in court.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 30, 2013, 09:34:45 pm
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/special-report-japans-homeless-recruited-000001309.html
SPECIAL REPORT- Japan's homeless recruited for murky Fukushima clean-up
12/30/13

* Homeless recruited for Fukushima at minimum wages

* Labor brokers skim their pay; charge for food, shelter

* Some say better homeless than going into debt by working

* Little oversight on companies getting clean-up contracts

* Gangsters run Fukushima labour brokers; arrests made

By Mari Saito and Antoni Slodkowski

SENDAI, Japan, Dec. 30 (Reuters) - Seiji Sasa hits the train station in this northern Japanese city before dawn most mornings to prowl for homeless men.

He isn't a social worker. He's a recruiter. The men in Sendai Station are potential laborers that Sasa can dispatch to contractors in Japan's nuclear disaster zone for a bounty of $100 a head.

"This is how labor recruiters like me come in every day," Sasa says, as he strides past men sleeping on cardboard and clutching at their coats against the early winter cold.

It's also how Japan finds people willing to accept minimum wage for one of the most undesirable jobs in the industrialized world: working on the $35 billion, taxpayer-funded effort to clean up radioactive fallout across an area of northern Japan larger than Hong Kong.

Almost three years ago, a massive earthquake and tsunami leveled villages across Japan's northeast coast and set off multiple meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Today, the most ambitious radiation clean-up ever attempted is running behind schedule. The effort is being dogged by both a lack of oversight and a shortage of workers, according to a Reuters analysis of contracts and interviews with dozens of those involved.

In January, October and November, Japanese gangsters were arrested on charges of infiltrating construction giant Obayashi Corp's network of decontamination subcontractors and illegally sending workers to the government-funded project.

In the October case, homeless men were rounded up at Sendai's train station by Sasa, then put to work clearing radioactive soil and debris in Fukushima City for less than minimum wage, according to police and accounts of those involved. The men reported up through a chain of three other companies to Obayashi, Japan's second-largest construction company.

Obayashi, which is one of more than 20 major contractors involved in government-funded radiation removal projects, has not been accused of any wrongdoing. But the spate of arrests has shown that members of Japan's three largest criminal syndicates - Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai - had set up black-market recruiting agencies under Obayashi.

"We are taking it very seriously that these incidents keep happening one after another," said Junichi Ichikawa, a spokesman for Obayashi. He said the company tightened its scrutiny of its lower-tier subcontractors in order to shut out gangsters, known as the yakuza. "There were elements of what we had been doing that did not go far enough."


OVERSIGHT LEFT TO TOP CONTRACTORS

Part of the problem in monitoring taxpayer money in Fukushima is the sheer number of companies involved in decontamination, extending from the major contractors at the top to tiny subcontractors many layers below them. The total number has not been announced. But in the 10 most contaminated towns and a highway that runs north past the gates of the wrecked plant in Fukushima, Reuters found 733 companies were performing work for the Ministry of Environment, according to partial contract terms released by the ministry in August under Japan's information disclosure law.

Reuters found 56 subcontractors listed on environment ministry contracts worth a total of $2.5 billion in the most radiated areas of Fukushima that would have been barred from traditional public works because they had not been vetted by the construction ministry.

The 2011 law that regulates decontamination put control under the environment ministry, the largest spending program ever managed by the 10-year-old agency. The same law also effectively loosened controls on bidders, making it possible for firms to win radiation removal contracts without the basic disclosure and certification required for participating in public works such as road construction.

Reuters also found five firms working for the Ministry of Environment that could not be identified. They had no construction ministry registration, no listed phone number or website, and Reuters could not find a basic corporate registration disclosing ownership. There was also no record of the firms in the database of Japan's largest credit research firm, Teikoku Databank.

"As a general matter, in cases like this, we would have to start by looking at whether a company like this is real," said Shigenobu Abe, a researcher at Teikoku Databank. "After that, it would be necessary to look at whether this is an active company and at the background of its executive and directors."

Responsibility for monitoring the hiring, safety records and suitability of hundreds of small firms involved in Fukushima's decontamination rests with the top contractors, including Kajima (Dusseldorf: KAJ.DU - news) Corp, Taisei Corp and Shimizu Corp (Frankfurt: XSZ.F - news) , officials said.

"In reality, major contractors manage each work site," said Hide Motonaga, deputy director of the radiation clean-up division of the environment ministry.

But, as a practical matter, many of the construction companies involved in the clean-up say it is impossible to monitor what is happening on the ground because of the multiple layers of contracts for each job that keep the top contractors removed from those doing the work.

"If you started looking at every single person, the project wouldn't move forward. You wouldn't get a tenth of the people you need," said Yukio Suganuma, president of Aisogo Service, a construction company that was hired in 2012 to clean up radioactive fallout from streets in the town of Tamura.

The sprawl of small firms working in Fukushima is an unintended consequence of Japan's legacy of tight labor-market regulations combined with the aging population's deepening shortage of workers. Japan's construction companies cannot afford to keep a large payroll and dispatching temporary workers to construction sites is prohibited. As a result, smaller firms step into the gap, promising workers in exchange for a cut of their wages.

Below these official subcontractors, a shadowy network of gangsters and illegal brokers who hire homeless men has also become active in Fukushima. Ministry of Environment contracts in the most radioactive areas of Fukushima prefecture are particularly lucrative because the government pays an additional $100 in hazard allowance per day for each worker.

Takayoshi Igarashi, a lawyer and professor at Hosei University, said the initial rush to find companies for decontamination was understandable in the immediate aftermath of the disaster when the priority was emergency response. But he said the government now needs to tighten its scrutiny to prevent a range of abuses, including bid rigging.

"There are many unknown entities getting involved in decontamination projects," said Igarashi, a former advisor to ex-Prime Minister Naoto Kan. "There needs to be a thorough check on what companies are working on what, and when. I think it's probably completely lawless if the top contractors are not thoroughly checking."

The Ministry of Environment announced on Thursday that work on the most contaminated sites would take two to three years longer than the original March 2014 deadline. That means many of the more than 60,000 who lived in the area before the disaster will remain unable to return home until six years after the disaster.

Earlier this month, Abe, who pledged his government would "take full responsibility for the rebirth of Fukushima" boosted the budget for decontamination to $35 billion, including funds to create a facility to store radioactive soil and other waste near the wrecked nuclear plant.



'DON'T ASK QUESTIONS'

Japan has always had a gray market of day labor centered in Tokyo and Osaka. A small army of day laborers was employed to build the stadiums and parks for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. But over the past year, Sendai, the biggest city in the disaster zone, has emerged as a hiring hub for homeless men. Many work clearing rubble left behind by the 2011 tsunami and cleaning up radioactive hotspots by removing topsoil, cutting grass and scrubbing down houses around the destroyed nuclear plant, workers and city officials say.

Seiji Sasa, 67, a broad-shouldered former wrestling promoter, was photographed by undercover police recruiting homeless men at the Sendai train station to work in the nuclear cleanup. The workers were then handed off through a chain of companies reporting up to Obayashi, as part of a $1.4 million contract to decontaminate roads in Fukushima, police say.

"I don't ask questions; that's not my job," Sasa said in an interview with Reuters. "I just find people and send them to work. I send them and get money in exchange. That's it. I don't get involved in what happens after that."

Only a third of the money allocated for wages by Obayashi's top contractor made it to the workers Sasa had found. The rest was skimmed by middlemen, police say. After deductions for food and lodging, that left workers with an hourly rate of about $6, just below the minimum wage equal to about $6.50 per hour in Fukushima, according to wage data provided by police. Some of the homeless men ended up in debt after fees for food and housing were deducted, police say.

Sasa was arrested in November and released without being charged. Police were after his client, Mitsunori Nishimura, a local Inagawa-kai gangster. Nishimura housed workers in cramped dorms on the edge of Sendai and skimmed an estimated $10,000 of public funding intended for their wages each month, police say.

Nishimura, who could not be reached for comment, was arrested and paid a $2,500 fine. Nishimura is widely known in Sendai. Seiryu Home, a shelter funded by the city, had sent other homeless men to work for him on recovery jobs after the 2011 disaster.

"He seemed like such a nice guy," said Yota Iozawa, a shelter manager. "It was bad luck. I can't investigate everything about every company."

In the incident that prompted his arrest, Nishimura placed his workers with Shinei Clean, a company with about 15 employees based on a winding farm road south of Sendai. Police turned up there to arrest Shinei's president, Toshiaki Osada, after a search of his office, according to Tatsuya Shoji, who is both Osada's nephew and a company manager. Shinei had sent dump trucks to sort debris from the disaster. "Everyone is involved in sending workers," said Shoji. "I guess we just happened to get caught this time."

Osada, who could not be reached for comment, was fined about $5,000. Shinei was also fined about $5,000.


'RUN BY GANGS'

The trail from Shinei led police to a slightly larger neighboring company with about 30 employees, Fujisai Couken. Fujisai says it was under pressure from a larger contractor, Raito Kogyo, to provide workers for Fukushima. Kenichi Sayama, Fujisai's general manger, said his company only made about $10 per day per worker it outsourced. When the job appeared to be going too slowly, Fujisai asked Shinei for more help and they turned to Nishimura.

A Fujisai manager, Fuminori Hayashi, was arrested and paid a $5,000 fine, police said. Fujisai also paid a $5,000 fine.

"If you don't get involved (with gangs), you're not going to get enough workers," said Sayama, Fujisai's general manager. "The construction industry is 90 percent run by gangs."

Raito Kogyo, a top-tier subcontractor to Obayashi, has about 300 workers in decontamination projects around Fukushima and owns subsidiaries in both Japan and the United States. Raito agreed that the project faced a shortage of workers but said it had been deceived. Raito said it was unaware of a shadow contractor under Fujisai tied to organized crime.

"We can only check on lower-tier subcontractors if they are honest with us," said Tomoyuki Yamane, head of marketing for Raito. Raito and Obayashi were not accused of any wrongdoing and were not penalized.

Other firms receiving government contracts in the decontamination zone have hired homeless men from Sasa, including Shuto Kogyo, a firm based in Himeji, western Japan.

"He sends people in, but they don't stick around for long," said Fujiko Kaneda, 70, who runs Shuto with her son, Seiki Shuto. "He gathers people in front of the station and sends them to our dorm."

Kaneda invested about $600,000 to cash in on the reconstruction boom. Shuto converted an abandoned roadhouse north of Sendai into a dorm to house workers on reconstruction jobs such as clearing tsunami debris. The company also won two contracts awarded by the Ministry of Environment to clean up two of the most heavily contaminated townships.

Kaneda had been arrested in 2009 along with her son, Seiki, for charging illegally high interest rates on loans to pensioners. Kaneda signed an admission of guilt for police, a document she says she did not understand, and paid a fine of $8,000. Seiki was given a sentence of two years prison time suspended for four years and paid a $20,000 fine, according to police. Seiki declined to comment.

UNPAID WAGE CLAIMS

In Fukushima, Shuto has faced at least two claims with local labor regulators over unpaid wages, according to Kaneda. In a separate case, a 55-year-old homeless man reported being paid the equivalent of $10 for a full month of work at Shuto. The worker's paystub, reviewed by Reuters, showed charges for food, accommodation and laundry were docked from his monthly pay equivalent to about $1,500, leaving him with $10 at the end of the August.

The man turned up broke and homeless at Sendai Station in October after working for Shuto, but disappeared soon afterwards, according to Yasuhiro Aoki, a Baptist pastor and homeless advocate.

Kaneda confirmed the man had worked for her but said she treats her workers fairly. She said Shuto Kogyo pays workers at least $80 for a day's work while docking the equivalent of $35 for food. Many of her workers end up borrowing from her to make ends meet, she said. One of them had owed her $20,000 before beginning work in Fukushima, she says. The balance has come down recently, but then he borrowed another $2,000 for the year-end holidays.

"He will never be able to pay me back," she said.

The problem of workers running themselves into debt is widespread. "Many homeless people are just put into dormitories, and the fees for lodging and food are automatically docked from their wages," said Aoki, the pastor. "Then at the end of the month, they're left with no pay at all."

Shizuya Nishiyama, 57, says he briefly worked for Shuto clearing rubble. He now sleeps on a cardboard box in Sendai Station. He says he left after a dispute over wages, one of several he has had with construction firms, including two handling decontamination jobs.

Nishiyama's first employer in Sendai offered him $90 a day for his first job clearing tsunami debris. But he was made to pay as much as $50 a day for food and lodging. He also was not paid on the days he was unable to work. On those days, though, he would still be charged for room and board. He decided he was better off living on the street than going into debt.

"We're an easy target for recruiters," Nishiyama said. "We turn up here with all our bags, wheeling them around and we're easy to spot. They say to us, are you looking for work? Are you hungry? And if we haven't eaten, they offer to find us a job."


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on December 31, 2013, 02:52:25 am
Quote
The problem of workers running themselves into debt is widespread. "Many homeless people are just put into dormitories, and the fees for lodging and food are automatically docked from their wages," said Aoki, the pastor. "Then at the end of the month, they're left with no pay at all."

And some Japanese wonder why they are having problems! You cannot treat people like that and get away with it, but that's a common attitude with those people, and no surprise that they have now been nuked not once, not twice, but now three times. When are those people going to get a clue?  ::)


Title: Fuku Radiation Hits San Francisco!!! (Alarming Video)
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 31, 2013, 05:14:19 pm
Fuku Radiation Hits San Francisco!!! (Alarming Video)
http://beforeitsnews.com/environment/2013/12/fuku-radiation-hits-san-francisco-2488646.html
12/25/13

By Susan Duclos

They say seeing is believing and in the video below from Kill0Your0TV, he films his Geiger counter as he approaches and walks along Pacifica State Beach (Surfers Beach), California, on December 23, 2013.

Below is a chart showing low to high radiation readings and what they mean, note the levels considered higher than normal and the descriptions to the right of them, then watch the video below.

For those that claim the amount of radiation traveling in plumes across the Pacific from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant is negligible, then you probably won’t be concerned about traveling to California and taking a swim.

A warning to the rest of the readers… stay out of the water and off the beach.

(http://beforeitsnews.com/contributor/upload/8435/images/000geigercounterreadings.jpg)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcQLxT49ZP0


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on January 01, 2014, 06:22:38 am
When’s It Time To Leave West Coast And/Or The Northern Hemisphere Due To Fukushima Radiation?

lots of links and vids: http://beforeitsnews.com/health/2013/12/whens-it-time-to-leave-west-coast-andor-the-northern-hemisphere-due-to-fukushima-radiation-2517376.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 01, 2014, 10:12:57 am
Yeah, this is getting very serious.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on January 01, 2014, 12:58:48 pm
Fuku Warning! US Gov’t Orders 14 Million Doses Of Potassium Iodide

On December 6th the US Department of Health and Human Services put a solicitation notice on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website for 14 million 65 mg doses of Potassium Iodide, the standard treatment protocol for someone exposed to high levels of radiation. As a stipulation of this solicitation, which gets bid on by registered contractors, the HHS requires the 14 million doses to be delivered by the end of January. In other words, the HHS needs enough doses of Potassium Iodide to treat 14 million Americans by the end of January!
 
The primary use for Potassium Iodide is used for treating, as well as minimizing damaging effects from, radiation poisoning. The area of the human body that are most-sensitive to radiation exposure are the thyroid gland. It absorbs the radiation like a wet sponge.
 
This is intreesting right?  While it’s insane still to think that Fukushima might affect people on the west coast of America enough to use these pills, it’s actually quite a sane move by the government to be doing this.  Odd right?  None the less, let’s hope we don’t have to use them.

http://beforeitsnews.com/r2/?url=http://www.thewestwire.com/hhs-orders-14-million-doses-of-potassium-iodide/



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on January 02, 2014, 04:00:03 am
Iodide tablets will keep for a long time. Will west coast people need them as a result of Fukushima? I don't think so. The real issue is with the subtle exposure from the small things. A lower exposure level over time, causing people to think it's not so bad.

The important thing they need to be watching is the commercial fishing industry in the Pacific. Those people see it all out there, and if radiation is an issue, it will show up in their catches. Other than that, about all you can do is take radiation readings to see what is contaminated.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 02, 2014, 04:05:55 pm
http://www.infowars.com/plumes-of-mysterious-steam-rise-from-crippled-nuclear-reactor-at-fukushima/
Plumes of mysterious steam rise from crippled nuclear reactor at Fukushima
1/1/14

Fresh plumes of most probably radioactive steam have been detected rising from the reactor 3 building at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, said the facility’s operator company.

The steam has been detected by surveillance cameras and appeared to be coming from the fifth floor of the mostly-destroyed building housing crippled reactor 3, according to Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the plant’s operator.

The steam was first spotted on December 19 for a short period of time, then again on December 24, 25, 27, according to a report TEPCO published on its website.

The company, responsible for the cleanup of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, has not explained the source of the steam or the reason it is rising from the reactor building. High levels of radiation have complicated entry into the building and further inspection of the situation.

Three of the plant’s reactors suffered a nuclear meltdown in March 2011 after the Great East Japan Earthquake and resulting tsunami hit the region. The plant is comprised of six separate water boiling reactors. At the time of the earthquake, reactor number 4 had been de-fueled and reactors 5 and 6 were in cold shutdown for planned maintenance, thereby managing to avoid meltdowns.

Unlike the other five reactors, reactor 3 ran on mixed core containing both uranium fuel and mixed uranium and plutonium oxide, or MOX nuclear fuel. The Reactor 3 fuel storage pond still houses an estimated 89 tons of the plutonium-based MOX nuclear fuel composed of 514 fuel rods.

In a similar incident, small amounts of steam escaped from the reactor 3 building in July 2013, Asahi Shimbun reported. However it was unclear where the steam came from. TEPCO said that radiation levels did not change, adding that the steam could have been caused by rain that found its way to the primary containment of the reactor, and because this vessel was still hot, the water evaporated. On 23 July the steam was seen again coming out of the fifth floor just above the reactor containment, the Japanese newspaper reported.

In November, TEPCO, responsible for the decommissioning of the plant, began the highly risky removal of over 1,500 potentially damaged nuclear fuel rods from reactor 4. The reactor is the most unstable part of the plant as it was offline at the time of the 2011 catastrophe and its core didn’t go into meltdown. Instead, hydrogen explosions blew the roof off the building and severely damaged the structure.One of the most dangerous operations attempted in nuclear history was a success as a total of 22 assemblies containing 50 to 70 fuel rods have been transported to a new storage pool. While the extraction of the fuel rods is a significant challenge for TEPCO, a more complex task of removing the cores of the stricken reactors is yet to come.


Title: Has Fukushima’s Radioactive Wave Already Hit California?
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 07, 2014, 11:24:53 am
Has Fukushima’s Radioactive Wave Already Hit California?
http://www.infowars.com/has-fukushimas-radioactive-wave-already-hit-california

Health officials confirm spike in radiation on San Francisco beach but have no answers

Paul Joseph Watson & Alex Jones
 Infowars.com
 January 6, 2014

Predictions that Fukushima’s radioactive ocean plume would hit the west coast of the U.S. sometime in 2014 may have already come to pass, with a new video showing Geiger counter readings of background radiation at a beach in San Francisco over five times the safe level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcQLxT49ZP0

Days after a YouTube video emerged showing background radiation at a Coastside beach reaching over 150 micro-REM per hour, Health officials in San Mateo County confirmed the spike but said they were “befuddled” as to its cause.

However, officials dismissed the possibility that the readings could be linked to Fukushima radiation reaching the west coast despite forecasts by experts last summer that radioactive particles from Fukushima would reach U.S. coastal waters in 2014.

The video shows a man measuring radiation readings at different spots on a beach south of Pillar Point Harbor. Background radiation in the areas immediately surrounding the beach are normal, but once the man approaches the water itself, the radiation spikes to at least 500 per cent safe levels and the Geiger counter’s alarm goes off.

The man behind the video claims that on his previous visit to the same beach, radiation readings were 13 times the safe level.

“In the following days, other amateurs with Geiger counters began posting similar videos online,” reports the Half Moon Bay Review. “The videos follow other alarming news last month that starfish were mysteriously disintegrating along the West Coast, a trend that has not been linked yet to any cause.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Public Health are now investigating the cause of the radiation and more information is expected to be released this week.

While officials will almost certainly downplay the situation in order to prevent panic, it’s important to remember that genuine public health crises are virtually always preceded by government duplicity.

TEPCO and the Japanese government have repeatedly been caught lying in their efforts to downplay the scale of the Fukushima disaster. In September it was confirmed that radiation readings around the power plant were 18 times higher than previously reported by TEPCO. After a tank leaked 300 tonnes of toxic water in August, groundwater radiation readings at the plant soared to 400,000 becquerels per litre, the highest reading since the nuclear accident occurred in March 2011.

EPA officials in America also lied in the weeks after 9/11 when they told rescue workers and the general public that the air at ground zero was safe to breathe. According to insiders, EPA officials knew that the dust in the air was laden with asbestos but chose to cover up the truth, leading to at least 20,000 ground zero workers suffering debilitating illnesses and numerous deaths.

Mainstream media outlets have also largely toed the line on Fukushima despite overwhelming evidence of a cover-up of the true scale of the crisis by Japanese authorities. Former MSNBC host Cenk Uygur was told not to warn the public about the danger posed by the meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant during his time as a host on the cable network.

Concerns that the federal government is preparing for some form of nuclear emergency have heightened after it was revealed that the Department of Health and Human Services has ordered 14 million doses of potassium iodide, the compound that protects the body from radioactive poisoning in the aftermath of severe nuclear accidents, to be delivered before the beginning of February.


Title: Missouri Snow Found to Contain Radiation DOUBLE Normal Amount
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 07, 2014, 11:28:39 am
Missouri Snow Found to Contain Radiation DOUBLE Normal Amount
More concerns about possible impact of Fukushima

Paul Joseph Watson
 Infowars.com
 January 6, 2014

Readings taken from snow blanketing St. Louis, Missouri contains double the normal radiation amount, once again stoking concerns that the ongoing Fukushima crisis is now firmly impacting areas of America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLbZzGoD5HU

“The radiation return from the snow precipitation is returning DOUBLE the normal background amounts. Normal background in this area is approximately 30CPM,” writes YouTube user DutchSinse, alongside a video documenting the readings.

“This means small particles of radioactive material are indeed coming down in the precipitation. Past tests show around 30CPM in the same spot on a nice day with no precipitation,” he adds, noting that snowstorms in 2012 also showed alert level radiation readings.

As we reported earlier, Geiger counter readings taken on a beach in San Francisco returned results five times the safe level of normal background radiation, prompting federal officials to launch an investigation.

Whether such readings are linked to the ongoing Fukushima crisis is unknown, but the fact that officials in Japan have been duplicitous in downplaying the true scale of radiation releases at almost every turn has understandably fanned the flames of suspicion.

Last week it was reported that new plumes of radioactive steam were emerging from the crippled reactor number 3 at the plant, but TEPCO representatives refused to explain the cause.

A former Fukushima worker also recently revealed that duct tape and wire nets were used to “repair” leaking radioactive water tanks in 2012 as a cost cutting measure.

The Department of Health and Human Services has ordered 14 million doses of potassium iodide, the compound that protects the body from radioactive poisoning in the aftermath of severe nuclear accidents, but a DHHS official denied that the purchase was connected to the Fukushima crisis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85BTQZ0moSA


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on January 07, 2014, 12:14:43 pm
The only reasonable way to say those readings are a result of Fukushima is to have the same results in other cities as well that got snow from that same weather system. Otherwise, those readings are likely from a local source, and it may be this article is deflection. But then it IS Infowars.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 09, 2014, 04:34:41 pm
http://enenews.com/wsj-plutonium-levels-1000-times-normal-on-seafloor-50-miles-from-san-francisco-appalled-major-nuclear-dump-offshore-is-a-health-threat-said-expert-47000-containers-of-radioactive-waste-in-a
Wall St. Journal: Plutonium levels 1,000 times normal on seafloor 50 miles from San Francisco — Expert Appalled: Major nuclear dump offshore is a threat to health — Around 50,000 containers of radioactive waste in globally significant ecosystem
12/31/13

Wall St. Journal, Dec. 31, 2013:

[There's] a major [nuclear] dump site [...] about 50 miles west of San Francisco [in] “a globally significant” ecosystem “that supports abundant wildlife and valuable fisheries.”
[A]n estimated 47,000 containers lie at the site near San Francisco
2010 report from [NOAA] [...] called the waste site a “potentially significant resource threat.”

The ’91 Study

tudy found fish contamination and recommended follow-up research
A spokeswoman for the California Department of Public Health said [...] researchers “didn’t find anything in the first survey.”
“I would beg to differ,” Thomas Suchanek, the principal investigator and lead author of the 1991 study, said recently
[P]lutonium in underwater sediment at the dump site was up to about 1,000 times normal background levels
The study found americium, a radioactive decay product of plutonium, in some fish samples from the site as well as a comparison area about 60 miles away
Regularly eating such contaminated fish, about a pound a week, could expose a person to up to 18.5 millirems [...] A chest X-ray typically gives about 2 to 10 millirems

More ‘Studying’

A 2001 federal study of part of the Farallon dump site [off San Francisco] found indications of leakage from barrels
Estimates of the radioactivity amounts in the containers “could be off as much as a factor of 10 [...] little is known of the fate of radioisotopes added to the sea.”
[FDA] said that in 1990 it found traces of plutonium in fish samples from the site but at levels well within safety standards
W. Jackson Davis, a now-retired professor of biological and environmental sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz [...] [said] evidence showed environmental damage and health threats were already arising at the dump sites
In a recent interview, Mr. Davis recalled that the more he learned about the subject, “the more appalled I became.”
EPA and FDA would continue radiation sampling of commercial seafood purchased in cities, such as San Francisco and Boston, near dump sites


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 12, 2014, 10:19:33 pm
Giant squid caught by net fisherman off Japan

Rare capture of fabled sea creature, at a depth of about 300 feet, measures 12 feet and weighs 330 pounds; and this one is no hoax
1/11/14
http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/nature/post/giant-squid-caught-by-net-fisherman-off-japan/

A story published Thursday about a monstrous radioactive squid discovered on a Southern California beach was an obvious hoax.

But this past week off Japan, an actual giant squid was captured in a fisherman’s net and died after it was hauled to the surface.

The squid in the hoax story was said to be 160 feet long and its immense size was blamed on radiation being leaked into the Pacific in the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

“Alarms sound over radioactive gigantism,” screamed a headline above a story that featured a photoshopped image and quoted experts who do not exist.

Though some believed the story, fabricated by the Lightly Braised Turnip website, it was easily debunked.

But the capture of an actual giant squid Wednesday off Sadogashima Island is more believable, even though squid captures are exceedingly rare.

According to the Japan Times, the male specimen measured about 12 feet and weighed about 330 pounds. The accompanying Japanese-language video shows the creature on display and being measured by scientists (footage of the squid being pulled to the boat begins at the 1-minute mark).

Giant squid are elusive creatures that occupy the dark ocean depths. They’re believed to have spawned sea monster myths among ancient mariners, and have been featured as predatory beasts in novels and films.

They can measure to about 40 feet and weigh nearly a ton.

According to the Smithsonian Ocean Portal, a giant squid was first recorded live in 2006 by Japanese scientists who used a baited hook to haul up a 24-foot squid.

In 2012, scientists from Japan’s National Science Museum and a Discovery Channel film crew filmed a giant squid in its natural habitat for the first time
.

It was enticed to within view of a submersible camera by the use of glowing lowers designed to mimic sea jellies, which are said to signal squid that other food is nearby.

The capture on Wednesday was by a fisherman named Shigenori Goto, who told the Japan Times that it was found in a net used to catch buri yellowtail at a depth of 310 feet.

According to the video description, the collosal cephalopod is being studied at the Fisheries Ocean Research Institute in Niigata Prefecture.

Almost assuredly, some people will associate this rare catch with the Fukushima disaster.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 13, 2014, 04:50:44 pm
http://www.nonaiswa.org/wordpress/adopt-a-radioactive-beach/
1/8/14
Thousands Flock to Clean-up Radioactive Beaches

California has mobilized hundreds of thousands of citizens to clean up debris along the beaches, including debris from the 2011 Japanese Tsunami. This catastrophic event resulted in radioactive debris being sent into the Pacific ocean from the severely damaged Fukushima Diiachi Nuclear Power Plant.  Volunteer debris collectors clean up any debris they find and gather critical information about the Japanese tsunami debris using a comprehensive data card. It is as if each volunteer is a guinea-pig in a massive experiment.

Tsunami debris began hitting the West Coast back in 2011 but according to the California Commission, “researchers believe that the first large waves of tsunami debris began hitting the California shores in Winter and Spring of 2013,” with subsequent waves expected to continue to hit the shores. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These volunteers have cleaned up millions of pounds of debris from California’s coastline in the last three years since the Japanese Tsunami.    This work was accomplished in everyday clothing with bucket in hand.  None of the citizens were provided protective gear just in case debris turned out to be radioactive. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Volunteers are told it is “unlikely” debris washing up in California will be radioactive.  They are also told that testing is being done which shows “no elevated levels of radioactivity”.  They are reassured that California Emergency Management has “qualified emergency responders ready to help” if volunteers come across anything dangerous. By that time it will be too late to safe-guard their health.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Each beach debris collector must sign a SECURED Waiver of Liability and Assumption of Risk which informs the debris collectors that:

Cleaning up beaches involves “certain inherent risks” including environmental conditions. 

 ”This instrument exempts and releases “all parties” defined from all liability or responsibility whatsoever for personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death, however caused, including negligence of the released parties, whether passive or active”.  The release includes any lawsuit or claim for themselves, their family, estate, heirs, or assigns.” 

Should they become injured while participating in the Event they “authorize any physician or surgeon in the State of California to perform emergency or surgical treatment”.

This release clearly states that the organizer and partner agencies are held harmless, including wrongful death due to active negligence!  That would include failing to notify participants that they were being exposed to radiation.

Lest you think this program is isolated to California, it is not.  All Pacific Ocean coastal states, including British Columbia, have instituted the coastal clean-up program.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Think about it for a minute.  There are those in government and those who hold radical environmental ideologies are preying upon the compassion that humans have to be good stewards of the environment.  Men, women, teenagers, children, entire families, and friends took to the beaches to clean up potentially radioactive and hazardous debris.  For four years now, volunteers return to the beaches to clean up debris from Fukushima.  Each person over 18 must sign the “Waiver”.

Did these people really understand that they might be exposing themselves, and their loved ones, to bio-accumulative radioactive particles?

Did these kind-hearted youngsters understand that the parties organizing them could actually be negligent in failing to let them know that debris and the environment might be radioactive? 


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on January 14, 2014, 01:16:14 am
Quote
This release clearly states that the organizer and partner agencies are held harmless, including wrongful death due to active negligence!  That would include failing to notify participants that they were being exposed to radiation.

Any company with a lawyer will have those kinds of statements for people to sign. Lawyers think it will protect a company in court, but it rarely does. I see them as scare tactics, to make people think they have taken the risk on themselves and the company they work for has no liability since the person signed the "release". Not true, the person would have a legal say, regardless of the form signed. Just because you sign something, that doesn't mean that document is legal in the first place, and if you take the word of the release form company, then people will think they have no recourse.

Cheap lawyer tactic, that's all.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on January 15, 2014, 07:38:11 am
“They’re All Gone”: Shock as sardines vanish off California — Fishermen didn’t find a single one all summer — Scientist: This is about the entire Pacific coast… Canada, Mexico, U.S. — NOAA: We don’t know why; The young aren’t surviving

Long Beach Press Telegram, Jan. 13, 2014: Sardine vanish off the coast; squid and anchovy fill the void for fishermen — [Larry Derr] has pulled up [Pacific sardines] by the ton since the 1980s [...] it was a shock when he couldn’t find one of the shiny silver-blue coastal fish all summer [...] anchovies have proven a poor replacement since sardines became scarce. Fortunately, a boom in market squid has propelled Derr and other coastal pelagic fishers. [...] Some have attributed recent rashes of sea lion pup and pelican deaths to the sardine population decline, which began a few years ago and was officially recognized in December [...] “Everybody’s calling me every day for sardines,” Derr said. “They’re all gone. Even Monterey Bay Aquarium is still waiting for some to restock one of their exhibits.” [...]

Kerry Griffin, NOAA: “Is it El Nino? Pacific Decadal Oscillation? El Nina? Long-term climate change? More marine mammals eating sardines? Did they all go to Mexico or farther offshore? We don’t know.”

Russ Vetter, NOAA: “They haven’t had a good recruitment [...] You have to have adults that produce the eggs and then environmental conditions that would allow them to grow and then to not have them eaten by pelicans and terns, etc. It’s always complicated about why a fish egg doesn’t make it through the problems but we do know that, when the ocean is on the cooler side, conditions aren’t right.”

Geoff Shester, scientist with Oceana: “This is about the entire Pacific coast including the U.S. and Mexico, not just British Columbia [...] If fishermen have stopped fishing because they’ve hit their quota, that’s one thing. But they’re stopping because they can’t find any fish. That means fishery management is failing. [...] We’re in an emergency situation right now. Any fishing is overfishing when the stock is in this condition.”

See also: L.A. Times: Alarming West Coast sardine crash likely radiating through ecosystem -- Experts warn marine mammals and seabirds are starving, may suffer for years to come -- Boats return without a single fish -- Monterey Bay: Hard to resist idea that humpback whales are trying to tell us something

all links: http://enenews.com/theyre-all-gone-shock-as-sardines-vanish-off-california-fishermen-didnt-find-a-single-one-all-summer-scientist-this-is-about-the-entire-pacific-coast-noaa-the-young


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on January 15, 2014, 08:21:05 am
Enjoy The Radioactive Fish: Tests Show Fukushima Fish Are Up To 124X Above Safe Level

Are you purchasing radioactive fish at the grocery store?  Are you absolutely certain that you know the answer to that question?  You are about to read about a test that discovered that a fish recently caught off the coast of the Fukushima prefecture was found to have 12,400 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium.  That is 124 times above the level that is considered to be safe.  But it is not just fish caught off the coast of Japan that you need to be concerned about.  In this article I will also discuss a report by the National Academy of Sciences which states unequivocally that Pacific Bluefin tuna have “transported Fukushima-derived radionuclides across the entire North Pacific Ocean”.  In fact, if you just had a tuna sandwich for lunch you may have ingested radioactive material without even knowing it.  Each day, another 300 tons of highly radioactive water is released into the Pacific Ocean at Fukushima, and that means that the total amount of radioactive material that is getting into our food chain is constantly increasing.  And since some of these radioactive elements have a

(Read More...) http://thetruthwins.com/archives/enjoy-the-radioactive-fish-tests-show-fukushima-fish-are-up-to-124x-above-safe-level


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 17, 2014, 04:22:57 pm
http://www.turnerradionetwork.com/news/180-mjt
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY AGREED IN WRITING TO CONCEAL FUKUSHIMA RADIATION INFO FROM PUBLIC; SIGNED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS WITH JAPAN GOVERNMENT TO RESTRICT INFO ON DANGERS AND HEALTH EFFECTS   

Tuesday, 07 January 2014 15:17 

*** BREAKING NEWS *** January 7, 2014 -- (TRN http://www.TurnerRadioNetwork.com ) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been caught agreeing in writing to conceal information from the world about the extent of danger, damage and health effects at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster in Japan.  Turner Radio Network has obtained official copies of the agreements signed by the IAEA and the Fukui Prefectural Government as well as between the IAEA and Fukushima Medical University.  We have the agreements, now YOU have them too!

In an astonishing development in the ongoing disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, TRN has obtained official copies of agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and official entities in Japan, wherein the parties agree to conceal information from the public about the degree of damage, danger(s) and health effects on humans of the largest nuclear disaster in human history.

The first such agreement is signed on behalf of the Fukui Prefectural Government by Mr. Hiroyuki. Aratake, Director-General, Living and Environment Department. It is counter-signed on behalf of the IAEA by Mr. Denis Flory,  Deputy Director General,  Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security.  This document lays out the reason for its existence and the scope of cooperation between the IAEA and Japan. Specifically, the document states:

2. Scope of Cooperation
The Parties have identified the following areas and activities in which cooperation may be pursued:

· Research and study on radiation monitoring including application of environmental mapping technology by using unmanned aerial vehicles and the IAEA’s assistance in the use of radiation monitoring data to develop maps to be made available to the public;

· Research and study on off-site decontamination including the IAEA’s assistance in analyses of results of environmental monitoring and exploration of exposure pathways in order to reduce or avoid exposure; and

· Research and study on the management of radioactive waste including IAEA’s assistance in the study on management methods of low level radioactive waste from the above-referenced decontamination activities.

The above-referenced cooperation is designed to complement existing Japanese activities and to provide immediate assistance and support which will be of direct benefit to those living in Fukushima Prefecture.

While the item above sounds perfectly reasonable, Part 8 of the agreement seems to take a complete U-turn to conceal information from the public.  Specifically, Part 8 of the agreement reads as follows:

8. Dissemination of Information
The Parties will support the widest possible dissemination of unclassified information provided or exchanged under these Practical Arrangements and, as appropriate and if circumstances so require, any subsequent separate arrangements including agreements referred to in Paragraph 5, subject to the need to protect proprietary information. The Parties will ensure the confidentiality of information classified by the other Party as restricted or confidential. (Emphasis added)

According to the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper if either the prefectures or IAEA decide to classify information because “they contribute to worsening of the residents’ anxiety,” there is a possibility that such information as the accident information, as well as radiation measurement data and thyroid cancer information may not be publicized.

In short, if the IAEA doesn't want Japan telling something to the public, the IAEA can simply declare that information "restricted" and vice-versa!

Both the Fukui Prefectural Government and the IAEA are paid for - in one form or another - by TAX dollars; these entities exist to serve the public.  How do they justify agreeing in writing to conceal information from the very public who makes their existence possible?  Download the PDF of the Prefectural Goverment / IAEA agreement HERE

MEDICAL SCHOOL AGREES TO SECRECY TOO

In a separate and perhaps even more outrageous step, Mr. Daud Mohamad, Deputy Director General,Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications of the IAEA signed another agreement, this one with Mr. Shinichi Kikuchi, President of the Fukushima Medical University located at 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture 960-1295, Japan, wherein the two agree to cooperate as follows:

2. Scope of Cooperation
The Parties have identified the following areas and activities in which cooperation may be pursued:

· Health management survey: IAEA will assist the University in implementing the Fukushima Health Management Survey project;

· Capacity building and research: the Parties will collaborate in capacity building and research on human health programmes, including radiation emergency medicine;

· Enhancement of public awareness: the IAEA will endeavour to organize conferences, seminars and workshops, in cooperation with the University, with the aim of enhancing public awareness of radiological effects on human health and addressing the issue of “radiation fear” and post-traumatic stress disorders in the Fukushima population; and

· Exchange of expert support and information: the Parties may exchange expert support, information data and materials in carrying out the aforementioned collaborative activities.

As well-intentioned and reasonable as all that sounds, Part 8 of the agreement takes a dramatic turn to secrecy.  Specifically, it states:

8. Dissemination of Information
The Parties will support the widest possible dissemination of unclassified information provided or exchanged under these Practical Arrangements and, as appropriate and if circumstances so require, any subsequent separate arrangement including agreements referred to in Paragraph 5, subject to the need to protect proprietary information. The Parties will ensure the confidentiality of information classified by the other Party as restricted or confidential. (Emphasis added)

The Fukushima Medical University is a public school, created by the Prefectural Government.  It is therefore funded by TAX dollars and accountable to the public.  How can the University, which teaches young people to be Doctors and is allegedly concerned about public health, agree to conceal from the public (which pays for the school's existence) the health effects of radiation?  Download the PDF of the Fukushima Medical University / IAEA agreement HERE

Given the evidence above, how can any rational person believe the public is being kept properly informed about the degree of damage and dangers emanating from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster?  When governments and inter-governmental agencies from the United Nations, like the IAEA, conspire in writing to conceal information from the public, how can anyone trust these public servants?

The public has a right to know the threat to safety that exists from the Fukushima disaster.  Since the effects of that disaster are affecting the Pacific ocean, and all the nations which border it, the public from those nations also have a right to know.  It is long past time the public start demanding answers from elected public servants and getting the truth.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on January 18, 2014, 12:52:11 am
Quote
How can the University, which teaches young people to be Doctors and is allegedly concerned about public health, agree to conceal from the public (which pays for the school's existence) the health effects of radiation?

I suspect the reasoning is that the ignorant public can't understand the technical aspect, so it's better to not tell them.

Ultimately, if this article is true, it doesn't surprise me at all. It's what evil incompetent men do, they hide in the shadows and keep secrets so people won't know how inept they really are.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 21, 2014, 09:27:38 pm
http://www.infowars.com/fukushima-madness-plant-decontamination-system-shuts-down-amid-failure/
Fukushima Madness: Plant Decontamination System Shuts Down Amid Failure

A malfunction within the Fukushima plant has led to the complete shutdown of the plant’s decontamination system.


Anthony Gucciardi
 Infowars.com
 January 9, 2014

As the Fukushima nightmare continues under the wing of plant operator TEPCO, the blatant incompetence of the highly deceptive corporation is once again apparent following a complete shutdown of the plant’s decontamination system. The very same system responsible for handling the mass amounts of radioactive water around Fukushima that TEPCO originally promised would be entirely decontaminated by the end of 2014.

And instead of fulfilling their promise to decontaminate the plant’s radioactive water by the end of 2014, TEPCO now insists that it needs another entire year to finish the job — and this system shutdown certainly will not help in reducing that time. According to media sources and official TEPCO statements, the failure of the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) may ‘take a long time to restart’. What’s worse, however, is that this is not the first time the system has been shutdown due to failure.

As early as last December, TEPCO also experienced a malfunction within their decontamination equipment that led to the inability to filter radionuclides like strontium and cobalt from the contaminated plant water.

But is it any surprise to know that the same plant operation company that is shuffling in homeless Japanese citizens to clean up the area is also highly incompetent when it comes to the use of safety machinery? This is even the same company that was caught using duct tape to patch up critical equipment around the plant.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on January 22, 2014, 06:17:38 am
New radioactive water leak discovered at Fukushima plant
Video filmed by a remote control robot at the Fukushima plant shows highly radioactive water, which is believed to have leaked from one of the damaged reactors


 The video was released by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) as they continue their efforts to make safe the nuclear plant wrecked by Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Highly radioactive water was detected inside the No. 3 reactor building at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant, Tepco said.

It is believed that the water may have leaked from within the reactor.

The water was found to have high levels of radioactive cesium and cobalt, but Tepco claimed none of the water has leaked out of the building itself.

A report in December suggested it would take five years to put an end to radioactive water leaks in and around the plant.

video: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/10585863/New-radioactive-water-leak-discovered-at-Fukushima-plant.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on January 23, 2014, 06:32:24 am
Fukushima Radiation More Than 10 Times The Normal Level Is Detected On California Beaches

Multiple independent tests have confirmed that levels of nuclear radiation are being detected on California beaches that are more than 10 times the normal level.  Many believe that this is the result of highly radioactive water from Fukushima that has crossed the Pacific Ocean and is now washing up on California beaches.  Others are blaming the radiation spikes on “natural sources”, but they can never seem to identify what those natural sources actually are.  If this radiation is from Fukushima, it is only going to get worse over time.  Every single day, another 300 tons of highly radioactive water gets released into the Pacific Ocean at Fukushima.  Some of these radioactive elements have half-lives of about 30 years, so the total amount of radioactive material in the Pacific is continually growing and it will be with us for a very long time.  As this highly radioactive water hits the west coast of the United States, a lot of that nuclear material will end up being deposited on our beaches.  As you will see below, there is evidence that this is already happening.

Scientists all over the world have told us to expect a radioactive ocean plume from Fukushima to hit our shores at some point in 2014.  For example, check out what researchers at the University of South Wales are saying…

    The first radioactive ocean plume released by the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster will finally be reaching the shores of the United States some time in 2014, according to a new study from the University of New South Wales — a full three or so years after the date of the disaster.

The following graphic comes from that study…

(http://thetruthwins.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Fukushima-Radiation-University-Of-New-South-Wales-450x211.jpg)

And another team of researchers has concluded that the plume of radiation from Fukushima that will be hitting our shores will “peak in 2016″…

    Ocean simulations showed that the plume of radioactive cesium-137 released by the Fukushima disaster in 2011 could begin flowing into U.S. coastal waters starting in early 2014 and peak in 2016.

Unfortunately, there are lots of signs that this radioactive plume has already arrived.

Recently, a video that was taken at Pacific State Beach (also known as Surfers Beach) went viral all over the Internet.  That video showed that radiation levels near the water on that beach are up to five times higher than normal background radiation.

Since that time, a number of other researchers have gone over there to confirm these findings.  For example, an electrical engineer with 40 years of experience went down to the beach and measured radiation levels that were about 14 times higher than normal…

    In a new development, El Granada electrical engineer Steven Weiss, a 40 year veteran designer of Geiger counters, took his own measurements and found hot spots that were returning levels 14 times normal background radiation.

    “It’s not normal. I’ve never seen 400 cpm when I just wave my Geiger around.” Weiss told the Half Moon Bay Review. “There has to be something radioactive for it to do that.”

And just today I was made aware of another video taken at “Surfers Beach” which showed a peak reading of 380 CPM (counts per minute).  That is more than 10 times above the normal level.  You can watch that video right here.

In addition, back on December 24th one researcher measured a peak reading of 412 CPM on that same beach…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anB-R_DQWOs&feature=player_embedded

All of these readings are extremely unusual.

In fact, one news crew actually discovered that radiation levels at Surfers Beach are actually 7 times higher than just outside an active nuclear power plant in Diablo Canyon.  Just check out the following video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FJqMUs1_nd4

Unfortunately, the federal government continues to insist that everything is perfectly fine and that we don’t have anything to worry about.

So independent researchers have stepped up to fill the void.

As you can see from the latest NETC map, elevated levels of radiation have been detected in many cities across the western half of the United States.

The government says that there is no reason for alarm.

Others are not so sure.

When it comes to nuclear radiation, a little bit can go a long way.  Just because you can’t see it does not mean that it can’t seriously hurt you.

If you doubt this, just ask those that served on the USS Ronald Reagan when it went over to Japan in the immediate aftermath of the Fukushima disaster.  The following is an excerpt from a recent Ecowatch article…

    Senior Chief Michael Sebourn, a radiation-decontamination officer assigned to test the aircraft carrier, said that radiation levels measured 300 times higher than what was considered safe at one point. Meanwhile sailors like Lindsay Cooper have contrasted their initial and subsequent feelings upon seeing and tasting metallic “radioactive snow” caused by freezing Pacific air that mixed with radioactive debris.

    “We joked about it: ‘Hey, it’s radioactive snow!” Cooper said. “My thyroid is so out of whack that I can lose 60 to 70 pounds in one month and then gain it back the next. My menstrual cycle lasts for six months at a time, and I cannot get pregnant.

    “It’s ruined me.”

    Cooper said the Reagan has a multimillion-dollar radiation-detection system, but the crew couldn’t get it activated quickly enough.

    “And then we couldn’t go anywhere,” she said. “Japan didn’t want us in port, Korea didn’t want us, Guam turned us away. We floated in the water for two and a half months.”

According to the New York Post, at least 70 members of the crew have been diagnosed with radiation sickness, and “at least half” of those have developed cancer…

    At least 70 have been stricken with some form of radiation sickness, and of those, “at least half . . . are suffering from some form of cancer,” their lawyer, Paul Garner, told The Post Saturday.

    “We’re seeing leukemia, testicular cancer and unremitting gynecological bleeding requiring transfusions and other intervention,” said Garner, who is representing 51 crew members suing the Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates the Fukushima Daiichi energy plant.

If radioactive material from Fukushima is washing up on our shores, don’t we deserve the truth?

Or is the government so concerned about “keeping us calm” that they will lie to our faces while thousands upon thousands of Americans slowly but surely develop cancer and other horrible illnesses?

For much more on how radiation from Fukushima is already affecting us, please see my previous article entitled “36 Signs The Media Is Lying To You About How Radiation From Fukushima Is Affecting The West Coast“.

Sadly, most Americans are totally clueless about all of this.

Most Americans just blindly believe whatever the mainstream media tells them to believe.

To illustrate this, political activist Mark Dice recently offered random people cold bottles of “Fukushima Imported Mineral Water” that were marked with a very large radiation label.  Check out what happened…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ms3IxEri5Nw

So what do you think?

Should we be concerned about the radioactive water that is crossing the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima?

http://thetruthwins.com/archives/fukushima-radiation-more-than-10-times-the-normal-level-is-detected-on-california-beaches


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Kilika on January 23, 2014, 12:45:09 pm
Alex has his own "news" show now eh?  :D


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on January 28, 2014, 11:16:26 am
http://wakeupcallnews.blogspot.com/2013/10/all-bluefin-tuna-caught-in-california.html
10/9/13
ALL Bluefin Tuna Caught In California Are Radioactive ... DO NOT EAT TUNA

Do NOT eat tuna.  Period.    ALL the bluefin tuna is radioactive.  ALL.  A year ago they told us they were surprised to find the fish contaminated after limited exposure to radioactive water.   As this article points out, all of the bluefin tuna being caught now have spent their entire lives exposed to radioactive water. If you didn’t hear the warning a year ago, please hear it now.

Every bluefin tuna tested in the waters off California has shown to be contaminated with radiation that originated in Fukushima. Every single one.

Over a year ago, in May of 2012, the Wall Street Journal reported on a Stanford University study. Daniel Madigan, a marine ecologist who led the study, was quoted as saying, “The tuna packaged it up (the radiation) and brought it across the world’s largest ocean. We were definitely surprised to see it at all and even more surprised to see it in every one we measured.

Another member of the study group, Marine biologist Nicholas Fisher at Stony Brook University in New York State reported, “We found that absolutely every one of them had comparable concentrations of cesium 134 and cesium 137.”

That was over a year ago. The fish that were tested had relatively little exposure to the radioactive waste being dumped into the ocean following the nuclear melt-through that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in March of 2011. Since that time, the flow of radioactive contaminants dumping into the ocean has continued unabated. Fish arriving at this juncture have been swimming in contaminants for all of their lives.

Radioactive cesium doesn’t sink to the sea floor, so fish swim through it and ingest it through their gills or by eating organisms that have already ingested it. It is a compound that does occur naturally in nature, however, the levels of cesium found in the tuna in 2012 had levels 3 percent higher than is usual. Measurements for this year haven’t been made available, or at least none that I have been able to find. I went looking for the effects of ingesting cesium. This is what I found:

When contact with radioactive cesium occurs, which is highly unlikely, a person can experience cell damage due to radiation of the cesium particles. Due to this, effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding may occur. When the exposure lasts a long time, people may even lose consciousness. Coma or even death may then follow. How serious the effects are depends upon the resistance of individual persons and the duration of exposure and the concentration a person is exposed to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUBSK718pUs

Source: http://thecitizenscolumn.com/general-ed/2013/10/2/all-bluefin-tuna-caught-in-california-are-radioactive-stay-away-from-sushi - See more at: http://wakeupcallnews.blogspot.com/2013/10/all-bluefin-tuna-caught-in-california.html#sthash.pGCKvMo7.dpuf


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 06, 2014, 09:24:53 am
Mystery Disease Killing Starfish

 Marine biologists are desperately trying to figure out what is killing starfish up and down the West Coast.

The mysterious disease was first noticed last summer at Starfish Point on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, according to Discovery.com.

Dubbed Starfish-Wasting Syndrome, the ailment literally rips the sea creature apart as its limbs crawl away from each other.

First a starfish develops lesions on its skin, then its arms begin to contort until they break away from the body.

Normally starfish can regenerate a lost limb, but not with this disease.

The arms break off the body allowing the internal organs to spill out, killing the animal.

At first it appeared limited to one species, but the disease has now been documented across about a dozen species.

And tens of thousands of starfish have died, threatening the delicate ecosystem of the ocean floor.

Diseased animals have been confirmed from Alaska to Southern California.

Scientists say they are baffled by the cause and are concerned about the environmental impact of such a large die-off.

http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2014/02/05/mystery-disease-killing-starfish/

hmmmm, wonder what it could be....


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on February 08, 2014, 11:24:19 am
Two Quakes Strike Near Fukushima as US Sailors Sue Over Cleanup
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/two-quakes-strike-near-fukushima-us-sailors-sue-over-cleanup-n25271
2/8/14

Two magnitude-5 earthquakes hit Friday off the coast of Japan's Fukushima prefecture, site of the catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 18,000 people and triggered a nuclear disaster in the Pacific region.

The quakes — which the U.S. Geological Survey measured at magnitudes 5 and 5.1 — caused no notable damage, and no tsunami warnings were issued.

But they served as another reminder of the March 2011 Tohoku quake, which created an environmental disaster and has led to hundreds of lawsuits against the operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant and the manufacturers of the reactors that failed.

Seventy-nine U.S. sailors or their relatives sued the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., for $1 billion in medical costs and damages this week, alleging that the sailors were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation when the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was diverted to Japan to help with evacuation and rescue efforts.

The suit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Diego (.pdf), revives claims that were dismissed in November, when U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino ruled that she didn't have jurisdiction to decide the sailors' claim that the Japanese government committed fraud.

At the time, the suit listed about a dozen plaintiffs. The new suit now lists 79 plaintiffs and intentionally drops the fraud claim. It alleges that the Ronald Reagan's crew drank and bathed in water contaminated with radiation, leading to cancer, fertility problems and other medical issues.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 20, 2014, 08:01:57 am
New highly radioactive leak at Japan's Fukushima plant

The operator of Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant said on Thursday that 100 metric tons of highly contaminated water had leaked out of a tank, the worst incident since last August, when a series of radioactive water leaks sparked international alarm.

Tokyo Electric Power Co told reporters the latest leak was unlikely to have reached the ocean. But news of the leak at the site, devastated by a 2011 earthquake and tsunami, further undercut public trust in a utility rocked by a string of mishaps and disclosure issues.

"We are taking various measures, but we apologize for worrying the public with such a leak," said Masayuki Ono, a spokesman for the utility, also known as Tepco.

"Water is unlikely to have reached the ocean as there is no drainage in that tank area."

Tepco said water overflowed from a large storage tank at the site late on Wednesday after a valve had remained open by mistake and sent too much contaminated water into a separate holding area.
View gallery
.
This photo released by Tokyo Electric Power Co. shows radioactive water leaked from a tank at Fukush …

A worker patrolling the area, around 700 meters from the ocean, spotted drips of water leaking through a drain attached to the side of the tank.

The utility has been harshly criticized for its response to the three nuclear meltdowns following the quake and tsunami at the plant, 220 km (130 miles) north of Tokyo.

A nuclear regulatory official last week said Tepco delayed release of record-high measurements of strontium-90 in groundwater despite repeated requests by the regulator.

Initial measurements of the latest incident showed the leaked water had a reading of 230 million becquerels per liter of beta-emitting radioactive isotopes, including strontium 90.

That level is almost equal to that recorded in last year's leak of 300 metric tons of contaminated water, deemed a "serious incident", or level three, on the seven-point international scale for radiological releases.

The legal limit for releasing strontium 90 into the ocean is 30 becquerels per liter.

http://news.yahoo.com/highly-radioactive-leak-japan-39-fukushima-plant-045324842--finance.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on February 25, 2014, 11:59:11 am
http://news.yahoo.com/fukushima-39-radioactive-ocean-water-arrives-west-coast-141659725.html
Fukushima's Radioactive Ocean Water Arrives At West Coast
2/25/14

Radiation from Japan's leaking Fukushima nuclear power plant has reached waters offshore Canada, researchers said today at the annual American Geophysical Union's Ocean Sciences Meeting in Honolulu.

Two radioactive cesium isotopes, cesium-134 and cesium-137, have been detected offshore of Vancouver, British Columbia, researchers said at a news conference. The detected concentrations are much lower than the Canadian safety limit for cesium levels in drinking water, said John Smith, a research scientist at Canada's Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Tests conducted at U.S. beaches indicate that Fukushima radioactivity has not yet reached Washington, California or Hawaii, said Ken Buesseler, a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Woods Hole, Mass.

"We have results from eight locations, and they all have cesium-137, but no cesium-134 yet," Buesseler said. (Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. In this case, cesium-137 has more neutrons than cesium-134.)

The scientists are tracking a radioactive plume from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Three nuclear reactors at the power plant melted down after the March 11, 2011, Tohoku earthquake. The meltdown was triggered by the massive tsunami that followed the quake. [Fukushima Radiation Leak: 5 Things You Should Know]

Cesium signals

The initial nuclear accident from the Fukushima reactors released several radioactive isotopes, such as iodine-131, cesium-134 and cesium-137. Cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years and remains in the environment for decades. Cesium-134, with a half-life of only two years, is an unequivocal marker of Fukushima ocean contamination, Smith said.

"The only cesium-134 in the North Pacific is there from Fukushima," he said. Cesium-137, on the other hand, is also present from nuclear weapons tests and discharge from nuclear power plants.

Smith and his colleagues tracked rising levels of cesium-134 at several ocean monitoring stations west of Vancouver in the North Pacific beginning in 2011. By June 2013, the concentration reached 0.9 Becquerels per cubic meter, Smith said. All of the cesium-134 was concentrated in the upper 325 feet (100 m) of the ocean, he said. They are awaiting results from a February 2014 sampling trip.

The U.S. safety limit for cesium levels in drinking water is about 28 Becquerels, the number of radioactive decay events per second, per gallon (or 7,400 Becquerels per cubic meter). For comparison, uncontaminated seawater contains only a few Becquerels per cubic meter of cesium.

Cesium-137 levels at U.S. beaches were 1.3 to 1.7 Becquerels per cubic meter, Buesseler said. That's similar to background levels in the ocean from nuclear weapons testing, suggesting the Fukushima plume has not reached the U.S. coastline yet, he said.

The new monitoring data does not show which of two competing models best predicts the future concentration of Fukushima radiation along the U.S. West Coast, Smith said. These models suggest that radionuclides from Fukushima will begin to arrive on the West Coast in early 2014 and peak in 2016. However, the models differ in their predictions of the peak concentration of cesium — from a low of 2 to a maximum of 27 Becquerels per cubic meter. Both peaks are well below the highest level recorded in the Baltic Sea after Chernobyl, which was 1,000 Becquerels per cubic meter.

"It's still a little too early to know which one is correct," Smith said.

Safety concerns

The impending arrival of radioactive contaminants from Fukushima has raised concerns among coastal residents in the United States and Canada. But oceanographers and radiation experts say the radiation levels will be too low to threaten human health.

"These levels are clearly not a human or biological threat in Canada," Smith said.

Fukushima’s radiation reached coastal Canada first because of the powerful Kuroshio Current, which flows from Japan across the Pacific. The plume will then flow down the coast of North America and circle back toward Hawaii, models predict.

But Buesseler thinks even low levels of contamination merit monitoring, both for human health information and for the wealth of data about Pacific Ocean currents such monitoring could provide. On Jan. 14, he launched a website called "How Radioactive is Our Ocean?", where the public can make tax-deductible donations to support the analysis of existing water samples, or propose and fund new sampling locations along the West Coast.

And at Fukushima, radioactive water continues to escape from the damaged power plant into the ocean. A new leak was reported last week, although that one did not empty into the ocean.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 01, 2014, 08:53:15 am
Massive die-off of oysters and scallops in Pacific Northwest: “Millions of shellfish dying” — Never seen anything like it — “By July mortality hit 95 to 100 per cent” — “Deformed shells, smaller in size” — “Cause is unknown, but ocean acidification is main suspect” (AUDIO)

I KNOW THE CAUSE...

Mystery surrounds massive die-off of oysters and scallops off B.C. coast [...] Something is killing oysters and scallops in dramatic numbers [...] The cause is unknown, but ocean acidification is the main suspect. [...] last year, nearby Pendrell Sound had a massive die-off of wild oysters. [...] [Rob Saunders, CEO of Island Scallops] has lost 10 million scallops over the past two years, and smaller companies have had similar problems. Mr. Saunders is pushing for a research project to find out what’s happening. [...] one of BC’s biggest suppliers of fresh seafood, said the scallop die-off has rung alarm bells.

CBC, Feb. 25, 2014: The deteriorating health of B.C.’s oceans [...] Millions of shellfish are dying off before they can be harvested at Island Scallops [...] researchers will try to determine if acidification is to blame or if other factors are at play.

Vancouver Sun, Feb. 26, 2014: Scallop operations, big and small, are reporting die-offs this year. [...] “No one — not even the researchers — expected the situation to decline this rapidly,” Saunders said. An audit of Island Scallops’ facilities early in 2013 counted three million scallops seeded in 2010 and seven million from 2011. “We started gearing up for processing,” he said. But the animals started to die soon after and by July, mortality hit 95 to 100 per cent. Other local growers faced the same fate.

Yves Perreault, president of the BC Shellfish Grower’s Association: “It’s a remote area, the water is clean … we haven’t had any environmental concerns, so I’m not sure what’s going on.”

Guy Dean, vice-president at Albion Fisheries: “It’s definitely a sign. It’s like the canary in the coal mine. That is the early indicator of climate change”

Rob Saunders, CEO of Island Scallops: “Is it a disease? Is it just strictly C02 stress or acid stress? If we don’t figure it out, then we don’t have an industry.”

Oceanside Star, Feb. 27, 2014: [A]cidity in the Pacific Ocean is decimating Vancouver Island’s farmed shellfish [...] eating holes in the shells of scallops [...] B.C. Shellfish Grower’s Association concludes that rising ocean acidity is killing oyster and scallop larvae in B.C. and Washington.

Rob Saunders, CEO of Island Scallops: “Initially, the cause was looked at as a disease [...] We couldn’t grow any larvae. About three billion of them died [...] At harvest, each hauled-up cage normally contains 300 scallops. Now, we’re getting less than five scallops per cage. These scallops have deformed shells and are smaller in size.”

CBC, Feb. 26, 2014:  Mr. Saunders, you’ve been in this business for 35 years, have you ever seen anything like this? No. […] It’s the North Pacific […] hatcheries in Washington State are seeing very similar problems […] Is it a pathogen? We don’t particularly know. We’ve looked at the known pathogens and it’s not occurring. […] We’re not quite sure what the problems are. […]

CBC interview with Rob Saunders of Island Scallops here

http://enenews.com/alarm-bells-massive-die-off-of-oysters-and-scallops-in-pacific-northwest-millions-of-shellfish-are-dying-by-july-mortality-hit-95-to-100-per-cent-deformed-shells-smaller-in-si


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 10, 2014, 06:50:17 am
Scientists: Test West Coast for Fukushima radiation

Very low levels of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster likely will reach ocean waters along the U.S. West Coast next month, scientists are reporting. Current models predict that the radiation will be at extremely low levels that won't harm humans or the environment, said Ken Buesseler, a chemical oceanographer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution...   

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/09/scientists-test-west-coast-for-fukushima-radiation/6213849/

will the lies ever end?


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 10, 2014, 12:53:10 pm
Scientists: Test West Coast for Fukushima radiation

Very low levels of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster likely will reach ocean waters along the U.S. West Coast next month, scientists are reporting. Current models predict that the radiation will be at extremely low levels that won't harm humans or the environment, said Ken Buesseler, a chemical oceanographer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution...   

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/09/scientists-test-west-coast-for-fukushima-radiation/6213849/

will the lies ever end?

Yeah, now they're saying "It's just a LITTLE pregnant" now.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 15, 2014, 03:11:16 pm
Radiation from Fukishima Reactor Reaches Canadian Coast

Vancouver, British Columbia – Scientists have detected radiation levels off the West Coast of Canada which they determined is from the Japanese Fukishima reactor. The authoritative pronouncement was made at the annual gathering of the American Geophysical Union’s Ocean Sciences Meeting. The scientists conducted their meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.

As per their findings, the radioactive isotopes cesium-137 & cesium-134 have been detected off the Canadian West Coast. The obvious question is in regards to public health and whether these levels are safe for people. The Bedford Institute of Oceanography located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, says that the trace levels of radiation are well within the limits of what Canada deems safe for drinking water.

Tests conducted off the West Coast of the United States in 8 locations across California, Oregon, and Washington have detected cesium-137, but not cesium-134. The radiation was released into the environment on March 11, 2011 when a reactor at the Fukishima nuclear power plant suffered a meltdown as a result of an earthquake and concomitant tsunami.

Scientists have been conducting radiation tests ever since to spot the spread of the radiation towards Canada. Thus far, they’ve detected the radiation in the top layer of the ocean’s water up to a depth of 325 feet. Specifically, they are awaiting radiation levels from the plume that emerged during the peak of the reactor’s meltdown. That radiation is yet to arrive.

John Smith, a scientist with the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, stresses that, despite the fact that radiation from Fukushima is now present in Canadian waters, the country’s residents have nothing to worry about.

According to Smith, concentrations of two isotopes fall below Canada’s current safety limit for cesium in drinking water. In fact, it appears that they are much lower than what is considered safe.

“These levels are clearly not a human or biological threat in Canada,” John Smith reportedly said.

UPI reports that current models put future levels of Cesium-137 at no greater than 27 Bq/m3, and maximum levels of cesium-134 at 2 Bq/m3 — both amounts below what the World Health Organization, the EPA and Canada’s Department of the Environment consider safe for human consumption.

In the US, the safety level of radiation is 28 Becquerels per cubic meter. Thus far, they’ve detected levels between 1.3 and 1.7 Becquerels.

In a video posted last month, Discovery News reporter Trace Dominguez told viewers there’s no reason to worry about Fukushima radioactivity in the West Coast or anywhere else in the U.S.

rest: http://www.ecanadanow.com/canada/2014/03/15/radiation-from-fukishima-reactor-reaches-canadian-coast/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 15, 2014, 03:32:39 pm
First they cover it up, now they've forced their hand to do damage control. What's next?


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 17, 2014, 12:02:31 pm
http://enenews.com/cnn-horrible-medical-mystery-alarming-rate-of-birth-defects-in-washington-babies-missing-parts-of-brain-and-skull-mother-outraged-at-govt-inaction-affected-area-surrounds-most-pollu
CNN: “Horrible medical mystery… alarming rate of birth defects” in Washington — Babies missing parts of brain, skull — Mother outraged at gov’t — Nurse: “It’s very scary… absolutely something going on” — Cluster surrounds most polluted US nuclear site, yet never mentioned by media or officials (VIDEO)
3/1/14

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN senior medical correspondent: Yakima Valley, Washington, a horrible medical mystery has unfolded — An alarming rate of birth defects. Sara Barron, a nurse in the region and was the first to report cases of anencephaly, babies born with much of their brain and skull missing.
Barron: “I was just stunned. 3 in a couple month period of time, that’s unheard of, and they’re such tragic, terrible outcomes.”
Cohen: Barron’s shocking discovery prompted an investigation by the state health department, which showed that in 3 counties, in a 3 year period, there were 23 cases of anencephaly, a rate 4 times the national average. [...]
Mandy Stahre, Washington State Health Department epidemiologist: “We have not found an answer, and that’s the very frustrating part because this is such a devastating diagnosis for a woman to have.” [...]
Cohen: The state hasn’t spoken to any of the families who had the babies with birth defects. Not a single one. [...] that outrages Andrea Jackman [...]
Andrea Jackman, baby born with spina bifida: “Nobody’s asked me anything. [...] What are you researching if you haven’t physically called the families to find out? What are you researching? [...] If it just happened to one person it could be random, but the fact that there’s so many different people that it’s happened to, there’s gotta be something that you can pinpoint that caused this.” [...]
Stahre: “We’re still trying to find what may be causing these. Were still investigating this. We’re not ruling anything out at this point [...] We’re considering just about everything at this point. [...] I don’t think [pregnant women should be worried].”
Cohen: But nurse Sara Barron isn’t so sure.
Barron: “I think it’s very scary. I think there’s absolutely something going on that needs to be investigated more thoroughly.”

CNN, Mar. 1, 2014: In her 30-year career as a nurse, Sara Barron had seen only two babies with anencephaly [...] in 2012, while working at a hospital in rural Washington state, she saw two cases in two months. [...] a birth defect that’s always fatal. [...] Was [the dad] exposed to any toxic chemicals? [...] Department of Health plans to report how many babies were born with neural tube defects in 2013. [...] “We’re still investigating this,” [Stahre] says. “This is nowhere near finished.”

Tri-City Herald, Feb. 27, 2014: A genetic counselor in Yakima said she’s reported ["8 or 9"] additional cases of anencephaly and spina bifida since January 2013.



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 28, 2014, 05:43:24 am
School Science Project Reveals High Levels Of Fukushima Nuclear Radiation in Grocery Store Seafood


A Canadian high school student named Bronwyn Delacruz never imagined that her school science project would make headlines all over the world.  But that is precisely what has happened.  Using a $600 Geiger counter purchased by her father, Delacruz measured seafood bought at local grocery stores for radioactive contamination.  What she discovered was absolutely stunning.  Much of the seafood, particularly the products that were made in China, tested very high for radiation.  So is this being caused by nuclear radiation from Fukushima?  Is the seafood that we are eating going to give us cancer and other diseases?  The American people deserve the truth, but as you will see below, the U.S. and Canadian governments are not even testing imported seafood for radiation.  To say that this is deeply troubling would be a massive understatement.

In fact, what prompted Bronwyn Delacruz to conduct her science project was the fact that the Canadian government stopped testing imported seafood

(Read More...) http://thetruthwins.com/archives/school-science-project-reveals-high-levels-of-fukushima-nuclear-radiation-in-grocery-store-seafood


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 03, 2014, 10:55:47 am
School Science Project Reveals High Levels Of Fukushima Nuclear Radiation in Grocery Store Seafood


A Canadian high school student named Bronwyn Delacruz never imagined that her school science project would make headlines all over the world.  But that is precisely what has happened.  Using a $600 Geiger counter purchased by her father, Delacruz measured seafood bought at local grocery stores for radioactive contamination.  What she discovered was absolutely stunning.  Much of the seafood, particularly the products that were made in China, tested very high for radiation.  So is this being caused by nuclear radiation from Fukushima?  Is the seafood that we are eating going to give us cancer and other diseases?  The American people deserve the truth, but as you will see below, the U.S. and Canadian governments are not even testing imported seafood for radiation.  To say that this is deeply troubling would be a massive understatement.

In fact, what prompted Bronwyn Delacruz to conduct her science project was the fact that the Canadian government stopped testing imported seafood

(Read More...) http://thetruthwins.com/archives/school-science-project-reveals-high-levels-of-fukushima-nuclear-radiation-in-grocery-store-seafood

Fukushima: Radioactive Seafood in Canadian Grocery Stores
Canadian 10th Grader Discovers Radioactive Imported Seafood Long After Government Stopped Testing


Radioactive seafood isn’t foreign to Canadian grocery stores, but we have no research and development professionals to thank for that information—just a 10th grader from Alberta.

Bronwyn Delacruz of Grande Prairie Composite High School in Alberta made her discovery with the help of a $600 Geiger counter her father purchased and the need to complete a science project. She told Metro Canada that she decided to test the radioactivity of seafood—mostly seaweed—because she was shocked to learn that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) stopped testing imported foods in that manner the year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.

“Some of the kelp that I found was higher than what the International Atomic Energy Agency sets as radioactive contamination, which is 1,450 counts over a 10-minute period,” she said. “Some of my samples came up as 1,700 or 1,800.”

Since the Canadian stopped testing seafood for radiation, an Alberta teenager took matters into her own hands. Photo credit: AP / Ahn Young-joon

 According to the Daily Herald Tribune, Bronwyn tested more than 300 seaweed samples, including 15 brands exported from Japan, China, California, Washington, New Brunswick and British Columbia. Her work earned her gold honors at a regional science fair in Peace River, Alberta. In May, she will compete nationally in Ontario.

“I’m kind of concerned that this is landing in our grocery stores and that if you aren’t measuring it, you could just be eating this and bringing home to your family,” Bronwyn said.

The CFIA’s website says that it found more than 200 seafood samples in 2011 and 2012 that were “found to be below Health Canada’s actionable levels for radioactivity.” That was enough to lift the country’s enhanced import controls.

“No additional testing is planned,” the site reads.

According to Miles O’Brien, it’s the same scenario in the U.S. One of his recent PBS reports revealed that scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute were turned down after requesting minimal federal support by five agencies. There are no federal agencies conducting comprehensive, on-the-ground analyses of how much Fukushima radiation has made its way into the air and oceans of the U.S.

In October, Dr. David Suzuki predicted that it would take three years from the time of the incident for the radiation plume to reach the West Coast. That would have been in the past month. That concept wasn’t lost on young Bronwyn.

“The way the currents and the radiation would arrive in Canada, it wouldn’t arrive until now, about 2014 or 2013,” she said.

In 2012, the Vancouver Sun reported that cesium-137, the radioactive form of cesium, was found in various seafood products that were imported from Japan, including:

• 73 percent of the mackerel

• 91 percent of the halibut

• 92 percent of the sardines

• 93 percent of the tuna and eel

• 94 percent of the cod and anchovies

• 100 percent of the carp, seaweed, shark and monkfish

“Any amount of leaked radiation is harmful to the planet and the health of all species, including humans,” Suzuki wrote. “A major release of radioactivity, such as that from Fukushima, is a huge concern, with unknowns remaining around long-term health risks such as cancers.”

http://www.globalresearch.ca/fukushima-radioactive-seafood-in-canadian-grocery-stores/5376360


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 18, 2014, 06:40:37 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/manager-japans-fukushima-plant-admits-radioactive-water-embarrassing-210454083--sector.html
Manager at Japan's Fukushima plant admits radioactive water 'embarrassing'
4/17/14

OKUMA, Japan (Reuters) - The manager of the Fukushima nuclear power plant admits to embarrassment that repeated efforts have failed to bring under control the problem of radioactive water, eight months after Japan's prime minister told the world the matter was resolved.

Tokyo Electric Power Co, the plant's operator, has been fighting a daily battle against contaminated water since Fukushima was wrecked by a March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government pledged half a billion dollars last year to tackle the issue, but progress has been limited.

"It's embarrassing to admit, but there are certain parts of the site where we don't have full control," Akira Ono told reporters touring the plant this week.

He was referring to the latest blunder at the plant: channeling contaminated water to the wrong building.

Ono also acknowledged that many difficulties may have been rooted in Tepco's focus on speed since the 2011 disaster.

"It may sound odd, but this is the bill we have to pay for what we have done in the past three years," he said.

"But we were pressed to build tanks in a rush and may have not paid enough attention to quality. We need to improve quality from here."

The Fukushima Daiichi station, 220 km (130 miles) northeast of Tokyo, suffered triple nuclear meltdowns in the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

The issue of contaminated water is at the core of the clean-up. Japan's nuclear regulator and the International Atomic Energy Agency say a new controlled release into the sea of contaminated water may be needed to ease stretched capacity.

But this is predicated on the state-of-art ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System) project, which removes the most dangerous nucleides, becoming fully operational. The system has functioned only during periodic tests.

As Ono spoke, workers in white protective suits and masks were building new giant tanks to contain the contaminated water - on land that was once covered in trees and grass.

A cluster of cherry trees, unmoved since the disaster, is in bloom amid the bustle of trucks and tractors at work as 1,000 tanks in place approach capacity. Pipes in black insulation lie on a hill pending installation for funneling water to the sea.

HUGE FLUSH

"We need to improve the quality of the tanks and other facilities so that they can survive for the next 30-40 years of our decommission period," Ono said, a stark acknowledgement that the problem is long-term.

Last September, Abe told Olympic dignitaries in Buenos Aires in an address that helped Tokyo win the 2020 Games: "Let me assure you the situation is under control."

Tepco had pledged to have treated all contaminated water by March 2015, but said this week that was a "tough goal."

The utility flushes huge amounts of water over the reactors to keep them cool. That water mixes with groundwater that seeps into basements, requiring more pumping, treatment and storage.

In a rare success, the government won approval from fishermen for plans to divert into the sea a quarter of the 400 metric tons (440.92 tons) of groundwater pouring into the plant each day.

But things keep going wrong.

Last week, Tepco said it had directed 203 tons of highly radioactive water to the wrong building, flooding its basement. Tepco is also investigating a leak into the ground a few days earlier from a plastic container used to store rainwater.

In February, a tank sprouted a 100-tonne leak of radioactive water, the most serious incident since leaks sparked international alarm last year.

A hangar-like structure houses Toshiba Corp's ALPS system, able to remove all nucleides except for less noxious tritium, found at most nuclear power stations, its planners say.

It sat idle for 19 months after a series of glitches. The latest miscue occurred on Wednesday, when a ton of radioactive water overflowed from a tank.

"The ultimate purpose is to prevent contaminated water from going out to the ocean, and in this regard, I believe it is under control," Ono said. But the incidents, he said, obliged officials to "find better ways to handle the water problem".

The government says it will help fund the filtration system, build an underground ice wall and erect more storage tanks.

The 1,000 tanks hold 440,000 tons of contaminated water. Some 4,500 to 5,000 workers, about 1,500 more than a half year ago, are trying to double the capacity by 2016.

Once the deal was clinched with the fishermen, Tepco embarked on a plan to use a water bypass, from as early as next month, to funnel clean groundwater to the sea.

But the latest samples next to the bypass found elevated levels of radiation and the project was placed under further scrutiny. Tepco said the radiation was within permitted limits
.

Plans also call for a 1.4-km underground wall of ice to block groundwater. Tests began last month and Tepco hopes next year to begin construction - sinking giant refrigeration rods into the ground to create an impermeable wall of frozen earth.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 30, 2014, 06:29:19 am
Study finds Fukushima radioactivity in tuna off Oregon, Washington

A sample of albacore tuna caught off the shores of Oregon and Washington state have small levels of radioactivity from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, researchers said on Tuesday.

But authors of the Oregon State University study say the levels are so small you would have to consume more than 700,000 pounds of the fish with the highest radioactive level to match the amount of radiation the average person is annually exposed to in everyday life through cosmic rays, the air, the ground, X-rays and other sources.

Still, the findings shed some light about the impact of the meltdown on the Pacific Ocean following the March 2011 tsunami and subsequent power plant disaster, said Delvan Neville, a graduate research assistant at OSU and lead author of the study.

“I think people would rather have an answer on what is there and what isn’t there than have a big question mark,” Neville said.

At the most extreme, radiation levels tripled from fish tested before Fuskushima and fish tested after. That level was 0.1 percent of the level set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for concern.

“The levels were way too small to really be a food safety issue, but we still want to tell people about it so they know what’s there.” Neville said.

Jason Phillips, a research associate in OSU’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences and co-author of the study, said he did not expect to find high levels of radiation in the fish, but rather thought it would be a way to track the migratory patterns of the albacore.

He said that thanks to continued support from the Oregon Sea Grant, the research will continue and they will expand the pilot program to look at fish from California and other parts of the North Pacific.

Their study looked at 26 Pacific albacore from 2008 to 2012. Phillips said the albacore tuna was a good species to study because it migrates as far as Japan.

“If we were going to see it in something, we would see it in albacore’ or other high level predators,” he added.

http://news.yahoo.com/study-finds-fukushima-radioactivity-tuna-off-oregon-washington-222450201.html;_ylt=AwrBJR5cKWBTBSgAaCfQtDMD


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 05, 2014, 06:55:18 am
Magnitude   Mw 6.0
Region   NEAR S. COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Date time   2014-05-04 20:18:24.0 UTC
Location   34.84 N ; 139.36 E
Depth   152 km


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 23, 2014, 07:39:26 am
Japan Begins Purposely Dumping 100s Of Tons Of Radioactive Water From Fukushima Into The Pacific

How do you get rid of hundreds of tons of highly radioactive water?  You dump it into the Pacific Ocean of course!  In Japan, the  Tokyo Electric Power Co. has made the “painful decision” to begin purposely dumping massive amounts of radioactive water currently being stored at the destroyed Fukushima nuclear facility directly into the Pacific.  This is being done even though water radiation levels near Fukushima spiked to a brand new all-time record high just a few days ago.  The radioactive material that is being released will enter our food chain and will potentially stay with us for decades to come.  Fukushima is an environmental nightmare that never seems to end, but the mainstream media in the United States decided to pretty much stop talking about it long ago.  So don’t expect the big news networks to make a big deal out of the fact that Japan is choosing to use the Pacific Ocean as a toilet for their nuclear waste.  But even though they aren’t talking about it, that doesn’t mean that radioactive material from Fukushima is not seriously affecting the health of millions of people all over the planet.

According to the Japan Times, Tepco released 560 tons of radioactive water into the Pacific on Wednesday, and Tepco says that for the foreseeable future we should expect another 100 tons of radioactive water to be released into the ocean every single day…

    Tokyo Electric Power Co. began dumping groundwater from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant into the Pacific on Wednesday, in a bid to manage the huge amounts of radioactive water that have built up at the complex.

    The utility, which says the water discharged is within legal radiation safety limits, has been fighting a daily battle against contaminated water since Fukushima No. 1 was decimated by the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.

    Tepco said 560 tons of groundwater captured and stored before it entered reactor building basements was to be released Wednesday, using a bypass system that funnels it toward the ocean after checking for radiation levels.

    Using the bypass, Tepco hopes to divert an average of 100 tons of untainted groundwater a day into the ocean.

Tepco is assuring us that the radioactive water that is being released is within “legal radiation safety limits”.

But this is the same company that could not tell us why radiation levels in water near Fukushima reached a new all-time high just a few days ago…

    Radiation has spiked to all-time highs at five monitoring points in waters adjacent to the crippled Fukushima No. 1 power station, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Friday.

    The measurements follow similar highs detected in groundwater at the plant. Officials of Tepco, as the utility is known, said the cause of the seawater spike is unknown.

    Three of the monitoring sites are inside the wrecked plant’s adjacent port, which ships once used to supply it.

    At one sampling point in the port, between the water intakes for the No. 2 and No. 3 reactors, 1,900 becquerels per liter of tritium was detected Monday, up from a previous high of 1,400 becquerels measured on April 14, Tepco said.

    Nearby, also within the port, tritium levels were found to have spiked to 1,400 becquerels, from a previous high of 1,200 becquerels.

So do you trust Tepco?

I certainly do not.

And this is not just a Japanese issue.  Radioactive material from Fukushima has literally been found all over the planet.  For example, a nuclear fuel fragment from Fukushima has been found as far away as Norway.

Once this radioactive material gets into the ocean and into our food chain, there is no telling where it may end up.

If the mainstream media really did care about “the environment”, they would be talking about this.  But instead, there seems to be a conspiracy of silence.  Just consider the comments that Martin Fackler of the New York Times made during one recent interview…

    Yeah… it’s so hard in Japan to talk about the radiation issue, like how bad is it really… There is a sense that if you even talk about these issues, you’re hurting the poor people of Fuksuhima. Therefore, we shouldn’t talk about it. That’s just not right… The folks who don’t want us to talk about it are the government, because they don’t want to pay compensation… I feel like there is a lot going on in Fukushima that just doesn’t get talked about in the local media, not necessarily for government cover-up sort of issues, but self restraint or self censorship. Even papers that are pretty strong in their reporting on Tepco in some ways, like the Tokyo Shimbun, won’t talk about these issues because they’re afraid that somehow its unpatriotic to talk about radiation. There’s a lot of questions and issues that are not being talked about, and I think they should be talked and if there is damage to the people of Fukushima that’s the responsibility of Tepco…

And the U.S. media certainly doesn’t seem to want to talk about how radiation from Fukushima could be affecting the west coast of our country.

But the evidence continues to mount that something very unusual is happening.

Just consider what is happening to young sea lions along the coast of California…

    Sea lions are once again struggling to survive and are washing ashore, many of them pups dehydrated, malnourished and on the brink of death.

    The year started off quieter than last year, and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center’s director of development, Melissa Sciacca, thought they were in the clear – until about a month ago, when the calls started coming in nonstop. The center, in Laguna Beach, is near capacity, with about 100 sea lions being treated so they can be returned to the wild once they are strong enough.

    “We thought it was going to be a nice calm year; in the last month it’s just spiked,” she said. “The rescues just keep coming in at a steady pace.”

And as I wrote about just the other day, something is causing millions of fish to die in mass death events all over the globe right now.

Could Fukushima be a contributing factor?

A lot of people out there are attempting to downplay the impact that the Fukushima nuclear disaster has had on the Pacific Ocean.

I believe that this is a huge mistake.

Nuclear radiation causes cancer.

Nuclear radiation kills.

The total amount of nuclear material released from Fukushima just continues to increase and slowly accumulate in our food chain.  When these nuclear particles get into you, they can literally start cooking you from the inside out.  In a previous article, I included a quote from an opinion piece by Helen Caldicott that was published in the Guardian….

    Internal radiation, on the other hand, emanates from radioactive elements which enter the body by inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption. Hazardous radionuclides such as iodine-131, caesium 137, and other isotopes currently being released in the sea and air around Fukushima bio-concentrate at each step of various food chains (for example into algae, crustaceans, small fish, bigger fish, then humans; or soil, grass, cow’s meat and milk, then humans). After they enter the body, these elements – called internal emitters – migrate to specific organs such as the thyroid, liver, bone, and brain, where they continuously irradiate small volumes of cells with high doses of alpha, beta and/or gamma radiation, and over many years, can induce uncontrolled cell replication – that is, cancer. Further, many of the nuclides remain radioactive in the environment for generations, and ultimately will cause increased incidences of cancer and genetic diseases over time.

Doesn’t that sound lovely?

And it has been documented that radioactive material from Fukushima has been getting into the seafood being sold in North America.

For example, back in 2012 the Vancouver Sun reported that cesium-137 was being discovered in a very high percentage of the fish that Japan was selling to Canada…

• 73 percent of the mackerel

• 91 percent of the halibut

• 92 percent of the sardines

• 93 percent of the tuna and eel

• 94 percent of the cod and anchovies

• 100 percent of the carp, seaweed, shark and monkfish

So why was radiation testing for seafood subsequently shut down in Canada?

Since that time, as I detailed in one of my previous articles, a high school student up in Canada tested seafood bought at local grocery stores for radioactive contamination.  What she found was absolutely stunning…

    A Canadian high school student named Bronwyn Delacruz never imagined that her school science project would make headlines all over the world.  But that is precisely what has happened.  Using a $600 Geiger counter purchased by her father, Delacruz measured seafood bought at local grocery stores for radioactive contamination.  What she discovered was absolutely stunning.  Much of the seafood, particularly the products that were made in China, tested very high for radiation.  So is this being caused by nuclear radiation from Fukushima?  Is the seafood that we are eating going to give us cancer and other diseases?

Why aren’t we being warned about this?

Earlier this year, a fish that was caught just off the coast of the Fukushima prefecture was discovered to have 124 times the safe level of radioactive cesium.

But virtually nobody in the mainstream media considers this to be important enough to talk about.

A lot of people seem to think that the Fukushima nuclear disaster is old news.  But in many ways the biggest problems for North America may just be beginning.  For example, according to scientists at the University of South Wales, the main radioactive plume of water from Fukushima has finally crossed the Pacific Ocean and is going to hit our shores at some point during 2014…

    The first radioactive ocean plume released by the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster will finally be reaching the shores of the United States some time in 2014, according to a new study from the University of New South Wales — a full three or so years after the date of the disaster.

The following graphics come directly from that study…

(http://endoftheamericandream.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Fukushima-Radiation-University-Of-New-South-Wales-460x216.jpg)

So as the main plume of nuclear radiation reaches our shores, what will that do to our wildlife, our fishing industry and our beaches?

And what kind of danger does this radioactive water pose to those living along the west coast?

These are very important questions, but unfortunately those in power and those working for the mainstream media don’t really want to talk about these things.

So what do you think?

Please feel free to share your thoughts by posting a comment below…

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/japan-begins-purposely-dumping-100s-of-tons-of-radioactive-water-from-fukushima-into-the-pacific


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 28, 2014, 01:28:15 pm
Just 1% of usual number of baby California pelicans; “Nearly complete failure to breed”; Only 20 newborns in area where 10,000 expected — Expert: ‘Flabbergasted’ by what’s happening in Malibu, “I’ve never seen anything like that” (AUDIO)

KPCC, May 27, 2014: Tens of thousands of California brown pelicans have shown up at the Salon Sea months earlier than usual [...] to roost in spots inland from their normal nesting areas. [...] Dan Cooper, a biologist who monitors birds at Malibu Lagoon, said he first noticed the birds’ strange schedule in mid-April. “I was just sort of flabbergasted at seeing 3,500 brown pelicans resting in Malibu Lagoon,” Cooper said. “I checked my notes, and I have numbers in the hundreds, but I’ve never seen anything like that.” Failed nesting season [...] the majority of brown pelicans have given up the attempt for the year. [...] Scientists say a lack of fish food sources, such as sardines and anchovies, has caused the widespread nesting failure.

Transcript

    Dan Cooper, biologist hired to monitor birds in Malibu lagoon: “There were hundreds of adult brown pelicans roosting there.”
    KPCC: That was strange because at this time of year most adults should be nesting and raising young on offshore islands, not loafing around on our beaches. [...]
    Cooper: “It’s been shown that when adult brown pelicans start showing up in spring in Southern California they’re birds whose nests have failed.”

At 2:30 in

    KPCC: [Daniel] Anderson is a professor emeritus at UC Davis. He’s been traveling down to Baja for the last 46 years and he just got back from his annual trip last week.
    Daniel Anderson, U. of California, Davis professor emeritus: “I was assessing the status of breeding populations in the major part of the breeding range.”
    KPCC: Major is right, 80-90% of all California brown pelicans breed in Mexico. [...]
    Anderson: “It’s been almost a nearly complete failure to breed, which is quite unusual”
    KPCC: Anderson estimates that Baja pelicans have reared about 1% of the young they normally would.
    Anderson: “At one island that we study, Isla Salvatierra, which would normally have 8,000-10,000 young, only had like 20 young.”

At 3:45 in

    KPCC: Having given up on nesting this year [the pelicans are at the Salton Sea east of Palm Springs, 100 miles inland --] months earlier than normal. [Kathy] Molina says you can hear the difference.
    Kathy Molina, biologist: “This should be just a cacophony of Caspian terns, and gull-billed terns and skimmers. They should all be coming in with food, feeding their chicks, vocalizing to their mates or their chicks. This is really quiet.”

Full broadcast available here

http://enenews.com/expert-flabbergasted-whats-happening-california-pelicans-professor-one-percent-usual-number-baby-birds-born-complete-failure-breed-quite-unusual-20-newborns-area-8000-10000-expected-audio?utm


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 28, 2014, 01:29:04 pm
Former Japan Official: “Earth is in peril” from Fukushima reactors if current situation continues — Tepco Worker: “The buildings themselves have started to break down” at plant; Equipment has too, “even the cooling system ceasing to function is a possibility” (VIDEO)

At 2:45 in

    Hiroshi Kawauchi, former Japanese house representative: The havoc Fukushima has wrought is not acknowledged by the government. [Fukushima Daiichi] emitted airborne radioactive cesium levels that exceed the Hiroshima bomb by 168 times. But we’re always told everything is OK.
    Vikram Ghandi, Vice: [We were] wondering why radiation levels 168 times worse than Hiroshima could ever be perceived as OK.

At 11:00 in

    Anonymous Tepco Employee: There are many more problems that we have here [other than contaminated water]. The equipment that we brought 3 years ago, like pipes, hoses, the buildings themselves, all of these have started to break down. Even the cooling system ceasing to function is a possibility.

At 13:00 in

    Ghandi: The future of Japan begins to look even more bleak.
    Kawauchi: It will become harder to access the truth [because of the new state secrets act].
    Ghandi: The government trying to silence people cannot change the dark reality of radiation that may only rear its head in generations to come.
    Kawauchi: If we continue, not only Japan, but also Earth, is in peril.

Watch the Vice ‘Debrief’ here

http://enenews.com/former-japan-official-earth-peril-fukushima-continues-always-told-everything-tepco-worker-buildings-started-break-down-plant-equiment-cooling-system-ceasing-function-possibility-video?utm


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on June 10, 2014, 11:10:52 am
Radiation in Tuna Triples After Fukushima, New Study Says

You’re right to be concerned about the effects of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011 and beyond. The power station in Japan failed miserably following an earthquake, sending radioactive waste into the ocean at amounts still not fully understood. Recently, a study from researchers with Oregon State University has affirmed the spills have affected sea life and Albacore tuna in particular.

Published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, the research, led by Delvan Neville of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics of the University, says there are notable effects of the Fukushima disaster being felt by tuna caught off the coast of Oregon.

    “You can’t say there is absolutely zero risk because any radiation is assumed to carry at least some small risk,” said Neville. But, he says, the amounts aren’t enough to pose a risk to consumers.

Neville and his team of researchers examined tuna caught off the Oregon coast between 2008 and 2012. In other words, they had tuna before Fukushima occurred and up to the year following. At the most extreme level, the radioactive isotopes tripled from the pre- to post-Fukushima samples. Neville says this isn’t enough to be harmful.

    “A year of eating albacore with these cesium traces is about the same dose of radiation as you get from spending 23 seconds in a stuffy basement from radon gas, or sleeping next to your spouse for 40 nights from the natural potassium-40 in their body,” he explained. “It’s just not much at all.”

Not everyone’s convinced.

Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the GEOMAR Research Center for Marine Geosciences say the worst is yet to come and that the most highly radioactive water hasn’t reached our shores yet.

Some estimates say the water could be 10 times stronger when it reaches the U.S. shores than it was when it left Japan. Others, say it’s diffusing. One thing is for certain, the radioactive contamination is still traveling in ocean currents, the long-term effects of which remain to be seen.

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/radiation-tuna-tripled-since-fukushima-new-study-says/#ixzz34FlpYZ00


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on June 17, 2014, 11:35:10 am
http://news.yahoo.com/fukushima-struggling-build-ice-wall-plug-leak-105302345.html
Fukushima struggling to build ice wall to plug leak
6/17/14

The operator of Japan's battered Fukushima nuclear power plant said Tuesday it was having trouble with the early stages of an ice wall being built under broken reactors to contain radioactive water.

Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) has begun digging the trenches for a huge network of pipes pipes under the plant through which it intends to pass refrigerant.

This will freeze the soil and form a physical barrier that is intended to prevent clean groundwater flowing down mountainsides from mixing with contaminated water underneath the leaking reactors.

TEPCO said Tuesday a smaller, inner ice wall whose pipes it sank earlier to contain the already-contaminated water was proving difficult.

"We have yet to form the ice stopper because we can't make the temperature low enough to freeze water," a TEPCO spokesman said.

"We are behind schedule but have already taken additional measures, including putting in more pipes, so that we can remove contaminated water from the trench starting next month."

The coolant being used in the operation is an aqueous solution of calcium chloride, which is cooled to -30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit).

The idea of freezing a section of the ground, which was proposed for Fukushima last year, has previously been used in the construction of tunnels near watercourses.

However, scientists point out that it has not been done on this scale before nor for the proposed length of time.

Coping with the huge -- and growing -- amount of water at the tsunami-damaged plant is proving to be one of the biggest challenges for TEPCO, as it tries to clean up the mess after the worst nuclear disaster in a generation, in which three reactors went into meltdown.

As well as all the water used to keep broken reactors cool, the utility must also deal with water that makes its way along subterranean watercourses from mountainsides to the sea.

Full decommissioning of the plant at Fukushima is expected to take several decades. An area around the plant remains out of bounds, and experts warn that some settlements may have to be abandoned because of high levels of radiation.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on July 11, 2014, 02:45:27 pm
6.8 earthquake SE of Sendai, Japan  -  Fukushima
July 11, 2014   Breaking news
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=390445
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=390445#map
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000rs50#summary


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on July 18, 2014, 05:14:11 am
Japan Doctor: “Tokyo should no longer be inhabited” — Everyone here is a victim of Fukushima — People truly suffering — Bleeding under skin, urinary hemorrhaging — Children’s blood tests started changing last year — Time running short… up to physicians to save our citizens and future generations

Dr. Shigeru Mita’s essay published in the newsletter of Association of Doctors in Kodaira (Tokyo), translated by WNSCR, July 16, 2014: Why did I leave Tokyo? To my fellow doctors, I closed the clinic in March 2014, which had served the community of Kodaira for more than 50 years, since my father’s generation, and I have started a new Mita clinic in Okayama-city on April 21. [...] It is clear that Eastern Japan and Metropolitan Tokyo have been contaminated with radiation [...] contamination in the east part [of Tokyo] is 1000-4000 Bq/kg and the west part is 300-1000 Bq/kg. [...] 0.5-1.5 Bq/kg before 2011. [...] Tokyo should no longer be inhabited [...] Contamination in Tokyo is progressing, and further worsened by urban radiation concentration [...] radiation levels on the riverbeds [...] in Tokyo have increased drastically in the last 1-2 years. [...] Ever since 3.11, everybody living in Eastern Japan including Tokyo is a victim, and everybody is involved. [...] The keyword here is “long-term low-level internal irradiation.” This differs greatly from medical irradiation or simple external exposure to radiation. [...] People are truly suffering from this utter lack of support. [...] If the power to save our citizens and future generations exists somewhere, it [is] in the hands of individual clinical doctors ourselves. [...] Residents of Tokyo are unfortunately not in the position to pity the affected regions of Tohoku because they are victims themselves. Time is running short. [...]

Dr. Mita on patient symptoms since 2011: White blood cells, especially neutrophils, are decreasing among children [...] Patients report nosebleed, hair loss, lack of energy, subcutaneous bleeding, visible urinary hemorrhage, skin inflammations [...] we began to notice changes in children’s blood test results around mid-2013 [...] Other concerns I have include symptoms reported by general patients, such as persistent asthma and sinusitis [...] high occurrences of rheumatic polymyalgia [...] Changes are also noticeable in the manifestation of contagious diseases such as influenza, hand-foot-and-mouth disease and shingles. [...]

rest: http://enenews.com/japan-doctor-tokyo-longer-be-inhabited-everyone-living-victim-fukushima-disaster-began-notice-childrens-blood-test-results-around-mid-2013-time-running-short-physicians-save-citizens-future-g


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on July 26, 2014, 03:57:12 pm
Feds Consider Ban On Bluefin Tuna Fishing As Population Dips 95 Percent

On Wednesday, The fisheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that it’s considering a ban on recreational and commercial fishing of Pacific bluefin tuna. After years of large-scale fishing and rising demand in the sushi industry it is estimated that as few as 40,000 adult Pacific bluefin tuna remain in the wild, around four percent of the fish’s historic average.

With catches dropping dramatically recently and up to 90 percent of those caught qualifying as juveniles, this initial step by the federal government could result in the fish being added to the list of imperiled species that must be released immediately if caught.

“The initiation of this important process provides a glimmer of hope in a sea of bleak news for Pacific bluefin tuna,” said Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) Attorney Catherine Kilduff. “Saving Pacific bluefin tuna from the world’s insatiable appetite for sushi requires action at all levels, starting with protection in U.S. waters.”

The CBD was involved in petitioning NOAA in April to amend their rules to consider putting the Pacific bluefin tuna on the list of imperiled species. The Atlantic and southern bluefin tuna — the other two types of bluefin — are already endangered. Until a recent assessment the Pacific bluefin was listed as “least concern.”

Bluefin tuna can grow up to 10 feet long, weigh up to 1,000 pounds, and live for over two decades. They migrate across entire oceans at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. They are also warm-blooded and able to regulate their body temperature. Pacific bluefin spawn in the western Pacific off the coast of Japan before swimming east to feed off smaller fish along the American coastline.

Pacific bluefin regularly sell for thousands of dollars and can go for much more. A 500-pound bluefin recently sold in Toyko for about $70,000. Prices have reached $1.76 million for a single fish. Around 90 percent of the Pacific bluefin catch is consumed in Japan.

As the NOAA considers banning Pacific Bluefin fishing, last week the global authority on tuna fish, the Inter American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), decided to delay discussions on fishing quotas until October after Japan, Korea, Mexico, and the U.S. could not agree on conservation measures. The WWF and the EU both expressed disappointment with the decision.

“The IATTC failed to adopt any conservation measures on Bluefin tuna, despite strong scientific advice,” said the EU commission.

The WWF said it will urge a suspension of the Pacific Bluefin tuna fishery if the nations fail to set binding catch limits in line with scientific recommendations by the end of the year.

“Management measures in the Eastern Pacific and Western and Central Pacific are totally insufficient to preserve the Pacific Bluefin tuna stock,” said Pablo Guerrero, Eastern Pacific Ocean Tuna Coordinator for WWF’s Smart Fishing Initiative. “Only a 50 percent reduction of catches and stringent measures to protect juveniles can ensure a long-term sustainability of this fishery.”

Last week Mexico banned commercial and recreational fishing for bluefin tuna for the rest of the year after the countries’ catch reached the international 5,000-metric-ton limit for bluefin tuna.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/24/3463930/fed-considers-pacific-bluefin-tuna-fishing-ban/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 03, 2014, 10:35:49 pm
http://enenews.com/japan-doctor-tokyo-longer-be-inhabited-everyone-living-victim-fukushima-disaster-began-notice-childrens-blood-test-results-around-mid-2013-time-running-short-physicians-save-citizens-future-g
7/17/14
Japan Doctor: “Tokyo should no longer be inhabited” — Everyone here is a victim of Fukushima — People truly suffering — Bleeding under skin, urinary hemorrhaging — Children’s blood tests started changing last year — Time running short… up to physicians to save our citizens and future generations

Dr. Shigeru Mita’s essay published in the newsletter of Association of Doctors in Kodaira (Tokyo), translated by WNSCR, July 16, 2014: Why did I leave Tokyo? To my fellow doctors, I closed the clinic in March 2014, which had served the community of Kodaira for more than 50 years, since my father’s generation, and I have started a new Mita clinic in Okayama-city on April 21. [...] It is clear that Eastern Japan and Metropolitan Tokyo have been contaminated with radiation [...] contamination in the east part [of Tokyo] is 1000-4000 Bq/kg and the west part is 300-1000 Bq/kg. [...] 0.5-1.5 Bq/kg before 2011. [...] Tokyo should no longer be inhabited [...] Contamination in Tokyo is progressing, and further worsened by urban radiation concentration [...] radiation levels on the riverbeds [...] in Tokyo have increased drastically in the last 1-2 years. [...] Ever since 3.11, everybody living in Eastern Japan including Tokyo is a victim, and everybody is involved. [...] The keyword here is “long-term low-level internal irradiation.” This differs greatly from medical irradiation or simple external exposure to radiation. [...] People are truly suffering from this utter lack of support. [...] If the power to save our citizens and future generations exists somewhere, it [is] in the hands of individual clinical doctors ourselves. [...] Residents of Tokyo are unfortunately not in the position to pity the affected regions of Tohoku because they are victims themselves. Time is running short. [...]

Dr. Mita on patient symptoms since 2011: White blood cells, especially neutrophils, are decreasing among children [...] Patients report nosebleed, hair loss, lack of energy, subcutaneous bleeding, visible urinary hemorrhage, skin inflammations [...] we began to notice changes in children’s blood test results around mid-2013 [...] Other concerns I have include symptoms reported by general patients, such as persistent asthma and sinusitis [...] high occurrences of rheumatic polymyalgia [...] Changes are also noticeable in the manifestation of contagious diseases such as influenza, hand-foot-and-mouth disease and shingles. [...]


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on August 04, 2014, 02:49:07 pm
Why are massive numbers of sea creatures dying along the west coast right now?

Never before have we seen so much death along the west coast of North America.  Massive numbers of sea stars, bluefin tuna, sardines, anchovies, herring, oysters, salmon, marine mammals and marine birds are dying, and experts are puzzled.  We are being told that we could even see “local extinctions” of some of these sea creatures.  So are all of these deaths related?  If so, what in the world could be causing this to happen?  What has changed so dramatically that it would cause massive numbers of sea creatures to die along the west coast?

The following are 15 examples of this phenomenon.  Most scientists do not believe that these incidents are related.  But when you put them all together, it paints quite a disturbing picture…

#1 A “mystery plague” is turning sea stars all along the west coast of the United States and Canada into piles of goo…

    Sea stars, commonly referred to as starfish, have been dying off in alarming numbers along the entire West Coast, from Baja, Mexico, to Alaska. According to reports from the Seattle Aquarium, some parts of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands have seen population declines of up to 80 percent.

    On the Oregon coast, according to CoastWatch Volunteer Coordinator Fawn Custer, “Last December, we had less than 1 percent of sea star wasting. By May 1, more than 5 percent of sea stars were affected. Now, I would say, in some areas, it is up to 90 percent.”

A marine epidemiologist at Cornell University says that this is “the largest mortality event for marine diseases we’ve seen“.

#2 The population of bluefin tuna in the Pacific Ocean has declined by 95 percent.  Mexico has already banned fishing for bluefin tuna for the rest of the year, and the U.S. government is considering doing the same thing.

#3 Sardine, anchovy and herring populations have dropped dramatically along the west coast in recent years…

    Pacific sardine populations have shown an alarming decline in recent years, and some evidence suggests anchovy and herring populations may be dropping as well.

    The declines could push fishermen toward other currently unmanaged “forage fish,” such as saury, smelt and sand lance, stealing a critical food source relied on by salmon and other economically important predators.

    In response, the Pacific Fishery Management Council is considering an ecosystem-based management approach that recognizes the fundamental role of forage fish in the Pacific marine food web. Tiny, but abundant, these small schooling fish feed on plankton and, in turn, fill the bellies of Oregon’s iconic marine species, including salmon, sharks, whales, sea lions and sea birds.

#4 “Record numbers of distressed sea lions have washed ashore in California” for the second year in a row.  One news report described these distressed sea lions as “malnourished and dehydrated, too weak to find food on their own“.

#5 Marine birds are “disappearing” in the Pacific northwest…

    From white-winged scoters and surf scoters to long-tailed ducks, murres, loons and some seagulls, the number of everyday marine birds here has plummeted dramatically in recent decades.

    Scoters are down more than 75 percent from what they were in the late 1970s. Murres have dropped even more. Western grebes have mostly vanished, falling from several hundred thousand birds to about 20,000.

#6 Those that work in the seafood industry on the west coast are noticing some very “unusual” mutations.  For example, a red king crab that was recently caught in Alaska was colored bright blue.

#7 Pelicans along the California coastline are “refusing to mate“.  This is being blamed on a lack of fish for the pelicans to eat.  As a result, we are seeing less than one percent of the usual number of baby pelicans.

#8 The oyster population in the Pacific is falling so fast that it is being called “the great American oyster collapse“.

#9 The population of sockeye salmon along the coast of Alaska is at a “historic low“.

#10 Something is causing herring off the coast of British Columbia to bleed from their gills, bellies and eyeballs.

#11 Scientists have discovered very high levels of cesium-137 in plankton living in the waters of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the west coast.

#12 Back in May, more than six tons of anchovies died in Marina Del Ray over a single weekend.

#13 Just a few days ago, thousands of dead fish were found on Capitola Beach.  Authorities are trying to figure out what caused this.

#14 Earlier this month, thousands of dead fish were found on Manresa Beach.

#15 According to a study conducted by researchers at Oregon State University, radiation levels in tuna caught off the coast of Oregon approximately tripled in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Could it be possible that at least some of these deaths are related to what has been happening at Fukushima?

We do know that fish caught just off the shore from Fukushima have been tested to have radioactive cesium that is up to 124 times above the level that is considered to be safe.

And we also know that a study conducted at the University of South Wales concluded that the main radioactive plume of water from Fukushima would reach our shores at some point during 2014.

Is it so unreasonable to think that the greatest nuclear disaster in human history could have something to do with the death of all of these sea creatures?

Just consider what one very experienced Australian boat captain discovered when he crossed the Pacific last year.  According to him, it felt as though “the ocean itself was dead“…

    The next leg of the long voyage was from Osaka to San Francisco and for most of that trip the desolation was tinged with nauseous horror and a degree of fear.

    “After we left Japan, it felt as if the ocean itself was dead,” Macfadyen said.

    “We hardly saw any living things. We saw one whale, sort of rolling helplessly on the surface with what looked like a big tumour on its head. It was pretty sickening.

    “I’ve done a lot of miles on the ocean in my life and I’m used to seeing turtles, dolphins, sharks and big flurries of feeding birds. But this time, for 3000 nautical miles there was nothing alive to be seen.”

    In place of the missing life was garbage in astounding volumes.

    “Part of it was the aftermath of the tsunami that hit Japan a couple of years ago. The wave came in over the land, picked up an unbelievable load of stuff and carried it out to sea. And it’s still out there, everywhere you look.”

What do you think?

Is Fukushima to blame, or do you think that something else is causing massive numbers of sea creatures to die?

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/why-are-massive-numbers-of-sea-creatures-dying-along-the-west-coast-right-now


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 15, 2014, 06:20:47 pm
http://www.newkerala.com/news/2014/fullnews-91725.html#.U-1fb2Pt928
Fukushima radiation caused serious damage to wildlife: Study
8/15/14

 A series of studies on the biological impact of the Fukushima disaster on non-human organisms has revealed that the radiation has affected the population, genetic makeup and the repair mechanisms of birds, monkeys, butterflies, and other insects to cope with the exposure.

Pale grass blue butterfly, one of the most common butterfly species in Japan, collected from the site of the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan showed size reduction, slowed growth, high mortality and morphological abnormality. Butterflies that were bred in the laboratory with parents collected from the contaminated site also showed similar genetic damages.

The report said that the radiation exposure has affected the population censuses of birds, butterflies, and cicadas adversely.

However, the study also pointed out that detailed analyses focused on these species could provide crucial clues for predicting recovery period for wild communities affected by the disaster and for any other site affected by nuclear accidents in future.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 27, 2014, 08:40:33 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/volcano-erupts-japan-injuries-reported-053344700.html
Volcano erupts in Japan; 7 missing, 40 injured
9/27/14

TOKYO (AP) — A volcano in central Japan erupted in spectacular fashion on Saturday, catching mountain climbers by surprise and stranding at least 40 injured people in areas that rescue workers have been unable to reach. Another seven people were missing.

The injured, unable to descend 3,067-meter (10,062-foot) Mount Ontake on their own, are staying in mountain lodges, said Sohei Hanamura, a crisis management official in Nagano prefecture. Thirty-two people had serious injuries, including at least seven who lost consciousness.

Police, fire and military rescue workers were planning to try to reach the area on foot after daybreak Sunday, after deciding that the ash in the air made it too dangerous to use helicopters.

Hanamura said seven people were reported missing on the mountain.

Lodge managers are familiar with first aid procedures and were communicating with rescue officials in town, he said.

With a sound likened to thunder, the volcano erupted shortly before noon on a clear autumn day, spewing large white plumes of gas and ash high into the sky and blanketing the surrounding area in ash.

Smaller eruptions continued into the night. About 250 people were initially trapped on the slopes, but most had made their way down by Saturday night, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported. Some were in shelters set up in four nearby towns.

One witness told NHK that the eruption started with large booms that sounded like thunder.

In a video posted on YouTube, shocked climbers can be seen moving quickly away from the peak as an expanding plume of ash emerges above and then engulfs them.

Many of those who made it down emerged with clothes and backpacks covered in ash. They reported being engulfed in total darkness for several minutes.

Mikio Oguro, an NHK journalist who was on the slope on an unrelated assignment, told the station that he saw massive smoke coming out of the crater, blocking sunlight and reducing visibility to zero.

"Massive ash suddenly fell and the entire area was totally covered with ash," he said by phone. He and his crew had to use headlamps to find a lodge.

"My colleagues later told me that they thought they might die,
" Oguro said.

Two Jetstar flights headed to Tokyo's Narita International Airport diverted to Kansai International Airport in western Japan as a precaution.

Japan's meteorological agency raised the alert level for Mount Ontake to 3 on a scale of 1 to 5. It warned people to stay away from the mountain, saying ash and other debris could fall up to 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) away.

Mount Ontake, about 210 kilometers (130 miles) west of Tokyo, sits on the border of Nagano and Gifu prefectures, on the main Japanese island of Honshu. The volcano's last major eruption was in 1979.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 05, 2014, 09:10:43 am
Fukushima to be Hit by Typhoon, Causing Ocean Contamination: Tepco

 Tepco, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, has revealed that the approaching typhoon could hit the damaged, decommissioned 40-year old nuclear power facility Fukushima No.1, which was severely affected during the earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

"The deluge would likely cause seawater to mingle with the radiation-tainted water accumulating in the basements of the reactor buildings at the six-unit plant, allowing 100 trillion becquerels of cesium to escape, according to an estimate that Tepco revealed Friday at a meeting of the Nuclear Regulation Authority," the Japan Times reports.

According to the media outlet, tidal waves from the storm are likely to reach a maximum height of 26.3 meters or more. The storm is likely to strike the Fukushima No.2 nuclear plant as well, but "its idled reactors and fuel pools" are not expected to be destroyed, Tepco officials assert.

It should be noted that the 2011 tsunami reached a height of 15.5 meters when it hit the plant, which was followed by a 9.0  magnitude earthquake.

In order to minimize the impact of the hurricane, Tepco "will reduce the vast quantity of radioactive water" on the site, the Asahi Shimbun notes. Citing Tepco's officials, the media source claims that the amount of contaminated wate, which is expected to spill into the ocean, could be decreased to 30 percent "by filling in trenches near reactors."

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) plans to verify the accuracy of Tepco's estimate and the "appropriateness" of countermeasures being taken in the face of the threat posed by the typhoon.

The prospective damage which the approaching typhoon may cause has sparked a debate in the social networks. Users from around the world are expressing their concerns regarding the further contamination of the ocean which has been caused by leakages from the notorious plant.

Tepco admits that a tsunami as high as 26.3 meters "occurs once every 10,000 to 100,000 years."

http://en.ria.ru/world/20141004/193667366/Fukushima-To-Be-Hit-By-Typhoon-Causing-Ocean-Contamination-Tepco.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 13, 2014, 03:44:15 pm
Gov’t issues ‘inundation warning’ for Fukushima Daiichi as year’s strongest storm to hit within hours : Tepco bracing for overflows:Officials warn of landslides and torrential rains… ‘ground-loosening’ south of plant — Danger from tornadoes, storm surge,

http://enenews.com/govt-issues-inundation-warning-fukushima-daiichi-years-strongest-storm-approaches-tepco-bracing-overflows-officials-warn-torrential-rains-landslides-ground-loosening-south-plant-danger-tornad


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 16, 2014, 07:02:53 am
Radiation levels at Fukushima rise to record highs after typhoon

The amount of radioactive water near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has risen to record levels after a typhoon passed through Japan last week, state media outlet NHK reported on Wednesday. Specifically, levels of the radioactive isotope cesium are now at 251,000 becquerels per liter, three times higher than previously-recorded levels. Cesium, which is highly soluble and can spread easily, is known to be capable of causing cancer.

http://rt.com/news/196364-fukushima-radiation-record-typhoon/ 


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on October 17, 2014, 01:01:47 pm
Japan reactor near active volcanoes called unsafe :A cauldron eruption at one of several volcanoes surrounding the Sendai nuclear power plant in southern Japan could not only hit the reactors but could cause a nationwide disaster,

http://www.komonews.com/news/national/Japan-reactor-near-active-volcanoes-called-unsafe-279563942.html?m=y&smobile=y&clmob=y&c=n


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 15, 2014, 01:01:01 pm
Fukushima radiation off California coast

In a press release, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute said they detected cesium-134, a radioactive contaminant traceable only to Fukushima, in water samples taken from the Pacific Ocean 100 miles west of Eureka, California.   

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1411/S00117/fukushima-radiation-off-california-coast.htm


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 22, 2014, 01:25:01 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/strong-quake-strikes-central-japans-nagano-city-133850265.html
Japan earthquake collapses homes, causes injuries
11/22/14

TOKYO (AP) — A strong earthquake late Saturday struck a mountainous area of central Japan that hosted the 1998 winter Olympics, knocking down at least 10 homes in a ski resort town and injuring more than 20 people, officials said.

The magnitude-6.8 earthquake struck near Nagano city shortly after 10 p.m. (1300 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake's magnitude at 6.2. Since the quake occurred inland, there was no possibility of a tsunami.

About 15 people were treated for injuries at a public hospital in the city of Omachi, three of whom were seriously injured, hospital officials told Japan's Kyodo news agency. The National Police Agency told Kyodo that at least six people were injured in Nagano city and the Hakuba ski resort.

"We are trying to assess the situation as quickly as possible, and we'll do our utmost for the rescue of the injured people," Japan's top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters.

One of the hardest-hit areas appeared to be Hakuba, a ski town west of Nagano that hosted events in the 1998 games. Ten homes collapsed there, said Shigeharu Fujimura, a Nagano prefecture disaster management official.

Nine people were trapped underneath the collapsed houses, but they all were rescued, and none had life-threatening injuries, said Hakuba official Tomoyuki Shimokawa.

Many houses also lost water, apparently because of a ruptured pipe, and landslides on two major roads blocked access to some areas. "We are afraid there could be some areas that may have been isolated, so we need to conduct a thorough assessment of damage after sunrise," Fujimura said.

Ryo Nishino, a restaurant owner in Hakuba, told Japanese broadcaster NHK that he had "never experienced a quake that shook so hard. The sideways shaking was enormous." He said he was in the restaurant's wine cellar when the quake struck, and that nothing broke there.

The earthquake was felt across much of northern Japan and in Tokyo, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) southeast of Hakuba.

NHK reported that a landslide blocked a road after the quake struck. NHK also said that some shinkansen bullet train service in the area was temporarily suspended. The quake caused scattered blackouts, including about 1,600 homes in Hakuba and Omachi city, the Chubu Electric Power Co. told Kyodo.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were reported at three nuclear power plants in the affected areas. All of Japan's nuclear plants are offline following a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and massive tsunami in 2011 that sent three reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant into meltdown. Fukushima is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of where Saturday's earthquake occurred.

The quake was followed by 21 aftershocks, said Yohei Hasegawa of the Meteorological Agency's earthquake and tsunami division. He warned of further aftershocks and urged residents to watch out for landslides. The area was struck by a magnitude-6.7 earthquake the day after the massive March 2011 quake.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on December 28, 2014, 04:48:02 am
Fukushima rocked by strongest quakes to hit country this month; Epicenter just offshore from reactors; Nuke plant cam shows shaking for over a minute — Top Japan Newspaper: ‘Major quake disasters could strike anywhere in nation’… Great increases in probability; Measures urgently needed (VIDEO)

Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 24, 2014 (emphasis added): Major earthquake disasters could strike anywhere in the nation — What is the probability of a major earthquake striking each part of the nation? The government’s Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion has unveiled its 2014 version of a geographical forecast for massive quakes… A glance at the map shows us that no region in this nation is free from the risk of seismic disaster… The data in question shows that no further delay may be permitted in taking necessary measures… Despite the urgent need for measures to cope with the situation, some municipal governments have not done enough… In producing the latest version, the headquarters expanded the scope of the areas with estimated epicenters while also extending the scales for predicted quakes. This resulted in great increases in the perceived probability of a major earthquake striking some areas, including Saitama [north of Tokyo]. The figure for the city marked a 21-point increase to 51 percent.

Prensa Latina, Dec 25, 2014: 5.5 Magnitude Quake Rocks Japan — A 5.5 magnitude quake rocked northeastern Japan yesterday night… The medium-intensity quake [was centered off] Futaba district, Fukushima, with epicenter at a depth of 30 km.

Epoch Times (China), Dec 25, 2014: Earthquake Today in Japan: Strong Quake Off Coast of Fukushima on Christmas… The US Geological Survey said the quake… was measured at 5.5-magnitude… The quake had a depth of 6.2 miles, said the USGS.

The Herald, Dec 21, 2014: Earthquake hits near Fukushima — A 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan’s Honshu island… shaking Fukushima where crippled nuclear power plants are located… A spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power said no irregularities have been found at its Fukushima Daiichi or Daini plants.

http://enenews.com/fukushima-rocked-strongest-quakes-hit-country-month-footage-nuke-plant-shows-shaking-minute-top-japan-newspaper-major-quake-disasters-could-strike-anywhere-nation-great-increases-perceived-probabil


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on January 20, 2015, 05:17:28 am
TV: Hawaii coral “the worst scientists have ever seen” — Professor: “It’s like a ghost town… We would not typically see entire colonies bleached, ever” — Gov’t map of ‘maximum bleaching alert area’ in Pacific mirrors Fukushima plume model since 2011 (VIDEO)


    One of Hawaii’s prized snorkeling spots… is facing a potential coral die-off. The coral bleaching at the Kapoho tide pools… is the worst scientists have ever seen… Take a dive into the beautiful tide pools… and you’ll notice a dramatic change.
    Dr. Misaki Takabayashi, University of Hawaii at Hilo marine science professor: “You’ll see kind of like a ghost town.”
    A ghost town because these large clusters of white that indicate the worst coral bleaching the tide pools… have seen in recent years.
    Takabayashi: “We’re talking about right now the entire coral colony being bleached and 80 percent of the colonies that exists in Waiopae tide pool being bleached for the rice coral.”
    Dr. Takabayashi… says all 10 species of coral that call the tide pools home are undergoing some type of stress.  Some like the blue rice coral more than others. Although she says it is normal for coral to undergo a cycle of bleaching, she says this is severe.
    Takabayashi: “We would not typically see entire colonies bleached — ever — and only 10 percent of the coral colonies that exists in that habitat would be slightly bleached.”
    [She] says she noticed the spread in late September and blames warmer than normal ocean water as the major stressor…


http://enenews.com/tv-hawaii-coral-worst-scientists-professor-like-ghost-town-govt-map-maximum-alert-area-pacific-mirrors-fukushima-plume-model-2011-video


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on February 16, 2015, 07:43:13 pm
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/16/asia/japan-earthquake/index.html?eref=edition
2/16/15
6.8 earthquake hits off Japanese coast

(CNN)A powerful 6.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Monday.

The quake's epicenter was 77 kilometers (48 miles) east-northeast of Miyako, Japan, USGS said.

It was 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep and occurred at 6:06 a.m. Tuesday in Japan (6:06 p.m. ET Monday).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami threat from the quake. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory, warning of strong currents, but said no tsunami damage was expected.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company, whose Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant suffered meltdowns at three reactors after an earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in 2011, said no abnormalities had been reported at its nuclear plants after Tuesday's quake.



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on March 13, 2015, 05:05:14 pm
http://www.infowars.com/fresh-leak-of-highly-radioactive-water-detected-at-fukushima-nuclear-power-plant/
FRESH LEAK OF HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE WATER DETECTED AT FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
2/22/15

Sensors at the Fukushima nuclear plant have detected a fresh leak of highly radioactive water into the sea.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said the sensors, which were rigged to a gutter that pours rain and ground water at the Fukushima Daiichi plant to a nearby bay, detected contamination levels up to 70 times greater than the already-high radioactive status seen at the plant campus.

TEPCO said its emergency inspections of tanks storing nuclear waste water did not find any additional abnormalities, but the firm said it shut the gutter to prevent radioactive water from going into the Pacific Ocean.

The higher-than-normal levels of contamination were detected on Sunday, with sensors showing radiation levels 50 to 70 times greater than usual.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 20, 2015, 05:52:58 am
Mysterious affliction in Alaska polar bears suffering baldness and lesions; Rate spiked nearly 1,000% after Fukushima began — Gov’t: Ongoing reports of unusual number of ‘hairless seals’ with sores — “Seals continue to be reported with hair loss… it makes us nervous”

Alaska Dispatch News, Dec 11, 2014 (emphasis added): Polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea area are suffering hair loss due to a condition called alopecia syndrome… but the precise cause of that stress is yet to be determined, according to a new study… in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases… Over the study period, 3.45 percent of the bears examined had alopecia syndrome — [loss of] hairs around the head, neck and shoulders, accompanied by crusty lesions on the exposed skin. The incidences peaked in 2012, when 28 percent of the examined polar bears had the problem [when] a mysterious affliction, with patchy fur loss and bleeding skin lesions, sickened hundreds of Arctic Alaska seals, killing many of them. The affliction was seen among some walruses… There were some years when none of the captured polar bears had alopecia syndrome, and some years, like 2012, with relatively high rates… “They might be more energetically stressed, and then they encounter some other stressors,” [USGS biologist Todd Atwood] said.

Journal of Wildlife Diseases, scientists from USGS and Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Jan 2015: Alopecia (hair loss) has been observed in several marine mammal species… From 1998 to 2012, we observed an alopecia syndrome in polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea of Alaska that presented as bilaterally asymmetrical loss of guard hairs and thinning of the undercoat around the head, neck, and shoulders, which, in severe cases, was accompanied by exudation and crusted skin lesions. Alopecia was observed in 49 (3.45%) of the bears sampled during 1,421 captures [peaking in] 2012 (28%)… The cause of the syndrome remains unknown and future work should focus on identifying the causative agent and potential effects on population vital rates.

Seal with hair loss – Shishmaref, AK, Nov 18, 2014: A [bearded seal] had fur missing from its back, flippers and stomach… There has been a disease of some kind that killed many ice seals and bearded seals in the region… when we see this it makes us nervous… seals continue to be reported with hair loss.

NOAA (pdf), 2014: The [Unusual Mortality Event] investigation will remain open and active for… ringed seals, ribbon seals, bearded seals and spotted seals… reports from the Bering Strait region continue regarding an unusual number… with patchy to generalized hair loss and/or… sores. Some of these “hairless seals” may represent survivors of the 2011 mortality event… the exact cause of this disease is not currently known… we cannot give specific recommendations on the safety of these animals for food or contact with people.

http://enenews.com/peaked-year-after-fukushima-1000-average-rate-seals-continue-be-reported-hair-loss-makes-nervous-photo


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 04, 2015, 07:18:26 am
Are The Fish In Pacific Ocean Disappearing?

Various experts are concerned that the food chain in the Pacific ocean is “crashing”, leaving scientists asking “where have all the fish gone?”

Enenews.com reports:

    KSBW, Mar 30, 2015 (emphasis added): Volunteers who track the animals now say they think the colony of harbor seals is being affected by this year’s food shortage in the Monterey Bay, and that affect is significant… The food shortage is happening up and down the West Coast… it isn’t just affecting sea lions, it is also affecting harbor seals. Monitors say the pupping season got off to an early and difficult start this year, with more seal pups being abandoned the normal… They attribute the problems to a food shortage in the Pacific… it is happening all up and down the coast.

    New York Times, Mar 16, 2015: Keith Matassa, Pacific Marine Mammal Center: “You could equate it to a war zone… hundreds of rescue calls a day”… Michele Hunter, PMMC: “To be honest, it’s insane. We’ve never had to deal with [something like this]“… Scientists are puzzled by whats happening. Matassa: “That’s what we’re trying to figure out is why? What’s going on? Where are the fish? Where did they go? Was there a little mini El Nino? Did something happen with the currents that the fish decided to go deeper or further out? They’re not closing the book on any theory.”

    NBC San Francisco, Mar 17, 2015: Scientists are taking a closer look at rapidly declining oxygen levels in oceans… In California, this has meant a huge free-fall in populations of important bottom feeder fish… Francisco Chavez [with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute said,] “I think there are a slew of surprises ahead.”

    East Bay Express, Mar 18, 2015: In 2013, the sardine biomass was estimated to be about 725,000 tons… In 2014 [it was] down to 406,000 tons… there is no doubt that the population is severely depressed… sardines have declined to their lowest level in six decades… it’s unclear whether fishing is a significant cause for the collapse…

    Tillamook Herald, Mar 13, 2015: Dr. George Hemingway, retired Oceanographer, Marine Educator, and chair of the Lower Nehalem Watershed Council will present a lecture entitled Warming and the 2014 Anchovy Bloom… Dr. Hemingway will go on to discuss subsequent developments in the Pacific, including the current crash in the food web, which has led to significant mortality of birds, sea lions and other marine life.

    KEYT, Mar 18, 2015: NOAA points to water temperature as an answer for underweight sea lions, but fisherman aren’t so sure – Fisherman tell News Channel 3 that past El Nino years have been warmer… They believe the sea lion food chain may be affected by pollution as well… “Their habitat is being messed with“… “I just think they have behavioral changes that have been affecting them much more than it has in the past.”

- See more at: http://yournewswire.com/are-the-fish-in-pacific-ocean-disappearing/#sthash.QSr7MOUu.dpuf


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 07, 2015, 06:46:25 am
Fukushima disaster radiation detected off Canada's coast

Trace amounts of Cesium-134 and Cesium-137 detected in samples collected off the coast of Ucluelet, a small town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia

Radiation from Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster has for the first time been detected along a North American shoreline, though at levels too low to pose a significant threat to human or marine life, scientists said.

this thread disproves the first time account  >:(

 Trace amounts of Cesium-134 and Cesium-137 were detected in samples collected on 19 February off the coast of Ucluelet, a small town on Vancouver Island in Canada’s British Columbia, said Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientist Ken Buesseler.

“Radioactivity can be dangerous, and we should be carefully monitoring the oceans after what is certainly the largest accidental release of radioactive contaminants to the oceans in history,” Buesseler said in a statement.

The levels the group detected are extremely low. For example, swimming in the Vancouver Island water every day for a year would provide a dose of radiation less than a thousand times smaller than a single dental X-ray, Woods Hole said.

In March 2011, an earthquake and tsunami struck the Fukushima nuclear plant, 130 miles (209 km) northeast of Tokyo, sparking triple nuclear meltdowns, forcing more than 160,000 residents to flee from nearby towns, and contaminating water, food and air. It was the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

Buesseler said he expects similar low cesium levels to gradually reach other North American shores, possibly extending along the US West Coast from Washington state to California.

“Predicting the spread of radiation becomes more complex the closer it gets to the coast,” Buesseler said.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution said its conclusions were drawn from research it collected from community groups and a network of local academics and aquariums to collect water samples and fund radiation testing.

Last November, Woods Hole reported detectable radiation from Fukushima about 100 miles (161 km) off the coast of northern California, but no radiation has yet been detected any closer to US shores.

Tests off the coast of Japan shortly after the 2011 disaster measured radiation at 50 million Becquerels per cubic meter, Buesseler told Reuters. A “Becquerel” is a unit of radioactivity.

The Canadian water sample contained 1.4 Becquerels per cubic meter of Cesium-134 and 5.8 Becquerels per cubic meter of Cesium-137.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/07/fukushima-disaster-radiation-detected-off-canadas-coast


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 11, 2015, 06:20:27 am
Gov’t Experts: “Astounding” levels of radiation measured in U.S. from Fukushima — Around 500,000 times our normal levels… “We never have ever seen anything even close to that, concentrations went up and up and up every day… Amazing to see this 7,000 km away” — “A matter of life & death” (VIDEO)

y, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington, Mar 7, 2014 (emphasis added):
“We’re surrounded by souvenirs of scientific achievement here in the National Security Building Showcase lobby. Each one of these items tells a story of scientists working quietly on projects of societal impact. This yellow thing you see behind me is an aerosol sample… It was taken here a few days after the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters in Japan, and contains radioactivity that allowed us to determine the nature [and] magnitude of the release, but most importantly that there will be no human health impacts in North America… The Fukushima nuclear disaster… was not something we expected. We normally work on things of societal impact invisibly… But when the disaster occurred, the things we were doing suddenly became of national importance. You could hardly imagine anything more important. In fact, it was a matter of life and death.” >> Watch the video here

A colleague of Miley’s at PNNL, Ted Bowyer, discussed the air samples at a CTBTO meeting:

    0:30 in – “I agree with everything that previous speakers said, especially the aspect that more work is necessary… We have a lot of work to do… We have a lot of questions that we need to answer. There are a lot of people working on it. I also really thought it was very valuable to have this email exchange with… interested parties about events as they were unfolding in Japan. The accident as everyone knows was a terrible tragedy.”
    3:30 in – Slide: Evidence of radionuclide release reached the Japanese IMS station within 2-3 days; First evidence of the plume hitting the U.S. came to PNNL’s equipment about 1 day later
    4:30 in – “This is very amazing to me, having been working in the radioactive xenon monitoring field for about 17 years now. This was astounding to me… You can see background levels around 0.1 mBq/m3… Note the peak concentration we saw was in the range of 45,000 mBq/m3 — so that is 450,000 times our background level. For me that’s astounding. We never have ever seen anything even close to that. So the concentrations went up and up and up every day, and so that was quite amazing to see this 7,000 kilometers away from the event… I only show some of the data here, but it actually persisted for weeks at very measurable levels, and filled the entire northern hemisphere and mixed into the southern hemisphere.”
    12:00 in – “Xenon isotopic ratios appear to generally agree with calculations. However, there’s some uncertainty… We have a lot of work to do to try to understand whether there are calibration issues, whether there were physics here that we had not accounted for, etc. We do know that there are very high count rates at these detectors, which is similar to what you’d expect in an atmospheric detonation. On the other hand, the part I didn’t tell you was the amount of xenon we saw was consistent with a one megaton atmospheric detonation — we obviously wouldn’t expect to see that high. But it was a huge amount.”
    Watch Bowyer’s presentation here

http://enenews.com/govt-experts-astounding-radiation-levels-measured-fukushima-almost-500000-times-normal-weve-never-anything-close-amazing-7000-km-away-matter-life-death-videos


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 11, 2015, 02:24:43 pm
Fukushima Robot Dies Three Hours After Entering Radioactive Reactor Vessel

A robot sent to inspect a reactor' containment vessel at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant stopped responding three hours into the operation.

TEPCO hoped to take a look inside the vessel containing one of the three reactors, which underwent a meltdown in the 2011 nuclear disaster.

A group of approximately 40 workers sent the remotely-controlled device, allegedly capable of withstanding high levels of radiation, into the vessel at 11:20 a.m. The robot stopped functioning after covering two thirds of the route at approximately 2:10 p.m., according to the Tokyo Electric Power Co.

The company did not say whether it would send another robot into the vessel on Monday, as previously planned. TEPCO's ultimate goal is to use the robot to inspect the melted fuel inside the vessel.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/asia/20150411/1020753051.html#ixzz3X1wqfYGJ



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 14, 2015, 05:55:04 am
West Coast sardine collapse leads to fishing closure

Fisheries managers have decided to call off the West Coast sardine fishing season that starts in July because of rapidly dwindling numbers, hoping to save an iconic industry from the kind of collapse that hit in the 1940s and lasted 50 years.

Meeting outside Santa Rosa, California, the Pacific Fishery Management Council voted Sunday to close the season starting July 1.

The council now is considering whether overfishing has been a factor in the latest collapse, which could trigger an emergency shutdown of the current season, which runs through June.

The once-thriving sardine industry crashed in the 1940s. It revived in the 1990s when fisheries developed in Oregon and Washington waters, but population estimates have been declining since 2006, and catch values since 2012. The reasons are not well-understood.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/west-coast-sardine-collapse-leads-fishing-closure/nksjX/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 17, 2015, 04:49:19 am
Just In: Emergency closure of fishery along entire West Coast — Almost no babies surviving since 2011 — “Catastrophic crash… Population decimated… Crisis… Collapse so severe” — “Latest in series of alarming die-offs… mass reproductive failures… strange diseases” — Official: “A lot of weird things out there”

NY Times, Apr 15, 2015 (emphasis added): [Regulators] approved an emergency closure of commercial sardine fishing off Oregon, Washington and California… Earlier this week, the council shut down the next sardine season… [R]evised estimates of sardine populations… found the fish were declining in numbers faster than earlier believed… [Stocks are] much lower than estimated last year… The reasons are not well-understood.

Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, April 13, 2015: Ben Enticknap, Oceana senior scientist (1:08:00 in) — “We’ve seen a significant change in recruitment [Recruitment: The number of new young fish that enter a population]. There’s been practically no recruitment in recent years, and this was not expected.”

Undercurrent News, Apr 14, 2015: [A]ccording to the report on the emergency action from the PFMC… “the total stock biomass of Pacific sardine is declining as a result of poor recruitment“… [A California Wetfish Producers Association official said] “little recruitment was observed in 2011-2014.”

Oregonian, Apr 13, 2015: Pacific coast sardines are facing a population collapse so severe [fishing] will be shut down… [The] downward spiral in spite of favorable water conditions has ocean-watchers worried there’s more to this collapse than cyclical population trends. “There are a lot of weird things happening out there, and we’re not quite sure why they aren’t responding the way they should,” said Kevin Hill, a NOAA Fisheries biologist… Fishery managers are adding it to a list of baffling circumstances off the West Coast… NOAA surveys indicate very few juvenile fish made it through their first year. “The population isn’t replacing itself,” Hill said.

SFist, Apr 14, 2015: [T]he population appears decimated… As the Council writes, “temperatures in the Southern California Bight have risen in the past two years, but we haven’t seen an increase in young sardines”… Sardines typically spawn in warmer waters, with cold water decreasing their numbers.

SF Chronicle, Apr 14, 2015: Sardine population collapses… [There's] evidence stocks are going through the same kind of collapse [seen in the 1950s]… The sardine population along the West Coast has collapsed… Causes of crisis — A lack of spawning… was blamed for the decline… Severe downturn… things recently took a turn for the worse… because of a lack of spawning due to poor ocean conditions in 2014… The collapse this year is the latest in a series of alarming die-offs, sicknesses and population declines in the ocean ecosystem along the West Coast. Anchovies… have also declined [due to] a lack of zooplankton… Record numbers of starving sea lions… Brown pelicans, too, have suffered from mass reproductive failures and are turning up sick and dead… Strange diseases have also been proliferating in the sea…

Monterey Herald, Apr 13, 2015: For the first time in 30 years [sardine fishing] will be banned.

KPCC, Apr 1, 2015: The first time that sardine fishing has been banned since federal management of the fishery began… Many are worried a… catastrophic crash is happening.

http://enenews.com/emergency-closure-fishery-along-entire-west-coast-practically-babies-survived-2011-population-decimated-catastrophic-crash-collapse-severe-latest-series-alarming-die-offs-along-west-coast-mas


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 04, 2015, 06:52:24 am
TV: Billions of mysterious creatures dead along West Coast — “Literally covering all of Oregon coast” — Washing up from California to Alaska — Expert: Death totals are staggering, “it’s got to be billions” (VIDEO)

National Geographic, Apr 20, 2015 (emphasis added): Billions of Blue Jellyfish Wash Up on American Beaches… In recent weeks, about a billion jellyfish-like “purple sailors” have washed up on West Coast beaches… The jellies started washing up on Oregon and Washington State beaches four to six weeks ago… Then they started showing up in California… Photo: Endless — Dead Velella stretch as far as the eye can see… perhaps as many as a billion, experts say

KOMO, Apr 17, 2015: There’s an unusual sea creature being pushed ashore from the Baja to the Bering Sea… beachcombers are finding something blue that’s out of ordinary. “This is something that doesn’t happen here very often.” For almost a month now a jellyfish like creature called the velella velella has been washing up by the millions… [Witnesses] have never seen anything like it.

KSBW, Apr 15, 2015: Billions of creatures wash ashore in California — Piles of sea animals have been washing ashore of late… These creatures are all over right now… changing the landscape of local beaches… [Biologist Steve Haddock] says the death totals are staggering… “It’s got to be billions.” He says the animals are blowing ashore as far north as Washington and as far south as Pismo Beach [Calif.].

The Weather Channel, Apr 16, 2015: Billions of Mysterious Creatures on Beach — Billions of Velella Velella jellyfish are washing on shore along the West Coast… Strong winds and above average sea surface temperatures are killing off this unusual animal in large numbers.

Malibu Times, Apr 28, 2015: Blue Jellyfish Taking Over Malibu Beaches — An influx of visitors have taken over the shores of Malibu [and] have caused concern among residents.

Beach Connection, Apr 12, 2015: Last week, the bulk of the Oregon coast was hit by a large number of Purple Sails – a kind of small jellyfish… Now, however, the inundation has continued unabated and the little creatures are literally covering all of the Oregon coast. It is now hard to step on any part of a beach without stepping on them… “They haven’t really stopped coming in,” [Charlie Plybon, a Newport resident] said. “They’ve been coming in and coming in since I talked to you last.”… They seemed to disappear for several years between 2007 and 2014. This time, however, seems one of the larger inundations in more than a decade.

The Oregonian, Apr 19, 2015: What a weekend it’s been at the beaches in northern Oregon… [Velella velellas] washed up on Oregon beaches by the millions recently, capturing national attention… The buzz was a little mysterious to Keith Chandler, longtime manager of the aquarium, because the smallish marine life had been coming ashore for a month… Something similar happened last summer.

all links: http://enenews.com/tv-billions-mysterious-creatures-washing-along-west-coast-piles-dead-sea-animals-california-alaska-literally-covering-all-oregon-coast-expert-death-totals-staggering-be-billions-video


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 13, 2015, 04:28:26 pm
Former Japan TV News Anchor: The mutations have begun in Fukushima; Birds found blind, unable to fly — Magazine: “Birds in tailspin 4 years after Fukushima… the proverbial canary in a coalmine” — Professor: Birds with mutations popping up all over in contaminated areas (VIDEO)

Japan Times, Mar 8, 2015 (emphasis added): Katsuhide Okada… didn’t worry much about the power plant: It was so safe, Tepco told the Futaba community… [T]he roses that Mr. Okada cultivated over a lifetime — more than 750 varieties, nearly 8,000 bushes — have perished. Still, Okada has returned to Futaba 10 times… he was interviewed on NHK appearing grim and heartbroken… Maya Moore, a former news anchor and journalist at NHK, happened to catch Okada’s interview… she collaborated with Okada and the group in putting together the book “The Rose Garden of Fukushima.”

The forward to ‘The Rose Garden of Fukushima’ was written by US Ambassador to Japan (2009-13) John Roos: “The incredible tale of Katz Okada and his Fukushima rose garden as told here by Maya Moore… gives you a small window into what the people of Tohoku faced”

WHYY, Apr 24, 2015 – Interview with Maya Moore, former NHK news anchor and author of The Rose Garden of Fukushima (22:15 in): It’s just poisoned wasteland. The last time Mr. Okada actually went back in there, he found baby crows that could not fly, that were blind. Mutations have begun with animals, with birds.

Several studies have linked the Fukushima disaster to mutations in wildlife and specifically discussed negative effects on crow populations:

Dr. Tim Mousseau, Professor of Biological Sciences at the Univ. of South Carolina, 2014 (pdf): We have studied biodiversity at Chornobyl since 2000 and Fukushima since 2011. Most organisms that we have examined showed significantly increased rates of genetic damage in direct proportion to the level of exposure… Many organisms showed increased rates of deformities, developmental abnormalities, eye cataracts, and even tumors and cancers.

Smithsonian, Apr 30, 2015: Birds Are in a Tailspin Four Years After Fukushima — Like the proverbial canary in a coalmine… Mousseau and his team have assembled a grim portrait… their data show that bird species and abundances are in sharp decline, and the situation is getting worse… “where it’s much, much hotter, it’s dead silent. You’ll see one or two birds if you’re lucky.”… birds such as the carrion crow… demonstrated higher susceptibility… 2012, he began capturing birds [with] patches of bleach-white feathers… the patches have a high coincidence with… cataracts, tumors, asymmetries, developmental abnormalities… By 2013, the birds… had white patches big enough to be seen through binoculars.

Journal of Ornithology (Moller, Nishiumi, Mousseau). Mar 2015: Recent seminal studies of butterflies… found strong evidence for increased mutation rates, developmental abnormalities and population effects as a direct consequence of exposure to [Fukushima] radionuclides… these unambiguously supported observations of the elevated mutation rates and phenotypic effects observed in the field.

Journal of Ornithology (Moller, Nishiumi, Mousseau), Feb 2015: [S ]pecies showing the strongest negative correlated with level of background radiation level at [Fukushima] were Tree Sparrow [and] Carrion Crow…

Journal of Heredity (Moller & Mousseau), 2014: Developmental Effects: Albinism, Asymmetry, Brain Size, Cataracts, Sperm, and Tumors — There is an increasing array of empirical studies in Chernobyl, and now Fukushima [documenting] consequences of exposure… white spots on feathers of birds and perhaps the fur of mammals (i.e., cattle in Fukushima)… first detected in Fukushima in 2012 [were] observed in increasing frequencies in 2013 and 2014.

Presentation by Mousseau, 2014 (48:15 in): We’re actually starting to see these partial albinos popping up in Fukushima… They’re popping up all over the place in contaminated areas.

http://enenews.com/former-japan-tv-news-anchor-mutations-begun-fukushima-birds-found-fly-magazine-birds-tailspin-4-years-after-fukushima-proverbial-canary-coalmine-professor-partial-albinos-popping-all-place-conta


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 19, 2015, 04:12:33 pm
Stranded sea lion pups fall victim to California's 'ocean deserts'

Thousands of young sea lions are being found ashore, as those concerned about climate change and animal welfare speculate on the state’s changing ecosystem


The waters of the Pacific off the coast of California are a clear, shimmering blue today, so transparent it’s possible to see the sandy bottom below.

Viewing the ocean from the state’s famous craggy headlands, it’s impossible to know that the ocean’s unusual clarity is hiding a cruel beauty: clear water is a sign that the ocean is turning into a desert, and the chain reaction that causes that bitter clarity is perhaps most obvious on the beaches of the Golden State, where thousands of emaciated sea lion pups are stranded.

Sea lions are a ubiquitous part of the Californian landscape – they’re up and down beaches, piers and wharfs, with an overall population estimated at around 300,000. They have the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to thank for their existence, passed by Congress in response to concerns about dwindling populations of marine mammals, including sea lions.

Now, the familiar creatures have become victims of their own success, with some arguing that their population may have reached natural capacity, and others blaming it on changing environmental conditions in California.

Over the last three years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has noticed a growing number of strandings on the beaches of California and up into the Pacific north-west. In 2013, 1,171 sea lions were stranded, and 2,700 have already stranded in 2015 – a sign that something is seriously wrong, as pups don’t normally wind up on their own until later in the spring and early summer.

The problem, explains Justin Viezbicke of NOAA, is those crystal-clear waters. “The main contributing factor that we’re looking at right now and talking about with the biologists and climatologists on the Channel Islands [a major sea lion rookery] is the lack of upwelling. We haven’t had the strong north winds that drive the currents that create it, and because it hasn’t materialized – it’s moved the prey further and deeper from the moms that are foraging.”

Marine upwelling is an important ecological phenomenon. Coastal winds act to drive surface water away, forcing dense, cold water from the ocean floor to bubble up, carrying a rich load of nutrients with it. Those nutrients feed animals and plants up and down the food chain, and they’re what makes California so ecologically diverse.
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In an environment without easily accessible nutrients, sea lions are forced to forage farther afield to find food for their pups, and the results can be fatal. Mothers may be gone for up to a week, leaving pups to strike out on their own in search of food, with many arriving on shore.

Two particular northern California pups have attracted the attention of the news in recent weeks: San Francisco’s “Rubbish”, who turned up in the Marina district after already being rehabilitated once, and an unnamed pup who hitched a ride in a Mendocino County sheriff’s vehicle when he was discovered too far inland to make his way to the ocean on his own.

The strandings are beginning to overwhelm rescue centers, which aren’t accustomed to handling this many distressed animals at once. Viezbicke explains that organizations are forced to triage pups, leaving some on the beach under supervision if they appear healthy enough, bringing others in for rehabilitation, and humanely euthanizing those who are unlikely to survive.

For those concerned about animal welfare, the thought of thousands of distressed pups is alarming, but Viezbicke sees it as a normal part of the cycle of nature, and notes that the climatologists studying the upwelling issue have yet to see evidence that climate change is involved. This is simply a localized, cyclical phenomenon, but one that has become more prominent thanks to media coverage of the issue.

He highlights the fact that though the strandings are upsetting to witnesses, they represent a huge success story for the Marine Mammal Protection Act, illustrating that the sea lion population is booming despite the strandings, which represent less than 2% of the population.

“When you go to the shore in California, there are a lot of animals out there. You need to know when you go to the shore that you will see something alive and possibly something dead,” he says. “In the big picture, everything is OK. You need to survive to pass those genes on, and that’s how we continue to have healthy animals. The strongest ones survive and the weakest ones don’t.”

Seeing the weakest dying on the shores of California in headlines across the state is troubling, but nature isn’t always kind. NOAA continues to study the situation for indicators of deeper underlying problems like algal blooms or infectious disease, and the agency, along with the sea lions, is waiting for the state’s oceanic desert to bloom with life again.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/08/california-stranded-sea-lions-pacific-ocean


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 25, 2015, 04:35:31 pm
Fukushima leak 'could cause hydrogen explosion' at nuclear plant
Warnings of risk of hydrogen explosion due to build up of gases in containers leaking radioactive water at Japan's disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant


 Leaking containers at Japan’s embattled Fukushima nuclear power plant are at risk of possible hydrogen explosions, experts have claimed.

Almost 10 per cent of recently inspected containers holding contaminated water at the nuclear plant in northeast Japan were found to be leaking radioactive water.

The leakages, discovered during inspections by Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), the operators of the plant, were thought to be caused by a build-up of hydrogen and other gases due to radiation contamination.

The discovery was reported to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), which raised concerns surrounding the potential hazards of accumulated hydrogen building up in the containers.

“If the concentration level is high, a spark caused by static electricity could cause a container to explore,” one NRA official told the Asahi Shimbun.

Tepco officials made the discovery while inspecting 278 of the plant’s 1,307 containers and found that 26 – close to ten per cent - had a leakage or overspill from their lids.

It is believed that gases had accumulated in the sediment at the base of the containers, prompting the volume of the liquid to expand and resulting in the overflow.

However, officials at Tepco stated that the risk of an explosion was believed to be minimal, with a series of measures being undertaken as a matter of urgency to resolve the faulty storage containers.

The operators also emphasised that there was no sign of radioactive water escaping beyond the confines of the concrete structures that encase the leaking containers.

“We think the possibility of an occurrence of hydrogen explosion from these storage facilities is extremely low, since there is no fire origin, or anything that generates static electricity nearby,” Mayumi Yoshida, a spokeswoman for Tepco, told the Telegraph.

Outlining measures to fix the problem, she added: “For temporary measures, we have been removing the leaked water, installing absorption materials, monitoring by patrol, keeping water level inside those facilities lower than set and keeping equipment which may generate fire away.

“In the long term, we’re going to lower the water level of current facilities so as to prevent further leakages.”

The plant, currently embroiled in a complex decades-long process of decommissioning, has been plagued by problems since it was damaged in the earthquake and tsunami four years ago.

Among its biggest challenges relate to the disposal of the constant stream of water flushed over reactors to keep them cool enough to prevent further radioactive releases.

Leakages, technical glitches and storage space problems have tainted the plant’s on-going efforts to deal with the vast quantities of contaminated water created daily as a result.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/11627983/Fukushima-leak-could-cause-hydrogen-explosion-at-nuclear-plant.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on June 01, 2015, 05:51:58 pm
http://enenews.com/guardian-pacific-ocean-turning-desert-california-expert-entire-generation-baby-sea-lions-dying-carts-filled-dead-bodies-photos?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
Guardian: Pacific Ocean “turning into a desert” off California — Experts: Entire generation of baby sea lions is dying; It’s incredible, it’s so unusual and there’s no good explanation for it; Expect same thing to happen again next year — Carts filled with emaciated dead bodies (PHOTOS)
5/17/15

The Guardian, May 11, 2015 (emphasis added): The waters of the Pacific off the coast of California are… so transparent it’s possible to see the sandy bottom… [The] clear water is a sign that the ocean is turning into a desert… 2,700 [sea lion pups] have already stranded in 2015 [NOAA reports it is now over 3,000 as of May 5] – a sign that something is seriously wrong… [NOAA's Justin] Viezbicke sees it as a normal part of the cycle of nature, and notes that the climatologists… have yet to see evidence that climate change is involved. (CAPTION: A cart of deceased malnourished and dehydrated sea lions)

Shawn Johnson, Marine Mammal Center head veterinarian, Mar 20, 2015: “We’re having a tsunami of sea lions… it’s been incredible.” — Ira Flatow, host: “I’m getting a mental picture of the beaches just littered with these sea lions up and down the coast, is that correct?” — Johnson: “Yes. Especially down toward the southern part of California. There literally are sea lions on every beach… The lucky ones are making it to the beaches where we can find them”… — Flatow: “Are all the little pups going to die? A great number of them? Are you going to see no next generation, is it that dire?” — Johnson: “Yes, yes… The biologists out on the rookeries are saying that a whole cohort of these pups, thousands and thousands, are not surviving.”

The Guardian, May 7, 2015: The [sea lion pup] influx… is abating, but experts have warned of a repeat next year unless the Pacific Ocean swiftly cools… “It’s dropped off but we’re still receiving sea lions,” said Laura Scherr, of the Marine Mammal Center… “They’re coming in very emaciated – really just a bag of bones near death”… leaving them vulnerable to pneumonia, parasites and other ailments, she said. “They’re very sick“… The number of pups coming ashore has fallen [said Viezbicke]… The reduction reflected the finite number of sea lions, not improving conditions, he said. “There are only so many pups that are born.” Viezbicke said there were no estimates for how many had died.

Are the numbers ‘abating’ or ‘falling’? NOAA’s latest data shows 215 in the first 5 days of May — 43 per day, on pace to be the worst month on record. Yet the actual strandings are even higher; NOAA totals appear to only include pups taken to care centers, not total strandings:

Viezbicke: “[This number doesn’t even represent all the strandings] because a lot of the animal centers are at capacity, they’ve been leaving the animals on the beach… The numbers are a low representation of what’s coming in.”

Peter Wallerstein of Marine Animal Rescue: “We have to leave a lot on the beach… The care center would probably euthanize them if we brought them.”

What about ‘experts’ who warn the only hope of this ending is for the Pacific to ‘swiftly cool’?

Nate Mantua, NOAA: “[An unusually large number of sea lions stranding in 2013 was a red flag] there was a food availability problem even before the ocean got warm.”

Johnson: This has never happened before… It’s incredible. It’s so unusual, and there’s no really good explanation for it.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on June 19, 2015, 05:20:43 pm
http://enenews.com/alarm-unprecedented-die-endangered-marine-mammal-west-coast-washed-2015-all-recorded-history-combined-experts-scrambling-deal-latest-wildlife-crisis-pacific-official-whats-going-happen-next-v
Alarms raised on West Coast over unprecedented die-off of nearly endangered marine mammals — More have washed up in last few months than during all of recorded history combined — Experts scrambling to deal with latest wildlife crisis in Pacific — Official: “What’s going to happen next?” (VIDEO)
6/10/15

Press Democrat (Sonoma County), Jun 7, 2015 (emphasis added): Fur seal strandings on California coast raise alarm… In what’s already a grim year along California’s shores for marine wildlife, concern is growing about rare fur seals that are turning up, weak and emaciated… [They're] rarely seen anywhere close to land… About 50 or 60 strandings have been reported so far, with exact numbers unavailable… crews have scrambled to deal with the new crisis… Guadalupe fur seals… are listed as threatened on the federal Endangered Species List… the impact of large-scale losses could be significant, said Moe Flannery [Calif. Academy of Sciences]… The stranding surge comes amid a scramble to address a variety of issues among marine mammals… they recovered 33 dead animals in April and May alone… The most Guadalupe fur seals the [Marine Mammal Center] hospital has seen in a given year is four, though usually it’s two or fewer… currently [it] has 14 Guadalupe fur seals and has lost 11 since mid-February…

Justin Viezbicke, NOAA: “We’re kind of all hands on deck for the stranding community right now.”

Shawn Johnson, Marine Mammal Center director: “These little guys are coming in at, basically, birth weight… They’re extremely emaciated… This is the first time this has ever happened for us, so it’s a surprise… and it’s something to be concerned about for the fur seal pups, but also for what’s going to happen next.”

Sue Pemberton, CA Academy of Sciences:

May 21: Dead Guadalupe fur seal pup #29, since April 4th. Unprecedented in my 21 years of working with marine mammals
May 11: The #guadalupefurseal die-off has kicked in to high gear with #10 in the last week. This is a big hit for these guys
May 7: Collected two more Guadalupe fur seals today as the die-off continues
NOAA (pdf), Jun 1, 2015: Q: Have other marine mammals been affected by this stranding event? A: Yes, there has been an increase in Guadalupe fur seal strandings.

NBC Bay Area, May 27, 2015: Scientists are concerned about the impact of the die-off on the endangered Guadalupe fur seal.

Tenaya Norris, Marine Mammal Center, 2014-2015 Pacific Anomalies Science and Technology Workshop, May 6, 2015 (at 3:02:30):

“Usually we don’t see very many of these [Guadalupe fur seals], 0-5 every year since our records began in 1975. This year we’ve had, I think it’s now 16 of these guys… This is a dramatic increase from one year to the next, and from a pretty flat line.”

Slide: Record number of Guadalupe fur seal strandings in 2015 — Expected to do slightly better with warm waters – Really bad out there

According to Norris’ graphic on Guadalupe fur seal strandings, only 62 have been documented in the 30 years since record keeping began. The Press Democrat reports “50 or 60 strandings… with exact numbers unavailable” for the first 5 months of 2015.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on June 19, 2015, 05:31:19 pm
http://enenews.com/cia-agent-govt-covering-effects-radiation-hope-americans-become-aware-threat-public-health-study-actual-radiation-risks-orders-magnitude-greater-official-estimates-completely-picture-serious-public
CIA Agent: Gov’t covering up effects of radiation; I hope public becomes more aware of threat to their health — Study: Actual radiation risks are “orders of magnitude greater” than official estimates; “Completely changes the picture… a serious public health hazard” (VIDEO)
6/13/15

The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine (pdf), Direct Estimates of Low-Level Radiation Risks of Lung Cancer at Two NRC-Compliant Nuclear Installations: Why Are the New Risk Estimates 20 to 200 Times the Old Official Estimates?, Dr. Irwin Bross, Director of Biostatistics at Roswell Park Memorial Institute, 1981 (emphasis added):

Nuclear submarine workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS), who were exposed to low-level ionizing radiation [face] serious hazards.
The new risk estimates have been found to be much higher than the official estimates.
CDC/NIOSH refused to retract or correct the conclusion [that] “we found no positive dosage response relationships between ionizing radiation dose and mortality for any cause reported.” [They used] an incompetent way to examine this data.
[Our analysis] gives 189 lung cancer deaths per year per million persons per rem. This is over 100 times the official estimates and completely changes the picture.
PNS workers received much less than the 5 rem per year currently permitted… about 0.5 rem per year. Yet this was enough to greatly increase their risk of lung cancer.
Why does… data for the [Hanford] workers… show no lung cancer relationship? [When experts] analyzed the Hanford data they did find excess lung cancer and a doubling dose… similar to the corresponding estimate for the shipyard workers.
Estimates of risk to nuclear workers are two logarithmic orders of magnitude greater than the official risks. When the actual risks are 100 times greater, the cost-benefit calculations or permissible levels or environmental impact statements based on the official estimates cannot protect the health and safety of workers or the public.
Indeed, there are now more than 30 studies where the data show positive relationships in human populations exposed to low-level ionizing radiation.
Scientific evaluation of radiation risks [should] replace the obsolete older estimates by the newer ones. That this did not happen in the latest BEIR report suggests that official estimates are no longer a scientific product but rather a political one.
Radiation [studies] become bogged down in real or manufactured “controversies”… There is now much more than a prima facie case that NRC permits doses of radiation that are dangerous – a dose that doubles the risk of a fatal disease is a serious public health hazard.
Jay Mullen, former CIA agent and professor at Southern Oregon Univ., Oct 2013 (15:30 in):

When I was 19 years old, I was… a University athlete. I woke up one night and couldn’t move, it paralyzed me… it just baffled doctors… the Univ. of California Medical Center… determined it was the thyroid disorder that was paralyzing me… I had a thyroidectomy and as a consequence I wear what we call the Hanford necklace.

There’s a good reason if you are an investor in the nuclear community to cover up the pernicious effects of radiation, because there’s profits in nuclear operations… There are strong ‘balance sheet’ reasons to continue the nuclear community, and therefore there’s a reason to discount the possible adverse effects of radiation.

I was in the government, but I was in the government clandestinely. I was an undercover agent for the Central Intelligence Agency in Africa in the 1970s… I understand very well that the government covers up things that might in fact be embarrassing to the government. What could be more embarrassing to the government than the fact that they hazarded their own people by their operations in the atomic community?

I would hope the American public becomes more aware of the effects that radiation can have on the public’s health.

The thing I find most distressing is the dissembling and… the contempt that the government and its contractors have had for the people who they’ve in fact affected.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on June 23, 2015, 05:46:55 am
TV: Emergency survey underway along West Coast, marine life being affected “in ways never seen before” — CBS: “Unusual increase in dolphin, sea lion, and seabird deaths” — Thought to be largest toxic bloom “anywhere, ever” — Worry that impacts on fish to last several years (VIDEO)

BS, Jun 17, 2015 (emphasis added): A toxic algae bloom spreading off the Pacific coast could be the largest one scientists have ever seen. “It’s definitely the largest bloom of this particular algae seen on the West Coast, possibly anywhere, ever” Raphael Kudela, a professor of ocean sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz, told CBS News… “Currently what we’re seeing is this large bloom taking place from about Santa Barbara all the way up to Alaska,” said Kudela… “We’ve been keeping track since the beginning of May.”… But the size of this bloom surprised even him. “It’s over such a large area. You typically don’t see these blooms up in Alaska. They’re having to deal with something they’re not used to dealing with.”… Already, animal rescue centers along the coast are seeing an unusual increase in sea lion, dolphin and pelican deaths…

Vancouver Sun, Jun 22, 2015: Toxic algae bloom west of Vancouver Island threatens salmon… The bloom stretches along the Pacific coast from California to B.C… the cause is unknown… An additional concern relates to salmon stock. The bloom has almost no crustaceans… which is worrisome, [Ian Perry, a research scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada] said… “with the lack of crill [sic] and other crustaceans, there is a concern they won’t find as much food”… consequences could be seen in lower salmon stocks returning to rivers in two to four years, he said.

L.A. Times, Jun 19, 2015: Toxic algae bloom shuts down West Coast fisheries…  A recent, huge bloom of algae off the West Coast has killed sea birds and sickened marine mammals from Central to Northern California, experts found…

Daily Breeze, Jun 20, 2015: The West Coast is in the midst of the most prolific toxic algal outbreak ever recorded, said Vera Trainer, manager of the Marine Biotoxin Program at NOAA… What makes it even more unusual is that other debilitating toxins have been found alongside it — in some cases infecting the same animals…

Spokesman Review, Jun 17, 2015: A toxic algae bloom that’s unprecedented is range is affecting marine life from Central California toward Alaska… Now, its effects are spreading to mammals. In recent video… a sea lion is shown having seizures. NOAA researchers say they have never seen this before on… Washington’s coast.

KING 5 Seattle transcript, June 17, 2015: Washington scientists are conducting an emergency survey of an unprecedented toxic algae bloom in the Pacific, the bloom is so big it extends from Southern California to Alaska… It’s affecting marine life in ways never seen before… (Dr. Vera Trainer, manager of NOAA’s Marine Biotoxin Program): “A sea lion with his head arched back and bobbing, he’s basically having seizures… We’re seeing effects on the marine ecosystem that we haven’t seen before.”… Now it’s effects are spreading to mammals. (Trainer): “I think it’s scary, when we start seeing marine mammals suffering from these toxins, they’re not that far in the food chain from us.”…  It’s the first recorded in Washington to react like this. And researchers know it won’t the last. (Trainer): “This is just one animal that was found on the beach. You wonder what other animals that are not on the beaches — what’s happening to them?”

Dr. Vera Trainer, NOAA: “All the signs are pointing to this being a really unusual event that is very widespread… It really seems like this algal bloom is lurking offshore, not getting dissipated by storms and weather… So it looks like it will stay like this. But it’s still too early to say that it’s linked to warm water… I wouldn’t be surprised if this has influence over our entire coastline, with varying intensity at different parts.”

http://enenews.com/tv-emergency-survey-underway-along-west-coast-marine-life-being-affected-ways-never-before-cbs-unusual-increase-dolphin-sea-lion-seabird-deaths-largest-toxic-bloom-anywhere-could-be-happening?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on June 23, 2015, 03:09:45 pm
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=447905
M 6.5 - BONIN ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION - 2015-06-23 12:18:30 UTC

Magnitude   Mw 6.5
Region   BONIN ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
Date time   2015-06-23 12:18:30.5 UTC
Location   27.69 N ; 139.80 E
Depth   472 km
Distances   860 km S of Yokohama-shi, Japan / pop: 3,574,443 / local time: 21:18:30.5 2015-06-23
819 km S of Shizuoka-shi, Japan / pop: 701,561 / local time: 21:18:30.5 2015-06-23


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on July 07, 2015, 05:17:09 am
NOAA: Young herring “suddenly disappear” from Pacific, no one can find them; “This is an enigma, something’s happened” — Millions of missing salmon raising alarms; “Very odd… Very strange… Most different year ever… It looks really bad” — Fishermen catching only huge numbers of jellyfish (VIDEO)

Bristol Bay Times, Jul 3 2014 (emphasis added): [T]he sluggish start to a large forecast run was making many people in the industry restless… Naknek-Kvichack district’s run total was about 434,000 sockeye – less than 2 percent of this summer’s expected run of 28.8 million… on the same date in 2014 [it] was already nearly 5 million… Elford saw just one fish hit a net all morning. They were, however, catching jellyfish by the hundreds. Elford says this is strange timing, as jellyfish… signal the end of salmon season.

Alaska Dispatch News, Jul 2, 2015: [Kuskokwim River salmon] returning to spawn is still alarmingly low… [Kings are] dramatically below last year’s count… “Mounting evidence suggests that the 2015 chinook salmon run was early and weak,” Fish and Game managers said… chum salmon also is very low, the Bethel test fishery shows… “The chum salmon run is showing so poorly” [a state biologist] said…”comparable to 1997, which was one of our crash years… It looks really bad.”

Port Moller Test Fishery (pdf), Jul 4, 2015: “This year has been very odd… [There's] a signal the other stocks are winding down…. All district C+Es [Catches & Escapements] are estimated to be below the pre-season forecasts… 44% lower than the expected.”

KDLG, Jul 4, 2015: Test Fishery says it’s likely coming in… a lot smaller… than predicted.

KDLG, Jul 1, 2015: Alaska’s largest sockeye fishery is predicted to have a near record return this summer, but so far [they] have only trickled into Bristol Bay’s rivers… 3.4 million sockeye have been harvested… estimates suggested 54 million sockeye… with 38 million available for harvest… by Wednesday evening, Port Moller and Fish and Game were hinting at problems… Fish and Game [said] the sockeye are smaller than expected… “So far I haven’t seen a fish in my net yet,” [said] set netter Sylvia Elford. The day before her site had delivered only 140 pounds. “Out of the 20 days we’ve been here, we’ve bought [bait] fish twice,” said Rob Trumble, skipper of the fishing tender Denali… “It’s been the most different year ever.”… “It’s been really frustrating,” said Gabe Dunham aboard the F/V Oracle.

Cordova Times, Jun 25, 2015: Area management biologist James Jackson said that through June 23 the sockeye harvest [is] half of what biologists expected the harvest to be at this time. “It’s been a very strange year,” Jackson said… Jackson also noted that the average sockeye was about half a pound less in weight than the usual average, and that salmon were being harvested in areas where the commercial fleet typically doesn’t catch fish.

Undercurrent News, Jun 29, 2015: Bristol Bay sockeye salmon harvests are continuing to be well under 2014 and five-year average levels… down 86% from… the same period last year and off 75% from the… average.

F/V Lily Ann crewman: “We caught two red salmon… and came back.”

Jamal Moss, NOAA biologist, May 21, 2015 (at 37:45 in): “In Prince William Sound in 2014 we found a high abundance of juvenile herring that were very fat and very large… and very abundant — it’s a good indicator that were going to have a good age class coming in. However, that’s not the case. We lost track of these fish in our winter and spring sampling… the Prince William Sound Science Center that also does acoustic surveys have not been able to track them. So this has kind of been an enigma. Something happened to these fish over the winter…. Also in the Gulf proper, we’ve seen a decrease in Herring. Unexpectedly, the Sitka Sound herring fishery — which is a seminal fishery for herring in our state — came in really low… something happened to them over the winter. Right now that’s still an unknown.” (Slide: Juvenile age class of herring appeared to be doing well, but suddenly disappeared.)

http://enenews.com/noaa-herring-suddenly-disappeared-pacific-one-find-enigma-happened-fish-alarm-many-millions-missing-salmon


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on July 18, 2015, 11:48:43 am
http://enenews.com/video-mothers-ive-met-tokyo-fukushima-suffering-thyroid-problems-eye-problems-nose-bleeds-very-surprising-nonprofit-group-every-single-person-weve-hosted-japan-health-problems-found-blood-stains-ev?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
Nonprofit Group: “Every single person” we hosted from Japan has had health problems… Blood stains found in almost all of their beds — Japanese Mom: Most mothers I’ve met from Tokyo and Fukushima are suffering thyroid problems, eye problems, nose bleeds… It’s been very surprising (VIDEO)
6/28/15

Interview with Vicki Nelson, founder of Fukushima Friends (nonprofit organization which facilitates trips to Hawaii for Fukushima radiation refugees), Nuclear Hotseat hosted by Libbe HaLevy, Jun 9, 2015 (at 16:30 in):

Vicki Nelson, founder of Fukushima Friends (emphasis added): We have a home that’s open for them to come and experience some time of respite and eat different food. What we’ve been experiencing also is that every single person that comes has reaction to the change as soon as they come here. There’s been people who have vomited, they’ve been having nosebleeds, they’ve been dizzy, they’ve been very ashen in color.

Libbe HaLevy, host: This is once they have left Japan? In other words, it is the lack of the radiation that allows them to then have these reactions?

Nelson: It’s like it is expelling from their body. There’s diarrhea, there’s nosebleeds — almost every single person has had nosebleeds on their pillow. I find blood, and they don’t want to tell me that they have these reactions, they’re embarrassed. Tokiko’s son [from Koriyama, Fukushima] vomited the whole first week practically, and diarrhea. We actually took him to the hospital because we felt that he was dehydrated. They did run tests, and they said yes he was dehydrated. So he was kept overnight at the Hilo hospital on the big island and cared for.

Meeting hosted by Andrew Cash, member of Canadian parliament, Dec 2012 — Japanese mother (at 2:12:30 in): “My home town is Sapporo [northernmost island in Japan]… In my city, no one thinks about radiation. I found a group of escaped mothers from Tokyo and the Fukushima area, and I was very surprised… Most of them had thyroid problems, or eye problems, or nose bleeds… They are very worried about it. In Japan we knew about the meltdowns two months after the meltdowns happened, so we can have no information about radiation. Now the government is telling us to eat food from Fukushima. We can’t rely on government. The TV said Fukushima is safe, no problem… Fukushima is good to live. They want to invite a lot of tourists to Fukushima.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 01, 2015, 11:28:28 am
http://enenews.com/ap-unprecedented-deaths-along-pacific-coast-scientists-reporting-mass-die-offs-mammals-birds-fish-govt-declared-unusual-mortality-event-being-tested-radionuclides-fukushima-one-sure-whats?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
AP: Unprecedented deaths along U.S. Pacific coast — Scientists: Mass die-offs of mammals, birds, fish… “No one’s sure what happened” — Gov’t wants Unusual Mortality Event declared — Samples “being tested for radionuclides from Fukushima” (PHOTOS & AUDIO)

AP, Jul 27, 2015 (emphasis added): Scientist says unexplained mass whale deaths off Alaska island may remain a mystery — Researchers may never solve the recent deaths of 18 endangered whales… 10 fin whales [and] eight humpback whales… scientists speculate the animals might have eaten something toxic… One test came back negative for one toxin that would be present in harmful algal blooms [Kate Wynne, a marine mammal specialist for the University of Alaska Sea Grant Program] said. “That’s my leading hypothesis,” Wynne said of an environmental toxin as a cause… “we never will find out what killed those whales, in my mind.” Other test results also are pending, however. A muscle-tissue sample is being tested for the possibility of radionuclides from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster… The deaths are an unusual occurrence, Wynne said. She said she’s never heard of anything similar occurring among large baleen whales in the U.S. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also is looking into the deaths of a slightly larger number of whales over a larger area. NOAA is requesting the deaths to be designated nationally as an unusual mortality event… NOAA spokeswoman Julie Speegle said. Along with the dead whales, dead birds including murres and shearwaters were reported… Tests showed the shearwaters had a high parasite count and were starving, Wynne said.

KUCB, Jul 27, 2015: Dead Fish, Wildlife In Aleutians… Scientists have been receiving reports of dead and dying mammals, birds and small fish in the Aleutian Islands.  They think the killer might be toxic algae… “They’re a suspected cause for some of the mass deaths we’ve been seeing–the 10 fin whales that were spotted dead off of Kodiak Island; I know Adak has seen a lot of dead birds, King Cove, I believe (birds in) False Pass have been washing up. We don’t know the cause of that yet either,” [Melissa Good with University of Alaska Fairbanks] said… “No one that I know of is sure what happened.” This week, Good has been taking water samples around Unalaska and shipping them off to labs for full analysis… She’s also sampled the stomach and flesh of a Steller’s sea lion that washed up dead… Good said people in the Aleutians should be wary of eating clams or mussels… “We just don’t know if they’re going to be toxic or not,” she said.

Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, July 2015: Pursuing Cause of Death in Gulf of Alaska Whales… Over the next six weeks more large whale mortalities were reported by mariners and pilots. Kate Wynne and Bree Witteveen began gathering NOAA Stranding Network data… a total of 10 fin whale and 8 humpback mortalities have been documented… Both whale species feed in groups on small fish and invertebrates, filtering them with their baleen… Wynne, Witteveen, and other biologists have pursued many possible human-influenced and natural causes, but as of mid-July the cause of death remains unknown… Biotoxins caused by warm water–induced harmful algal blooms are a possibility, although tissue from the sampled fin whale tested for domoic acid came back negative… Scientists have followed up on other possible causes… even radionuclides from the Fukushima reactor…. To pursue the radionuclide possibility Wynne submitted a muscle tissue sample from a dead fin whale for Cesium 137 analysis, with results pending… Wynne and Witteveen complimented the professional network of bird, fish, and mammal biologists in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bristol Bay–Bering Sea area, who have reported unusual events since the mortalities.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on August 05, 2015, 09:04:12 pm
https://www.yahoo.com/health/toxic-algae-blooming-in-pacific-from-california-to-125925530927.html
Toxic Algae Blooming in Pacific from California to Alaska Is Affecting Your Seafood
8/5/15

A vast bloom of toxic algae off the West Coast is denser, more widespread and deeper than scientists feared even weeks ago, according to surveyors aboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel.

This coastal ribbon of microscopic algae, up to 40 miles wide and 650 feet deep in places, is flourishing amid unusually warm Pacific Ocean temperatures. It now stretches from at least California to Alaska and has shut down lucrative fisheries. Shellfish managers on Tuesday doubled the area off Washington’s coast that is closed to Dungeness crab fishing, after finding elevated levels of marine toxins in tested crab meat.

So-called “red tides” are cyclical and have happened many times before, but ocean researchers say this one is much larger and persisting much longer, with higher levels of neurotoxins bringing severe consequences for the Pacific seafood industry, coastal tourism and marine ecosystems.

Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the area now closed to crab fishing includes more than half the state’s 157-mile-long coast, and likely will bring a premature end to this year’s coastal crab season.

“We think it’s just sitting and lingering out there,” said Anthony Odell, a University of Washington research analyst who is part of a NOAA-led team surveying the harmful algae bloom, which was first detected in May. “It’s farther offshore, but it’s still there.”

The survey data should provide a clearer picture of what is causing the bloom which is brownish in color, unlike the blue and green algae found in polluted freshwater lakes. Marine detectives already have a suspect: a large patch of water running as much as 3 degrees centigrade warmer than normal in the northeast Pacific Ocean, nicknamed “the blob.”

“The question on everyone’s mind is whether this is related to global climate change. The simple answer is that it could be, but at this point it’s hard to separate the variations in these cycles,” said Donald Boesch, professor of marine science at the University of Maryland who is not involved in the survey. “Maybe the cycles are more extreme in the changing climate.”

“There’s no question that we’re seeing more algal blooms more often, in more places, when they do occur, they’re lasting longer and often over greater geographical areas. We’re seeing more events than documented decades ago,” said Pat Glibert, professor at Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

Odell recently completed the first leg of the survey, mostly in California waters. On Wednesday, researchers plan to continue monitoring the sea between Newport, Oregon, and Seattle. The vessel will then go to Vancouver Island, wrapping up in early September. Another research ship is taking samples off Alaska.

The brownish bloom was particularly thick off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, and Odell said it was unusually dominated by one type of algae called Pseudo-nitzschia, which can produce the neurotoxin domoic acid.

“It’s an indication of an imbalance,” said Vera Trainer, a research oceanographer with the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. “Too much of any one thing is not healthy for anybody to eat.”

Trainer said this bloom is the worst she’s seen in 20 years of studying them. Harmful algal blooms have usually been limited to one area of the ocean or another, and have disappeared after a few weeks. This one has grown for months, waxing and waning but never going away.

“It’s been incredibly thick, almost all the same organism. Looks like a layer of hay,” said Raphael Kudela, a professor of ocean sciences at University of California, Santa Cruz.

The current bloom also involves some of the highest concentrations of domoic acid yet observed in Monterey Bay and other areas of the West Coast.

“It’s really working its way into the food web and we’re definitely seeing the impacts of that,” Kudela said, noting that sea lions are getting sick and pelicans are being exposed. And now that the Pacific is experiencing its periodic ocean warming known as El Nino, it may come back even stronger next year, he said.

Domoic acid is harmful to people, fish and marine life. It accumulates in anchovies, sardines and other small fish as well as shellfish that eat the algae. Marine mammals and fish-eating birds in turn can get sick from eating the contaminated fish. In people, it can trigger amnesic shellfish poisoning, which can cause permanent loss of short-term memory in severe cases.

State health officials stress that seafood bought in stores is still safe to eat because it is regularly tested. While there have been no reports of human illnesses linked to this year’s bloom, authorities aren’t taking chances in fisheries with dangerous toxin levels.

California public health officials have warned against eating recreationally harvested mussels and claims, or any anchovy, sardines or crabs caught in waters off Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara counties. Other shellfish harvests are shut down along Oregon’s coast.

The most recent samples showed the highest-ever recorded concentrations of domoic acid in the internal organs of Dungeness crab, Ayres said.

“This is really unprecedented territory for us,” said Ayres.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 06, 2015, 06:58:31 am
Animals delirious, disoriented up and down West Coast — Displaying ‘unprecedented’ behaviors — Experts “know something isn’t right” — Gov’t: “Waters offshore so lacking in things like anchovies, sardines and squid” (PHOTOS & VIDEO)

all links at site

KION, Aug 13, 2015 (emphasis added): “I noticed them out here. And I looked over here and seen all kinds of dead little fish over there,” said fisherman Tucker Bergerson. Bergerson fishes in the Monterey Bay every day. He like others who make a living out in the open waters, know something isn’t right in the bay.

KION, Aug 13, 2015: [Kamyar Shareghi, tour guide:] “There have been fish dying, there have been a bunch of birds dead in the water as well. Some of the marine mammals like the sea lions, seals and the otters, they’ll have seizures and they will be delirious like dementia.”

NOAA, Aug 20, 2015: a common murre die-off was reported… along the Alaska Peninsula… unusual numbers in nearshore areas with many appearing weak and approachable by skiff.  We do not know whether the bird mortalities were related to whatever killed the whales.

KING 5 News, Aug 21, 2015: In addition to whales, Alaska’s seen dead walruses and a lot of dead or disoriented birds…

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium – Local Environmental Observer, Aug 3, 2015: Moose behavior – Found a dead moose in the lake… [others] said that the moose the day before was swimming in circles and struggling… We really don’t know why this moose was in distress or what sickness it may have. I’ve been talking to residents and other people they think it maybe a parasite that went to the brain… LEO Comment: Tina Tinker writes, “I contacted [Alaska Dept of Fish & Game who] seems to think that the moose has pink eye or conjunctivitis…

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium – Local Environmental Observer: Unusual sea lion behavior – This sea lion was seen for over an hour floating along the shore and holding one front and one back flipper in the air. As long as we watched, it never dropped the flippers, although they moved a bit. We wondered if they were injured or paralyzed. There was no evidence that we could see of trauma or an injury and he (?) came quite close to us and did not seem concerned with our presence, or passing ATVs… Later in the evening we looked out again and he was gone. We wonder what would explain this behavior, if he was sick or injured. We also wonder if this behavior has implications for fish and other wildlife and for peoples health.

Monterey Herald, Aug 12, 2015: Monterey’s ‘Minnie the Minke’ whale was not a baby, may have suffered poisoning… “It was disoriented, and when they have domoic acid poisoning, they act like that,” said Kate Spencer, a captain… [The whale] repeatedly turning from side to side, and appeared to be disoriented throughout the three-hour rescue. “It is possible it suffered from poisoning, but only chemical tests could decipher that,” she said… Another possible reason the whale swam to the harbor — an occurrence authorities called unprecedented — was because it was searching for food.

San Francisco Chronicle, Aug 19, 2015: Entangled whales worry fishermen, environmentalists, officials –Record numbers of whales are showing up along the California coastline with fishing line tangled around their blubbery bodies, in a trend that’s bedeviled fishermen, environmentalists and state regulators alike… The surge in whale entanglements evidently began in 2014, when 30 whales were found entangled on the West Coast… Nate Mantua, a Santa Cruz-based research scientist for the NOAA… blames changes in the ocean temperature… Mantua said the [temperatures are] leading the “forage fish” that whales eat to seek refuge in a narrow band of cool water by the shoreline… “Part of that is because the water (farther) offshore has been so lacking in things like anchovies, sardines and squid“…

Watch the unusual sea lion behavior here
http://enenews.com/animals-delirious-disoriented-down-west-coast-displaying-unprecedented-behaviors-experts-isnt-govt-waters-offshore-lacking-like-anchovies-sardines-squid-photos-video


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 14, 2015, 02:03:05 pm
Fukushima dumps first batch of once-radioactive water in sea

Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant Monday began releasing previously contaminated water into the sea, but the man tasked with preventing another meltdown warned other highly radioactive fluid still stored on site could pose a major threat.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), which operates the plant in eastern Japan, discharged 850 tons of formerly contaminated water it had extracted from the ground near the plant into the sea, saying a filtration process had now made it safe.

Monday was the first time the plant, whose reactors went into meltdown after being hit by a huge tsunami in 2011, has released once radioactive water into nature after a years-long battle with fishermen, who feared it could destroy their livelihood.

But Dale Klein, the chairman of a committee created to ensure the nuclear meltdown is never repeated, said other highly radioactive water used to cool the reactors four years ago and which is still kept in tanks in the plant could be dangerous.

="The risk that you run is that you have all these tanks full of water," Klein told AFP in an interview.

"The longer you store the water, the more likely you are going to have (an) uncontrolled release," he said, adding that he would like to see the supplies released from storage in the next three years.

TEPCO has faced criticism for its handling of the meltdown, which saw thousands of people evacuated as radiation poisoned the air, land and water and has already cost some $57 billion in compensation for residents.

Four years later it is still extracting some 300 tons of contaminated water from the ground every day, which had been stored in tanks before TEPCO started releasing it into the sea after purification on Monday.

- 'Long-term solution' -

The move is a milestone for the company, which said its Advanced Liquid Processing System, which removes highly radioactive substances like strontium and caesium, meant the ground water was now safe to release into the natural environment.

Fishermen had argued that the discharge even of the groundwater would heighten contamination concerns and hurt their already battered reputation.

They had fought to stop the water being released into the sea, even after it is filtered, but eventually bowed to pressure from TEPCO, which is struggling to find space to store the tainted supplies.

But it has yet to find a solution to deal with another highly radioactive 680,000 tons of water that was used to cool the reactors during the meltdown, which is still stored on site.

Fishermen are opposed to the fluid being released into the sea, even after it is filtered.

"I would much rather see Japan move to a long-term solution of the controlled release, rather than have an unexpected release" that could be caused by pipebreaks or other failures, said Klein.

Torrential flooding this month in an area not far south of the plant added to contamination concerns, flushing away at least 293 plastic bags of plants and soil that had been collected in the clean up.

The tsunami, following a 9.0 magnitude quake, triggered the world's worst nuclear disaster in a generation and prompted Tokyo to shut down the 50 reactors nationwide used to generate electricity.

This month saw the evacuation order lifted for Naraha, the first of seven municipalities fully emptied after the explosion whose residents can return permanently, but the full clean up is expected take decades.

http://news.yahoo.com/fukushima-dumps-first-batch-once-radioactive-water-sea-091919092.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 23, 2015, 02:58:43 pm
“Countless” dead birds reported in Pacific off US coast, nothing will eat the bodies — “There are no seals present” — Expert: “The fish are not there… all of them are starving” — Animals “acting weird, sick and weak, too weak to fly, too weak to run” — Resident: We want to know if it’s from Fukushima (VIDEO)
9/15/15
http://enenews.com/countless-dead-birds-reported-pacific-coast-seals-present-expert-fish-all-starving-animals-acting-weird-sick-weak-weak-fly-weak-run-related-fukushima-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29

KGW, Aug 25, 2015 (emphasis added): Birds dying of starvation along coast — Hundreds of birds are washing ashore either dead or dying along the Oregon and Southwest Washington Coast. The majority of them are common murres… Researchers say that the die-off started about three weeks ago… the Wildlife Center of the North Coast [says] Almost all of them are starving. “They’re totally emaciated…” said Laurel Berblinger, a volunteer at the center. According to the biologists, the fish the birds normally eat are not there… with so many dead birds along the beaches now, it’s important to keep children and dogs away… Biologists say they are bracing for a lot more of this.

KBBI, Aug 4, 2015: The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is receiving multiple reports indicating a significant increase in dead and dying birds found on beaches in the Homer area… [Biologist Leslie] Slater says… “What we’re seeing more precisely is that birds seem to be starving.”… These deaths don’t seem to be isolated to Homer’s beaches. There are reports of similar deaths down the Alaska Peninsula and the eastern edge of the Aleutians. Slater says it’s possible they could be related to dead whales.

NBC News, Sep 12 2015: Toxic Algae May Threaten West Coast Marine Economy for Years… the toxic bloom could last through 2016, said Raphael Kudela, a professor of ocean ecology at the University of California Santa Cruz… “that would be pretty much unprecedented to have blooms two years in a row.” The size of the bloom and the amount of time it has lasted in the ocean are already unprecedented… Scientists had previously believed that domoic acid was water soluble—meaning that it could be flushed out of the bodies of animals that ingested it, Kudela said. But researchers have since observed domoic acid building up in the tissues of fish… the toxin may be spreading to a wider array of marine life than they had previously thought was possible. “That really suggests that it is really going to work its way through the food web,” Kudela told CNBC… [Dan Ayres, a coastal shellfish lead biologist with the Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife] said that if ocean waters remain warm in future years—the effects could be severe and impact the whole ocean food web.

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium – Local Environmental Observer reports:

> Aug 2, 2015: Dead birds – Sand Point, Alaska — When going on her evening walk in the boat harbor, Tiffany Jackson noticed a dead bird floating in the water. This is just one of many dead birds spotted in the boat harbor this summer… With finding all these dead birds in the harbor, we are wondering if there is some kind of virus or sickness in these birds.

> Aug 17, 2015: Bird die-offs – Port Heiden, Alaska — [Residents] noticed that there were several dead birds washing ashore in the last month with an increase in numbers in the past week… This year seems to be different than the past – several sea birds washing up, other animals are not eating the washed up carcasses and no seals are swimming along the shore or the mouth of the river. Community members do not know what is killing the sea birds – or why there are not seals present and are wondering why and if other communities are experiencing the same?

> Aug 17, 2015: Low seal numbers – Port Heiden, Alaska — Residents have noticed a decrease in the number of seals up and down the shoreline outside of Port Heiden. This year some residents have not seen one seal, and have noticed a large number of dead sea birds washing up along the shore.

> Aug 17, 2015: Murre deaths – Nanwalek, Alaska — A common murre or common guillemot (Uria aalge) was found on August 17, 2015 alone the shores of Nanwalek; this one was chewed on when we found it and the other murre was reported on 8/21/15… We want to be kept appraised of these impacts whether it is an algae bloom/PSP related event or potentially related to the Fukushima Power plant (earth quake) disaster?

> Aug 21, 2015: Dead sea birds – Goodnews Bay, Alaska — Resident had observed countless dead seagulls and other sea birds that were found dead. The amount she had seen was countless, she also said that some of the birds were acting weird, sick and weak, too weak to fly and too weak to run. The death of these birds could affect the other sea animals, and then there would be a huge die off of all the other sea animals.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 08, 2015, 02:30:26 pm
https://www.yahoo.com/health/researcher-childrens-cancer-linked-to-fukushima-113206820.html
10/8/15
Researcher: Children’s Cancer Linked to Fukushima Radiation

TOKYO (AP) – A new study says children living near the Fukushima nuclear meltdowns have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer at a rate 20 to 50 times that of children elsewhere, a difference the authors contend undermines the government’s position that more cases have been discovered in the area only because of stringent monitoring.

Most of the 370,000 children in Fukushima prefecture (state) have been given ultrasound checkups since the March 2011 meltdowns at the tsunami-ravaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. The most recent statistics, released in August, show that thyroid cancer is suspected or confirmed in 137 of those children, a number that rose by 25 from a year earlier. Elsewhere, the disease occurs in only about one or two of every million children per year by some estimates.

“This is more than expected and emerging faster than expected,” lead author Toshihide Tsuda told The Associated Press during a visit to Tokyo. “This is 20 times to 50 times what would be normally expected.”

The study was released online this week and is being published in the November issue of Epidemiology, produced by the Herndon, Virginia-based International Society for Environmental Epidemiology. The data comes from tests overseen by Fukushima Medical University.

Making sense of the relationship between radiation and cancer is precarious: It’s scientifically impossible to link an individual cancer case to radiation. Looking harder with routine check-ups, like the one in Fukushima, leads to quicker discovery of tumors, inflating the tallies in a so-called “screening effect.”

Right after the disaster, the lead doctor brought in to Fukushima, Shunichi Yamashita, repeatedly ruled out the possibility of radiation-induced illnesses. The thyroid checks were being ordered just to play it safe, according to the government.

But Tsuda, a professor at Okayama University, said the latest results from the ultrasound checkups, which continue to be conducted, raise doubts about the government’s view.

Thyroid cancer among children is one sickness the medical world has definitively linked to radiation after the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe. If treated, it is rarely fatal, and early detection is a plus, but patients are on medication for the rest of their lives.

Scientists are divided on Tsuda’s conclusions.

In the same Epidemiology issue, Scott Davis, professor at the Department of Epidemiology in the Seattle-based School of Public Health, said the key limitation of Tsuda’s study is the lack of individual-level data to estimate actual radiation doses.

Davis agreed with the findings of the World Health Organization and UNSCEAR, or the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, both of which have carried out reviews on Fukushima and predicted cancer rates will remain stable, with no rises being discernable as radiation-caused.

David J. Brenner, professor of radiation biophysics at Columbia University Medical Center, took a different view. While he agreed individual estimates on radiation doses are needed, he said in a telephone interview that the higher thyroid cancer rate in Fukushima is “not due to screening. It’s real.”

Conclusions about any connection between Fukushima radiation and cancer will help determine compensation and other policies. Many people who live in areas deemed safe by the government have fled fearing sickness, especially for their children.

An area extending about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the nuclear plant has been declared an exclusion zone. The borders are constantly being remapped as cleanup of radiated debris and soil continues in an effort to bring as many people back as possible. Decommissioning the plant is expected to take decades.

Noriko Matsumoto, 53, who used to work as a nurse in Koriyama, Fukushima, outside the no-go zone, fled to Tokyo with her then-11-year-old daughter a few months after the disaster. She had initially shrugged off the fears but got worried when her daughter started getting nosebleeds and rashes.

“My daughter has the right to live free of radiation,” she said. “We can never be sure about blaming radiation. But I personally feel radiation is behind sicknesses.”

Andrew F. Olshan, professor at the Department of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, noted that research on what follows a catastrophe is complex and difficult.

“Dr. Tsuda’s study had limitations including assessment of individual radiation dose levels to the thyroid and the ability to fully assess the impact of screening on the excess cases detected,” he said.

“Nonetheless, this study is critical to initiate additional investigations of possible health effects, for governmental planning, and increasing public awareness.”


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 15, 2015, 03:28:50 pm
http://enenews.com/expert-worried-parasites-never-before-washing-west-coast-finding-unidentifiable-creatures-new-science-scientist-anticipates-fukushima-will-marine-bacteria-mutate?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
Expert: Parasites ‘never seen before’ are washing up on West Coast; Finding unidentifiable creatures ‘new to science’… “We’re worried” — Scientist anticipates Fukushima radiation will cause marine bacteria in U.S. to mutate
10/1/15

Impacts of Radioactive 137Cs on Marine Bacterioplankton: Effects of the Fukushima Disaster on Hawaii’s Kaneohe Bay Bacterial Communities

• Introduction: … Despite our dependence on marine bacteria, very little research has been conducted on how they respond to large-scale disasters… Fukushima Daiichi [is] the largest ever release of anthropogenic radionuclides into the ocean. The main pollutant, 137Cs…  will first hit the US territories at the Hawaiian Pacific Islands in early 2014, diluted by only three orders of magnitude… the impacts of radioactive waste on marine microorganisms are largely unknown. Due to their short reproductive lifecycle and unicellularity, bacteria evolve faster than most eukaryotes when exposed to radiation, so much so that radiation is used in laboratories to induce mutagenesis. This project aims to assess the impacts of radiation on the bacterioplankton community of Kaneohe Bay in Oahu, Hawaii. The bay is in the direct path of Fukushima’s radioactive waste and has a bacterioplankton community that was well-characterized pre-disturbance, making it the ideal case study for the microscopic impacts of radioactive pollution. I will compare trends after radiation exposure to previously documented annual/seasonal fluctuations…

• Research Questions: 1. How has the bacterioplankton species composition in Kaneohe Bay… changed since the Fukushima leak? — 2. Has there been a significant increase in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) since the radiation event, as compared to mutation rates that would occur due to random chance?…

• Anticipated Results: 1. The bacterial community structure will change significantly more than due to random chance. — 2. Post-Fukushima species will have significantly more nonsense and missense mutations in non-essential genes and neutral mutations in housekeeping genes than would have accumulated due to random chance…

• Broader Impacts:  This research will help characterize the full repercussions of radioactive pollution… It will reduce the knowledge gap of what potential harm radioactivity causes marine microbial communities, and give policy makers the information they need to manage affected ecosystems… This study will also characterize the impact of radiation on pathogenic bacteria in coastal communities, which is crucial to fully assessing the impact of radioactive waste on human and environmental health.

Associated Press, Feb 26, 2015: An estimated 300 different invasive species have drifted across the Pacific on tsunami debris, [John Calvanese, an Oregon State graduate student] said. Most are small invertebrates. Many are unidentifiable, either because they are in a stage of life not recognized by scientists or they are new to science. “Debris is still coming across the ocean,” Chapman said. “We know there is this conveyor of species from Asia land on our shores. We’ve found parasites inside mussels that came across, mussels themselves that are strange, and oysters with parasites that have never been seen before, even in Asia. We’re worried.”


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 29, 2015, 05:40:33 pm
http://enenews.com/former-official-fukushima-plant-dumping-radioactivity-ocean-daily-basis-foreseeable-good-ideas-stop-japan-govt-worried-attempts-stop-going-nuclear-waste-flow-sea-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
10/27/15
Former WHO Official: Fukushima plant is dumping nuclear waste into ocean on a daily basis; “There’s no foreseeable end to it… and nobody has any good ideas on how to stop it” — Japan gov’t worried that attempts to reduce leakage will cause even more radioactivity to flow into sea (VIDEO)

Oct 26, 2015 (emphasis added): [TEPCO announced] the construction of seaside walls to block radiation-contaminated groundwater from seeping into the sea has been completed at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant… TEPCO officials said the underground walls will reduce the daily flow of contaminated groundwater into the sea from the previous estimated 400 tons to 10 tons. However, they said it will take a month or two to confirm the effectiveness of the barriers.

Japan Times, Oct 26, 2015: Tepco hopes the wall will significantly reduce the amount of contaminated water that has continued to flow into the Pacific more than four years after the 2011 meltdown crisis… 400 tons of groundwater was draining along the sides of the buildings and into the sea each day, after being contaminated with fallout from the 2011 meltdown crisis, according Tepco. The utility says an estimated 150 tons of underground water is still flowing into the basements of the damaged reactor buildings each day… Recent tests of water samples from the nearby sea have detected radioactive substances such as cesium-137 and strontium-90, but scientists have said the density is so low that it poses no immediate danger to human health. Yet, the ongoing flow of tainted water from the plant has raised anxiety and concerns among local fishermen and many consumers across the country. Tepco plans to keep monitoring the density of radioactive materials in the nearby sea over the next month. To isolate the four reactor buildings from the underground water, Tepco hopes to freeze the soil around them… The Nuclear Regulation Authority has yet to give permission for the operation, saying creation of frozen soil could drastically change the underground water level around the plant. If the water level outside falls lower than that inside, the contaminated water could leak out. Meanwhile, Tepco has not explained exactly how it will control the water levels, an NRA official said.

Dr. Keith Baverstock, former World Health Organization regional adviser for radiation and public health, published Oct 23, 2015 (at 37:00 in): “I’m really appalled at the way the international system has failed… Quite frankly, we don’t get anything through the media… There is no general understanding of the situation here in Europe, because the media are not putting this view forward. In fact, I think many people would be very surprised that it was still  a matter for discussion. They would be even more surprised to learn that it’s still an ongoing accident, and that it hasn’t terminated yet. They’d be even more surprised that nobody has any good ideas on how to stop it. So this is a very big black point… for the nuclear industry — that they can cause a situation like this, where there’s no foreseeable end to it. It’s against international law to dump radioactivity into the sea, but that is precisely what is happening on a daily basis.”


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 29, 2015, 05:48:06 pm
http://enenews.com/mind-blowing-die-seabirds-underway-california-alaska-experts-unprecedented-theyre-dying-im-baffled-every-bird-starving-death-basically-withering-away-catastrophic-molting-observed-due-unknown?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
“Mind-blowing” die off of seabirds underway from California to Alaska — Experts: “This is unprecedented… Worst I’ve ever seen… Why they’re dying, I’m still baffled” — “Every bird we’re seeing is starving to death… Basically withering away” — “Catastrophic molting” due to unknown cause (VIDEO)
10/15/15

Oct 15, 2015 (emphasis added): [T]housands of common murres… have been found dead… “all signs point to starvation from a lack of forage fish,” [Marine ecologist Kirsten Lindquist] said, adding that the same problem has been documented along the Oregon, Washington and Alaska coastlines… many endemic marine birds and mammals are suffering.

International Bird Rescue, Sep 22, 2015: An unprecedented number of exhausted, hungry seabirds continue to flood International Bird Rescue’s San Francisco Bay Center… The sight of so many starving seabirds has raised red flags among seabird scientists…

Santa Cruz Sentinel, Sep 25, 2015: A troubling number of starved and weak seabirds are washing ashore on beaches from the Monterey Bay to Alaska… “There’s been die-offs in the past, but this is one of the worst ones I’ve ever seen,” said Lupin Egan, an animal technician… “it’s been really crazy,” said spokesman Russ Curtis. “They’re really sick — just feather and bone.”… “At Waddell and Greyhound (Rock) beaches, I saw the most murres I’ve ever seen in 10 years,” said Cori Gibble, seabird health coordinator with the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center in Santa Cruz. “You see them on the tide line. They’re kind of strewn all over the beaches… It’s been a really strange year“…

ABC San Francisco, Sep 22, 2015: The number of birds being delivered to the rescue center daily is the number that usually comes over the entirety of a month, center officials said. “The sheer number of birds we’re seeing is pretty mind-blowing“… Curtis said. “This is unprecedented. Sometimes we get spikes and it dissipates. But it has not stopped.”

Sacramento Bee, Sep 24, 2015: Rescue center overwhelmed with starving seabirds… Fairfield rescue center has seen 25 times more common murres than normal… Across Northern California… malnourished seabirds have been appearing in alarming numbers, some shrunken to little more than feather and bone… The murres’ presence is significant to scientists because they’re considered a marker species, whose movements and numbers signal changes in the ocean’s food supply… “Our gut tells us there is something going on in the marine environment.”… Some of the birds that are being brought into the center are showing symptoms of catastrophic molting, where large patches of their bodies are missing feathers, said Kelly Berry, wildlife manager with the center. The cause is unknown…

Santa Cruz Sentinel, Sep 2, 2015: A huge influx of weak, starving seabirds have been overwhelming a Fairfield bird rescue center… “They’re like the canaries in the coal mines,” Curtis said… “the first ones to tell us if… there’s something wrong with our environment.”

KTVU, Sep 25 2015: Up and down the West Coast, thousands of starving sea birds are washing up… [The murres] resemble penguins, but can fly… “They are washing up extremely skinny… They’re starving to death,” lead rehabilitation technician Isabel Luevano told KTVU… “they’re basically withering away“… More heron and egret hatchlings have needed care this summer as well…

Half Moon Bay Review, Sep 30, 2015: [T]he magnitude of and reason for this die-off is perplexing to experts… [Gerry McChesney, of the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge said] “we’ve had a strip of cold water near the coast (of Half Moon Bay), concentrating anchovies and mackerel. With what seems to be all this food up against the coast, why these murres are dying, I’m still baffled by.”

Daily Astorian, Aug 25, 2015: “There’s a pretty raging debate among seabird biologists at the moment,” [Julia Parish of the U. of Washington] added…“Every bird we’re seeing is starving to death,” [Josh Saranpaa, of the Wildlife Center of the North Coast] said. “It’s pretty bad.” Many are adults… The high number of starving adults along the North Coast, even experienced scavenger birds, indicates a “serious sign of a stressed ecosystem,” Parish said… “When you see so many starving, something is not quite right out there,” Saranpaa said… It’s also “been a really odd year,” Parish said, with multiple regional scale events…

KMXT (Alaska), Sep 16, 2015: Massive seabird die-off hits Kodiak… [National Wildlife Refuge bird biologist Robin Corcoran] said she doesn’t know what could have caused the deaths.

KMXT, Sep 15, 2015: “It does look like the birds are emaciated, which means they don’t have any fat on their bodies, and they don’t have any food in their digestive systems“… [Corcoran] says it could be connected to the whale die-offs, and they’ll be considering environmental factors… Corcoran says the Refuge’s survey data has also indicated that several other bird species’ numbers have declined…


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 31, 2015, 04:48:27 pm
http://enenews.com/former-govt-official-elephant-room-fukushima-radiation-when-comes-pacific-ocean-die-offs-govt-totally-failed-inform-public-about-full-extent-fallout-mentions-coverage-enenews?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
Former US Gov’t Official: “The elephant in the room is Fukushima radiation” when it comes to Pacific Ocean animal die-offs… Gov’t has totally failed to inform public about full extent of fallout… Media’s silence is deafening — Mentions coverage by ENENews
10/20/15

• In the aftermath of Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power meltdown… the international community has totally failed in keeping the public properly informed and protected from the fallout. Scientists and environmental officials continue to express concern, even now, at the unusual events and wonder about the causes. At the same time, the media present the facts, but fail to make any connection whatsoever to the ongoing state of affairs stemming from the tragic 2011 events at Fukushima. Here are a few recent examples… A September 2015 audio report from Robin Corcoran, biologist from the Kodiak Wildlife National Refuge, confirms local reports that “emaciated” bird carcasses are washing up on Kodiak Island shores… The program concluded by stating that multiple species of birds have declined in number in other Alaska regions… A few days before the Kodiak reports… Josh Saranpaa of the Wildlife Center of the North Coast was quoted as saying, “Every bird we’re seeing is starving to death. It’s pretty bad.” Saranpaa added, “When you see so many starving, something is not quite right out there.”… Julia Reis of the Half Moon Bay Review writes with understatement, “There have been noticeable changes in the Pacific Ocean that have caused difficulties for marine life of late.” Gerry McChesney of the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge says that the die-off has him all the more “baffled” because of the strip of cold water in his area full of food for these birds. In my mind’s eye, I can see McChesney scratching his head as I read that he considers poisoning, starvation, and El Nino as possible causes for the die-off. The article ends with the following comment by McChesney, “We might have to see some other problem in the ocean before we understand what’s causing the die-off.”

• ENENews.com points to the problem of the massive die-off happening from San Diego to Alaska—all along the West Coast of the U.S. It highlights in various reports words like “strange,” “unprecedented,” “crazy,” “worst,” with this iconic quote from The Sacramento Bee: “Our gut tells us there is something going on in the marine environment.”

• [T]he media provide coverage of marine anomalies mentioning global warming, even El Nino and toxic algae, while the elephant in the room is Fukushima radiation. It is this silence that is deafening!… I do want to know why in the face of what appear to be Pacific Ocean die-offs, El Nino is mentioned and not the Fukushima-related elevated levels of radiation. As long as there is a palpable lack of transparency in the mainstream media’s ordinary coverage of extraordinary environmental events, that includes what one senses as a reticence to discuss the obvious, I predict that there will be a proliferation of citizen journalists and citizen scientists seizing upon each piece of new data trying to make sense out of a government-approved narrative that just doesn’t make sense… We should not rely on government officials to tell us the truth about the full extent of Fukushima’s fallout.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 13, 2015, 02:45:08 pm
http://enenews.com/tv-massive-decline-fish-throwing-ecosystem-along-california-coast-expert-population-collapsed-theyre-gone-virtually-everywhere-whale-numbers-dropped-significantly-squid-disappearing-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
TV: “Researchers say massive decline of fish is throwing off ecosystem” along California coast — Expert: “Population has truly collapsed”… They’re gone virtually everywhere — Whale numbers dropping significantly, squid disappearing, other major die-offs seen (VIDEO)
11/3/15

Nov 3, 2015 (emphasis added): Local whale watching tour companies and conservationists claim the anchovy population has “collapsed” due to environmental reasons… Fishing groups disagree, though they note the bay has seen some dramatic environmental changes.

Santa Cruz Sentinel, Oct 30, 2015: Monterey Bay anchovy numbers in decline, groups say… “Since late September, the whale numbers have decreased, their behavior has changed and their food, anchovies, are less abundant,” said Nancy Black, marine biologist… Whale watching tour companies and conservationists claim the anchovy population has “collapsed” due to environmental reasons… The fishing industry says that’s not the case though ocean conditions have been unusual. Some scientists, however, are finding a drastic decline in the forage fish… [Pacific Fishery Management Council staff officer Mike Burner said,] “The council’s definitely concerned with some of the things they’ve heard.”… “The population has truly collapsed,” [said] William Sydeman, president and senior scientist at the Farallon Institute. “There’s no way fishing could have that kind of impact, so it had to be environmental.”… plankton populations are low, affecting their predators up the marine food chain… “When anchovy numbers are low, they crowd at the coast and appear to be abundant,” Sydeman said… At the same time, the lack of anchovies offshore are maybe in part why scores of sea lions and sea birds… are starving up and down the coast. “Right now we’re seeing that the whales are more scattered and seem to be looking harder for food,” said Dorris Welch, marine biologist…

Monterey Herald, Oct 19, 2015: Plenty of anchovies in Monterey Bay, but maybe not elsewhere… Market squid are disappearing, and in their place, fishing boats are reeling in piles of anchovies. But while they appear abundant, conservation groups warn that the forage fish may be at their lowest levels since the 1950s. “It’s an anomalous year,” said Diane Pleschner-Steele, executive director of the California Wetfish Producers Association. [Oceana's Geoff Shester said,] “new information shows that the stock is at such a low level right now, it’s literally in a state of collapse.” Survey cruises conducted by the Southwest Fisheries Science Center detected little to no anchovy eggs from 2010 to 2013… Sit on the docks where anchovies are sorted and you’ll likely see lots of the silvery fish piling up. But it’s a mirage, warns William Sydeman, ecologist of the Farallon Institute, who coauthored the paper that estimated anchovies at low levels. “People think that if they’re in Monterey Bay, they must be everywhere,” Sydeman said. “They’re not. They’re only in Monterey Bay.” Sydeman said anchovies tend to aggregate near shore when their numbers are low…

KION, Oct 21, 2015: California’s last anchovies crowd in the Monterey Bay; Researchers say a massive decline of the fish is throwing off the ecosystem — Several conservation groups and whale watching operators are very concerned about the anchovies in the Monterey Bay… Recently, fishermen have been hauling out 120 tons of anchovies every night, but those anchovies are some of the last along California’s coast… “The anchovy abundance out here, and off the entire state, has gotten to some of the lowest we’ve seen since the 1950s,” [Oceana’s Geoff Shester] said. “Scientists are calling it an actual collapse.”… Anchovies are an important part of the ecosystem. That’s why these groups say if nothing is done, there could be long-term impacts. “We’re really worried that right now we are seeing major die-offs of sea lion pups and pelicans because they’re starving and not able to reproduce,” Shester said. “And that’s because there’s not enough sardines and anchovies out there.” “We’ve noticed the numbers of whales have dropped significantly,” [marine biologist Nancy Black] said.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 13, 2015, 02:55:08 pm
http://enenews.com/fukushima-nuclear-waste-being-found-all-states-west-coast-detected-shorelines-california-oregon-washington-alaska-summer-highest-radiation-levels-miles-san-francisco-map?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
Fukushima nuclear waste now being found off all U.S. states on West Coast — Detected near shorelines of California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska this summer — Highest radiation just miles from San Francisco (MAP)
11/2/15

In the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami off Japan, the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant released cesium-134 and other radioactive elements into the ocean at unprecedented levels. Since then, the radioactive plume has traveled west across the Pacific… any cesium-134 detected in the ocean today must have come from Fukushima… We expect samples from the surface waters of the western Pacific that have not been contaminated by the Fukushima source to have 137Cs activity of between 1 and 2 Bq/m3 and for 134Cs to be “below detection.”

California Coast, Aug 17, 2015:

Cesium-134 @ 0.3 Bq/m3 (becquerels per cubic meter)
Cesium-137 @ 4.4 Bq/m3
Total Cesium @ 4.7 Bq/m3
Oregon Coast, Aug 19, 2015:

Cesium-134 @ 0.5 Bq/m3
Cesium-137 @ 2.9 Bq/m3
Total Cesium @ 3.4 Bq/m3
Washington Coast, Jun 27, 2015:

Cesium-134 @ 0.5 Bq/m3
Cesium-137 @ 3.4 Bq/m3
Total Cesium @ 3.9 Bq/m3
Alaska Coast (near Canada), Jun 23, 2015:

Cesium-134 @ 0.24 Bq/m3
Cesium-137 @ 1.9 Bq/m3
Total Cesium @ 2.14 Bq/m3


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 16, 2015, 10:43:24 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6k4P4_yecI


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 30, 2015, 04:05:28 pm
http://enenews.com/man-arrested-fukushima-related-youtube-videos-charged-criminal-harassment-university-scientists-professor-dont-jeopardize-prosecution-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
Man arrested over Fukushima-related YouTube videos — Charged with criminal harassment of university scientists — Professor: I certainly don’t want to jeopardize the prosecution (VIDEO)
11/11/15

Globe and Mail, Nov 1, 2015 (emphasis added): After the Japanese nuclear reactor melted down… fears arose that radiation would pollute the Pacific and spread to Canada’s West Coast. To address those concerns… Dr. [Jay] Cullen started a radionuclide-monitoring program… “The goal and motivation … was that people were asking me, family and friends and the public at large, what the impact of the disaster was on B.C. on the North Pacific and on Canada,” he said… Shortly after he began blogging about the findings… [Cullen] was not only called a “shill for the nuclear industry” and a “sham scientist” but he was told he and other researchers who were reporting that the Fukushima radiation wasn’t a threat deserved to be executed… Even in Japan, he says, the [U.N.] determined the doses of ionizing radiation “are low enough that there will be no discernible increased incidence of radiation-related illness in them or their descendants.”… Dr. Cullen said he frequently hears from people that his science simply can’t be right because the Pacific Ocean is dying… Dr. Cullen said he understands that people are afraid of radiation, that they distrust governments and are wary of scientists… “I feel that the education system has failed these individuals in certain respects,” he said…

Globe and Mail, Nov 6, 2015: A British Columbia man who posted a video calling for the death of scientists whose research shows the Fukushima nuclear accident is not destroying the Pacific has been charged with two counts of criminal harassment. The charges were laid against Dana Durnford… In a video posted on Thursday, he said he had just been charged, and that many of his past videos had been taken down… “I was arrested… I was in court and I was charged with criminal harassment of nuclear industry PR people,” he said… he was charged under Section 264 of the Canadian Criminal Code, which makes it illegal to engage in conduct that causes someone to fear for their safety… “It’s new territory for me, and I certainly don’t want to jeopardize [the prosecution] by speaking out of turn,” [Cullen] said…

Durnford is not alone in voicing concern about the impact of the Fukushima disaster on North America. Here are a few examples from officials, professors, and other experts:

Former US Gov’t Official: “The elephant in the room is Fukushima radiation” when it comes to Pacific Ocean animal die-offs -Source

Experts: Fukushima radioactive contamination a “major concern for public health of coastal communities” on west coast -Source

US Gov’t: Alaska island “appears to show impacts from Fukushima”; Scientists anticipate more marine life to be impacted as ocean plume arrives -Source

AP: Unprecedented deaths along U.S. Pacific coast; Samples “being tested for radionuclides from Fukushima”-Source

Professor: “Fukushima emerged as a global threat to the conservation of the Pacific Ocean, human health, and marine biodiversity” -Source

Gov’t conducts more tests on sick animals to look for Fukushima radionuclides -Source

Scientists predict west coast killer whales will exceed 1,000 Bq/kg of radioactive cesium; Over 10 times gov’t limit in Japan -Source

Professors: Seafood off west coast predicted to exceed gov’t radioactivity limit -Source

Scientist expects Fukushima radiation will cause marine bacteria in US to mutate -Source

Boat Captain: Fishermen “talking about Fukushima… convinced it has something to do with” poor condition of marine life -Source

Professor: Fukushima a suspected factor in ‘unusual mortality’ of seals, walruses -Source

Scientists present links between Alaska seal deaths and Fukushima fallout -Source

“Many researchers initially believed radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster could be at the heart of the [sea star wasting] disease” -Source

Mystery disease kills seals in Atlantic Ocean; Gov’t tests for Fukushima radiation -Source

“Fish along the Orange County coast may have been affected by [Fukushima] radioactivity… researchers say” -Source

US gov’t experts looking into whether Fukushima is cause of sea lion strandings in California; NOAA: “Radiation epidemic could be potential cause” -Source


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 30, 2015, 04:11:11 pm
http://enenews.com/worst-alarm-shocking-collapse-salmon-population-pacific-northwest-existent-pathetic-grim-disturbing-grave-danger-official-calls-immediate-government-action-majorly-wrong-happening-oceans-vide?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
11/18/15
“Worst Ever”: Alarm over shocking crash of salmon population in Pacific Northwest — “Very frightening… Pathetic… Grave… Disastrous… Non-existent” — Official calls for immediate government action — “Something majorly wrong is happening in our oceans” (VIDEOS)

Globe and Mail, Nov 12, 2015 (emphasis added): The collapse of major salmon runs in B.C. this fall… prompted First Nations to request “an urgent meeting” with newly appointed federal Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo. Chief Bob Chamberlin, chair of the First Nations Wild Salmon Alliance, said the disappearance of millions of pink salmon headed for the Fraser and the collapse of the Adams River sockeye run underscore the need for immediate government action. “Only about 2,000 fish made it back to the Adams River*. That’s supposed to be one of the biggest, most precious runs of sockeye in the world,” he said Thursday. About 1.2 million sockeye were forecast to return to the Adams… No explanations for the failure of the runs to materialize have been given by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans… Mr. Chamberlin said… “This year’s runs have made it abundantly clear that our salmon stocks are in grave danger“…

Globe and Mail, Nov 4, 2015: British Columbia’s iconic Adams River salmon run… appears to have collapsed… Jim Cooperman, president of the Shuswap Environmental Action Society, said the spawning beds… are empty this fall… “It’s pretty grim here at the Adams River … it’s quite depressing here really.”… Because the fish mature at four years of age, the runs are on a cycle, which means each one usually reflects the progenitor run that occurred four years before [i.e. 2011]… it is the worst return ever on that cycle; the next lowest year was 1939, when 16,000 fish came back. Mr. Cooperman said the small return represents “a very frightening crash,” and two successive poor years should set off alarm bells…

Salmon Arm Observer, Oct 27, 2015: Sockeye numbers shockingly low… South Thompson sockeye run has been disastrous… No late-run sockeye were observed in upper Adams… Four years ago, late-run salmon were in the millions, sparking hopes of a large return…

CTV, Nov 6, 2015: Alarm sounded after dismal sockeye salmon return to iconic B.C. river

CTV transcript, Nov 6, 2015: One of B.C.’s most important salmon runs just hasn’t happened… The story it’s telling is ugly. (Jim Cooperman, president of the Shuswap Environmental Action Society:) “This is a collapse. This is a crash. It’s very significant.”… What’s missing is the salmon. Normally by this time of year with the spawning over, you’d be seeing a scattering of sockeye carcasses along the Adams River — but today you’re hard-pressed to find a single one… Government biologists say [it's been] very disappointing.

Global News, Nov 6, 2015: [T]he number of sockeye returning to the Adams River is down sharply from the number originally expected. Now a local environmental group is raising concerns the return may be a sign of even bigger problems. “It was pathetic,” says Jim Cooperman, president of the Shuswap Environmental Action Society.  “That tells me that there is something majorly wrong happening in our oceans… think [of] salmon as the canary in the coal mine… we have some major concerns and it is not just the salmon.”… “We can say the returns are significantly below what we had preseason forecast,” says Stu Cartwright, Fisheries and Oceans Canada… federal authorities don’t know why fewer sockeye returned this year than originally expected.

Vancouver Sun, Nov 3, 2015: The late South Thompson sockeye run has seen far fewer fish than expected… “In terms of the sockeye return, it’s much more disappointing than people were hoping to see this year,” said Greg Taylor, senior fisheries adviser for the Watershed Watch Salmon Society… “They arrive in the spawning grounds in October, and the numbers they’re seeing are disturbingly low.”… Taylor noted that this is the second year in a row that both the early summer and late summer components of Shuswap sockeye returned at levels well below pre-season expectations.

Vancouver Sun, Sep 9, 2015: [A] fish expert says this year’s salmon season seems to be non-existent… “I didn’t smoke or can anything this year,” [Ken Ashley, director of the Rivers Institute at the B.C. Institute of Technology] said…

The Province, Sep 10, 2015: “I think we’re looking at the gradual biological extinction of salmon” [said First Nations fish adviser Ernie Crey]… Crey, 66, has been studying the situation for 35 years, first as a member of Fisheries and Oceans Canada… “This year’s run on the Fraser will be one of the lowest returns we’ve seen,” [fisheries scientist Brian Riddell] said…


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on December 04, 2015, 02:03:33 am
Radiation from Japan nuclear disaster spreads off U.S. shores

Radiation from Japan's 2011 nuclear disaster has spread off North American shores and contamination is increasing at previously identified sites, although levels are still too low to threaten human or ocean life, scientists said on Thursday.

Tests of hundreds of samples of Pacific Ocean water confirmed that Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant continues to leak radioactive isotopes more than four years after its meltdown, said Ken Buesseler, marine radiochemist with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Trace amounts of cesium-134 have been detected within several hundred miles (km) of the Oregon, Washington and California coasts in recent months, as well as offshore from Canada's Vancouver Island.

Another isotope, cesium-137, a radioactive legacy of nuclear weapons tests conducted from the 1950s through the 1970s, was found at low levels in nearly every seawater sample tested by Woods Hole, a nonprofit research institution.

"Despite the fact that the levels of contamination off our shores remain well below government-established safety limits for human health or to marine life, the changing values underscore the need to more closely monitor contamination levels across the Pacific," Buesseler said in an email.

In March 2011, a massive earthquake triggered a tsunami that struck the Fukushima nuclear plant, 130 miles (209 km) northeast of Tokyo, causing triple nuclear meltdowns and forcing more than 160,000 residents to flee from nearby towns. It was the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.

Last year, Woods Hole reported detectable radiation from about 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of northern California, and in April radiation was found off Canada's shores.

The latest readings measured the highest radiation levels outside Japanese waters to date some 1,600 miles (2,574 km) west of San Francisco.

The figures also confirm that the spread of radiation to North American waters is not isolated to a handful of locations, but can be detected along a stretch of more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) offshore.

http://news.yahoo.com/radiation-japan-nuclear-disaster-spreads-off-u-shores-222502042.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 17, 2015, 07:03:00 pm
http://enenews.com/record-levels-fukushima-radiation-detected-west-coast-massive-plume-stretches-1000-miles-cesium-reaches-11-bqm3-multiple-locations-map?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
12/3/15
Record levels of Fukushima radiation detected off West Coast — Massive plume stretches for more than 1,000 miles — Reuters: Contamination is spreading off U.S. shores — Radioactive cesium reaches 11 Bq/m3 at multiple locations (MAP)

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dec 3, 2015 (emphasis added): Higher levels of Fukushima cesium detected offshore — Scientists monitoring the spread of radiation in the ocean from the Fukushima nuclear accident report finding an increased number of sites off the US West Coast showing signs of contamination from Fukushima. This includes the highest detected level to date from a sample collected about 1,600 miles west of San Francisco. The level of radioactive cesium isotopes in the sample, 11 Becquerel’s per cubic meter… is 50 percent higher than other samples collected along the West Coast so far… Working with Japanese colleagues, [Ken Buesseler, a WHOI marine radiochemist] also continues to independently monitor the ongoing leaks from Fukushima Dai-ichi by collecting samples… During his most recent trip this October they collected samples of ocean water, marine organisms, seafloor sediment and groundwater along the coast near the reactors. Buesseler says the levels of radioactivity off Fukushima remain elevated – some 10 to 100 times higher than off the US West Coast today, and he is working with colleagues at WHOI to try to determine how much radioactive material is still being released to the ocean each day.

Ken Buesseler, WHOI: “These new data are important for two reasons… the changing values underscore the need to more closely monitor contamination levels across the Pacific. Second, these long-lived radioisotopes will serve as markers for years to come for scientists studying ocean currents and mixing in coastal and offshore waters… [F]inding values that are still elevated off Fukushima confirms that there is continued release from the plant.”

Statesman Journal, Dec 3, 2015: Higher levels of Fukushima radiation detected off West Coast — Higher levels of radiation from Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident are showing up in the ocean off the west coast of North America, scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution reported today. And an increased number of sampling sites are showing signs of contamination… This year, Buesseler has added about 110 new sample results to 135 already on the project’s web site. They include the highest detected level to date, from a sample collected about 1,600 miles west of San Francisco.

Reuters, Dec 3, 2015: Radiation from Japan nuclear disaster spreads off U.S. shores… and contamination is increasing at previously identified sites… Tests of hundreds of samples of Pacific Ocean water confirmed that Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant continues to leak… The latest readings measured the highest radiation levels outside Japanese waters to date some 1,600 miles (2,574 km) west of San Francisco. The figures also confirm that the spread of radiation to North American waters is not isolated to a handful of locations, but can be detected along a stretch of more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) offshore.


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 20, 2016, 07:28:45 pm
Nuclear Expert in Japan: Plutonium “is everywhere… it is everywhere” after Fukushima reactors exploded — It’s being redeposited in “unanticipated” locations — “Black radioactive dust just wherever you go” — “It’s running right into Pacific Ocean” (VIDEO)

(http://enenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ag_pod.jpg)

http://enenews.com/nuclear-expert-plutonium-everywhere-everywhere-after-fukushima-reactors-exploded-being-redeposited-unanticipated-locations-black-radioactive-dust-running-pacific-ocean-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 09, 2016, 04:47:48 pm
Japanese court orders nuclear reactors offline

A court in Japan has ordered Kansai Electric Power to shut down two of its reactors in Takahama, western Japan.

The Otsu District Court ruling came after complaints by local residents about the safety of the plant.

It comes ahead of the fifth anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Japan gradually shut down all the country's nuclear plants after the accident but some have now been allowed to restart, despite public unease.

Why is Japan restarting its nuclear reactors?

The Takahama plant has been told to shut immediately, local media reported, saying this is the first ruling issued in Japan against an operating nuclear plant.

The company says it will quickly appeal against the ruling.

Of the two reactors ordered to shut down, only the No 3 reactor is currently running. The No 4 reactor was taken offline last month after a technical problem just days after it restarted.
Only two other reactors, in Sendai, have been allowed to operate again in Japan under new safety rules.

The meltdown at Fukushima happened after the plant was hit by a tsunami triggered by a powerful earthquake in March 2011.

It was the worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

Almost 16,000 people died and more than 2,500 are still listed as missing. None of the deaths, however, have been linked to the nuclear disaster, although there were a number of deaths in the subsequent evacuation.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35761440


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 11, 2016, 01:50:46 am
The Robots Sent Into Fukushima Have 'Died'

The robots sent in to find highly radioactive fuel at Fukushima's nuclear reactors have “died”: a subterranean "ice wall" around the crippled plant meant to stop groundwater from becoming contaminated has yet to be finished. And authorities still don’t how to dispose of highly radioactive water stored in an ever mounting number of tanks around the site.

Five years ago, one of the worst earthquakes in history triggered a 10-meter high tsunami that crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station causing multiple meltdowns. Nearly 19,000 people were killed or left missing and 160,000 lost their homes and livelihoods.

Today, the radiation at the Fukushima plant is still so powerful it has proven impossible to get into its bowels to find and remove the extremely dangerous blobs of melted fuel rods.

The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), has made some progress, such as removing hundreds of spent fuel rods in one damaged building. But the technology needed to establish the location of the melted fuel rods in the other three reactors at the plant has not been developed.

“It is extremely difficult to access the inside of the nuclear plant," Naohiro Masuda, Tepco's head of decommissioning said in an interview. "The biggest obstacle is the radiation.”

The fuel rods melted through their containment vessels in the reactors, and no one knows exactly where they are now. This part of the plant is so dangerous to humans, Tepco has been developing robots, which can swim under water and negotiate obstacles in damaged tunnels and piping to search for the melted fuel rods.

But as soon as they get close to the reactors, the radiation destroys their wiring and renders them useless, causing long delays, Masuda said. 

Each robot has to be custom-built for each building. “It takes two years to develop a single-function robot,” Masuda said. 

IRRADIATED WATER

Tepco, which was fiercely criticized for its handling of the disaster, says conditions at the Fukushima power station, site of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in Ukraine 30 years ago, have improved dramatically. Radiation levels in many places at the site are now as low as those in Tokyo.

More than 8,000 workers are at the plant at any one time, according to officials on a recent tour. Traffic is constant as they spread across the site, removing debris, building storage tanks, laying piping and preparing to dismantle parts of the plant.

Much of the work involves pumping a steady torrent of water into the wrecked and highly radiated reactors to cool them down. Afterward, the radiated water is then pumped out of the plant and stored in tanks that are proliferating around the site.

What to do with the nearly million tonnes of radioactive water is one of the biggest challenges, said Akiro Ono, the site manager. Ono said he is “deeply worried” the storage tanks will leak radioactive water in the sea - as they have done several times before - prompting strong criticism for the government.

The utility has so far failed to get the backing of local fishermen to release water it has treated into the ocean.

Ono estimates that Tepco has completed around 10 percent of the work to clear the site up - the decommissioning process could take 30 to 40 years. But until the company locates the fuel, it won’t be able to assess progress and final costs, experts say.

The much touted use of X-ray like muon rays has yielded little information about the location of the melted fuel and the last robot inserted into one of the reactors sent only grainy images before breaking down.

ICE WALL

Tepco is building the world’s biggest ice wall to keep  groundwater from flowing into the basements of the damaged reactors and getting contaminated.

First suggested in 2013 and strongly backed by the government, the wall was completed in February, after months of delays and questions surrounding its effectiveness. Later this year, Tepco plans to pump water into the wall - which looks a bit like the piping behind a refrigerator - to start the freezing process.

Stopping the ground water intrusion into the plant is critical, said Artie Gunderson, a former nuclear engineer.

“The reactors continue to bleed radiation into the ground water and thence into the Pacific Ocean,” Gunderson said. "When Tepco finally stops the groundwater, that will be the end of the beginning.”

While he would not rule out the possibility that small amounts of radiation are reaching the ocean, Masuda, the head of decommissioning, said the leaks have ended after the company built a wall along the shoreline near the reactors whose depth goes to below the seabed.

“I am not about to say that it is absolutely zero, but because of this wall the amount of release has dramatically dropped,” he said.

http://www.newsweek.com/robots-sent-fukushima-have-died-435332


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 01, 2016, 12:17:42 pm
http://enenews.com/tv-radiation-fukushima-highest-levels-years-control-leakage-coming-plant-big-spikes-strontium-90-observed-scientists-japan-govt-trying-cover-situation-audio?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
TV: Radiation in ocean off Fukushima at highest levels in years — Out of control leakage coming from plant — ‘Big spikes’ in radioactivity observed — “Surprising… Concerning… Crisis” — 1,000s of tons of contaminated liquid being released — Scientists: Japan gov’t covering up situation (AUDIO)

3/16/16
 
KGW (NBC channel in Portland, OR), Mar 7, 2016 (emphasis added): Crisis continues 5 years after Fukushima — Radiation in the Pacific Ocean near Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant is at levels as high, or higher, than has been measured in the past three years, as the crippled plant continues to bleed contamination into the sea, new results from a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution research cruise show. “We think it’s related to the ongoing leaks,” said Ken Buesseler, a Woods Hole chemical oceanographer… “It’s a little surprising and contrary to claims they’ve stopped all flow. So we’re not out of the woods yet.”… Unlike Chernobyl, however, this crisis played out slowly, and continues today, on both sides of the Pacific… In October 2015, Buesseler’s team took new samples from as close as a half-mile away from the nuclear power plant. Levels there remain elevated, he said, confirming continued releases from the plant… “The fact that it’s still leaking is always of concern.”

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Mar 7, 2016: Fukushima Site Still Leaking After Five Years, Research Shows… Buesseler [sampled off Fukushima] in October 2015… his analysis of cesium and strontium indicate releases from the plant are not yet “under control,” a statement that has been used by the Japanese government to describe the situation… [C]esium levels have remained relatively constant… “we are not seeing the steady decrease we would expect to see off Fukushima if all sources had stopped; rather, we are finding values are still elevated, which confirms that there is continued release from the plant.”… The highest level of cesium Buesseler’s team found in a sample taken off Japan in October 2015 measured 200 Becquerels per cubic meter… Strontium, too, is not falling as expected… [Scientists] have found that strontium is not decreasing as fast as cesium. Whereas there was approximately 40 times more cesium than strontium in the waters off Japan in 2011, by 2013, there was approximately 10 times more cesium than strontium The concern lies in the thousands of tons of strontium still stored in tanks at the nuclear power plant and accumulated in buildings and soils, some of it still leaking into the ocean.

Scientific American, Mar 8, 2016: Crippled Fukushima Reactors Are Still a Danger… [M]ajor questions still loom today… Some scientists are complaining that important questions about the disaster’s impact are not being addressed. Authorities, they suspect, are subtly discouraging certain kinds of scientific research, possibly because they fear findings that could further alarm the public… This February, the company reported a spike in strontium levels at the plant site… Remarkably, research on Fukushima’s impact on the marine ecosystem is even more scarce [than on land]—even though the disaster represented the single largest pulse of radioactivity ever injected into an ocean… [T]he cesium concentration… many kilometers off Fukushima remains well above pre-accident levels… Another concern is radioactive strontium. Scientists say levels in seawater near the plant are not declining, possibly because of recurrent leaks from the on-site tanks. “You could actually see in the ocean when one of these tanks would leak—you’d get a big spike in Strontium-90,” Buesseler notes… Indeed, unanswered questions abound… The Japanese government seems to be cutting off funds for monitoring radionuclides in water alongside Fukushima, Buesseler says… [A]nother Japanese scientist, who asked not to be named, claimed that whereas grants are readily available for researchers whose projects are unlikely to discover significant impacts from the disaster, they are exceedingly scarce for others… Buesseler reports [an] experience [when Japanese scientists who aided in research asked not to be credited in its published papers, fearing adverse impacts on their careers]…

CapeCod.com, Mar 8, 2016: Buesseler says that releases of radioactive cesium from the plant are still not under control…”we are finding values are still elevated, which confirms that there is continued release from the plant.”

NY Times, Mar 10, 2016: Fukushima has become a place… where they struggle to control radiation-contaminated water and must release it into the sea… [T]he plant also releases 2,000 tons of the water into the ocean every week after a process that removes most, but not all, of the radioactive particles… it is a public-relations nightmare for the government…


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 13, 2016, 03:58:50 pm
Japan prepares for release of tritium from Fukushima plant

To dump or not to dump a little-discussed substance is the question brewing in Japan as it grapples with the aftermath of the nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima five years ago. The substance is tritium.

The radioactive material is nearly impossible to remove from the huge quantities of water used to cool melted-down reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, which was wrecked by the massive tsunami in northeastern Japan in March 2011.

The water is still accumulating since 300 tons are needed every day to keep the reactors chilled. Some is leaking into the ocean.

Huge tanks lined up around the plant, at last count 1,000 of them, each hold hundreds of tons of water that have been cleansed of radioactive cesium and strontium but not of tritium.

Ridding water of tritium has been carried out in laboratories. But it’s an effort that would be extremely costly at the scale required for the Fukushima plant, which sits on the Pacific coast. Many scientists argue it isn’t worth it and say the risks of dumping the tritium-laced water into the sea are minimal.

Their calls to simply release the water into the Pacific Ocean are alarming many in Japan and elsewhere.

Rosa Yang, a nuclear expert at the Electric Power Research Institute, based in Palo Alto, California, who advises Japan on decommissioning reactors, believes the public angst is uncalled for. She says a Japanese government official should simply get up in public and drink water from one of the tanks to convince people it’s safe.

But the line between safe and unsafe radiation is murky, and children are more susceptible to radiation-linked illness. Tritium goes directly into soft tissues and organs of the human body, potentially increasing the risks of cancer and other sicknesses.

“Any exposure to tritium radiation could pose some health risk. This risk increases with prolonged exposure, and health risks include increased occurrence of cancer,” said Robert Daguillard, a spokesman for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The agency is trying to minimize the tritium from U.S. nuclear facilities that escapes into drinking water.

Right after the March 2011 disaster, many in Japan panicked, some even moving overseas although they lived hundreds of miles (kilometers) away from the Fukushima no-go zone. By now, concern has settled to the extent that some worry the lessons from the disaster are being forgotten.

Tritium may be the least of Japan’s worries. Much hazardous work remains to keep the plant stabilized, and new technology is needed for decommissioning the plant’s reactors and containing massive radioactive contamination.

The ranks of Japan’s anti-nuclear activists have been growing since the March 2011 accident, and many oppose releasing water with tritium into the sea. They argue that even if tritium’s radiation is weaker than strontium or cesium, it should be removed, and that good methods should be devised to do that.

Japan’s fisheries organization has repeatedly expressed concerns over the issue. News of a release of the water could devastate local fisheries just as communities in northeastern Japan struggle to recover from the 2011 disasters.

An isotope of hydrogen, or radioactive hydrogen, tritium exists in water form, and so like water can evaporate, although it is not known how much tritium escaped into the atmosphere from Fukushima as gas from explosions.

The amount of tritium in the contaminated water stored at Fukushima Dai-ichi is estimated at 3.4 peta becquerels, or 34 with a mind-boggling 14 zeros after it.

But theoretically collected in one place, it would amount to just 57 milliliters, or about the amount of liquid in a couple of espresso cups - a minuscule quantity in the overall masses of water.

To illustrate that point, Shunichi Tanaka, chairman of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, showed reporters a small bottle half-filled with blue water that was the equivalent of 57 milliliters.

Public distrust is running so high after the Fukushima accident that Tokyo Electric Power Co, or TEPCO, the utility that operates the Fukushima plant and oversees its decommissioning, has mostly kept quiet about the tritium, pending a political decision on releasing the water.

Privately, they say it will have to be released, but they can’t say that outright.

What will be released from Fukushima will be well below the global standard allowed for tritium in the water, say Tanaka and others favoring its release, which is likely to come gradually later this year, not all at once.

Proponents of releasing the tritium water argue that tritium already is in the natural environment, coming from the sun and from water containing tritium that is routinely released at nuclear plants around the world.

“Tritium is so weak in its radioactivity it won’t penetrate plastic wrapping,” said Tanaka.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/japan-prepares-for-release-of-tritium-from-fukushima-plant


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 15, 2016, 02:44:38 pm
Editor's note: Saturday morning's earthquake in Japan follows Thursday earthquake in the same region, magnitude 6.5, that left at least 9 dead and as many as 700 injured.

A magnitude-7.1 earthquake strikes near Kumamoto, Japan, at a depth of 7 kilometers, per USGS - Reuters

The 7.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded just 1 kilometer west-southwest of Kumamoto-shi, Japan - USGS

Tsunami height after earthquake in Japan is expected to be 1 meter - NHK

Power outages reported in the Kumamoto area after powerful earthquake - NHK

 Before the latest earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency said over 140 aftershocks were recorded from Thursday's first earthquake on the island of Kyushu. Reuters reported that more than 44,000 have sought shelter in the past day

A 5.8-magnitude aftershock is recorded on Kyushu island, Japan - USGS

The area of Kumamoto city is out of water after early Saturday's earthquake

http://www.breakingnews.com/topic/strong-earthquake-in-japan-april-16-2016/



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 15, 2016, 02:48:34 pm
 Japan earthquake: tens of thousands flee in fear of aftershocks and volcanoes

At least 44,000 people evacuated following 6.4-magnitude quake that killed at least nine

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from earthquake-hit southern Japan as dozens of aftershocks struck and officials monitored nearby volcanoes for signs of activity.

A total of 44,000 people were evacuated late on Thursday in the town of Mashiki after a magnitude-6.4 earthquake collapsed buildings and damaged other infrastructure. Nine people have been confirmed dead, ranging in age from 29 to 94. A further eight are in serious condition, and more than 850 were injured.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has warned there are likely to be strong aftershocks for the next week and advised people to stay away from any buildings that look unstable.

There are also concerns about volcanic activity in the wake of the quake. The island of Kyushu, where the earthquake happened, is a highly volcanic area. A level 2 warning – meaning people should not approach a volcano’s crater – has been in place for Asosan in Kumamoto prefecture on the island since November 2015.

Rescuers dramatically pulled an eight-month old baby girl from a collapsed house in Mashiki early on Friday. Video footage provided by the National Police Agency showed the baby gently carried away in a blanket by helmeted rescuers from the rubble of the home.

The girl whose name has not been released, reportedly did not suffer any injuries. Her mother, grandfather, grandmother, and older brother were in the living room and kitchen of the home as she slept in another room on the first floor when the quake shook the southern island of Kyushu.

The family members, who all managed to escape, tried to rescue the baby but the house collapsed.

The town, in Kumamoto prefecture, was the hardest hit by the quake and suffered eight of the nine deaths.

Head teacher Sosuke Tanaka hosted about 300 people at West Hiroyasu elementary school, which was turned into an evacuation centre, and said many in Kumamoto suffered a sleepless night. “We saw earthquakes through the evening, so many did not manage to get a proper night’s rest,” he said. About 120 aftershocks have been observed since the initial earthquake, more than 15 of which measured 3 or higher on the Japanese intensity scale.

At the Mashiki gymnastics centre, Yoko Marume said more and more people have been evacuating since the earthquake. “We had about 200 overnight, but now, I would say there are about 500,” she told the Guardian. “People have been gathering here from across the city, it’s a big space. Most are shaken, many believe that their houses could fall down.”

Junko Seto, an 80-year-old woman, told the Asahi Shimbun: “My husband returned to our house to see how things looked, and he says there isn’t room to stand because of the mess caused.”

“I want to go home and get things in order, but with the aftershocks I am too scared to go home yet.”

Japan’s Self Defense Forces have entered Hiroyasu, in a mountainous region of Kumamoto prefecture, to inspect the damage caused to roads and housing by the earthquake. “There has been significant damage to wooden housing around here,” Tanaka told the Guardian.

Rations of bread and water were distributed to evacuees in the early hours of Friday. Marume said lunch boxes had arrived for evacuees at the gymnastics centre.

The initial temblor measured a maximum 7 on the Japanese intensity scale, equivalent to the force of the 1995 Kobe disaster and the March 11, 2011, earthquake in east Japan. So far, however, the damage caused in Kyushu seems low in comparison.

A spokeswoman for the JMA said: “We are watching closely, but we have seen no change in Asosan or other volcanoes since the earthquake.”

Sakurajima, in neighbouring Kagoshima prefecture, erupted in February.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/15/japan-earthquake-thousands-evacuated-volcanoes-aftershocks

THIS IS WHY YOU NEED BASIC SURVIVAL SKILLS!!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 17, 2016, 04:52:07 pm
Japanese city covered in mysterious foam after earthquake
The strange foam was spotted in the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka, around 90km from the epicentre of the earthquake

An unexplained carpet of foamy bubbles filled streets in the centre of the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka in the early hours of Saturday morning – shortly after tremors from a devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.3 shook the town.

Twitter users posted pictures of the mysterious foam, with one calling it “disgusting”.
 
“I saw it just after the earthquake,” said Kazuki Nabeta, who lives in the busy central district of Tenjin, where the bubbles were found.

Some have speculated that the earthquake may have caused an underground pipe to burst.

“People were posting pictures on Twitter and it was near my house, so I went out to have a look,” said Mr Nabeta.

“There was a fire engine there. There wasn't anything special about it – it was normal foam.”

Fukuoka is 90km away from Kumamoto, where the strongest tremors were felt.

Residents of Fukuoka reported strong shaking but little damage from the two quakes, which took place on Friday and Saturday.

At least 29 people have been killed by the earthquakes, which injured more than 1,500 and left many more homeless.

A spokesperson at the Fukuoka town hall said they did not know anything about the bubbles, which remain a mystery.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/japan-fukuoka-covered-in-mystery-foam-bubbles-after-earthquake-a6987216.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 20, 2016, 08:58:17 pm
Japan faces fresh earthquake panic as 6.1 magnitude tremor hits coast near Fukushima nuclear plant

The tremor comes after at least 48 people were killed when two cataclysmic earthquakes ripped through the island of Kyushu

 Japan was plunged into fresh panic today as a 6.1 magnitude tremor hit the northern coast - the third major earthquake within a week.

The tremors struck near the northern island on Honshu around 60 miles southeast on Sendai.

To the dismay of rattled survivors, the latest quake happened close to the site of the Fukushima nuclear disaster - which saw 15,000 killed in March 2011.

No tsunami warnings have been issued on this occasion.

It comes after at least 48 people were killed when two cataclysmic earthquakes ripped through the island of Kyushu - leaving houses crumbled and survivors in shock.

The first quake hit late last Thursday and the largest, at magnitude 7.3, some 27 hours later.

"I keep thinking the earthquakes will stop, but they just go on and on," said one woman at an evacuation centre in Mashiki, one of the worst-hit areas. It's really scary."

Of more than 680 aftershocks hitting Kyushu island since April 14, more than 89 have registered at magnitude four or more on Japan's intensity scale, strong enough to shake buildings.

On Kyushu, nearly 100,000 people were in evacuation centres, some huddling in blankets outside as night temperatures plunged to near freezing.

Heavy rain is expected over the area, raising fear that slopes weakened by the quakes could collapse.

Authorities have begun condemning buildings and other structures deemed unsafe.

Hundreds, possibly thousands, of buildings collapsed, many brought down by their heavy roofs of traditional tiles.

Most of those who were killed had returned to their homes after the first quake.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/japan-faces-fresh-earthquake-panic-7797362


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 20, 2016, 10:05:18 pm
Drone Footage Shows Devastation Of Japan Literally Ripped Apart As Fears Mount With Food In Short Supply And Ringing Warnings Of 'This Has Only Just Begun' - This Will Be The End Of The Pacific And Tens Of Millions Will Die

(http://allnewspipeline.com/images/jAPANSnUKEpLANTS.png)

The story that Steve Quayle linked to yesterday from Michael Snyder at the Economic Collapse Blog tells us that, according to 'stunned' experts, Japan's southern island may be splitting in half as is also shared in the first video below featuring Gary Franchi of the Next News Network.

Providing us with a very real example of a 'life or death survival story' unfolding before our very eyes, we quickly learn that those in Japan who were not prepared were out of luck as supermarket shelves were quickly completely empty while the Extinction Protocol told us about 'nights of terror' as some slept in cars as parts of the southern Island of Japan began to crumble. 

With scientists now acknowledging that what is taking place in Japan is 'highly unusual', despite the fact that the quake on Ecuador's Pacific Coast was larger than the series of quakes in Japan and is getting much more attention, the Japan quakes are much more dangerous and continued warnings that what we're witnessing now is 'only the beginning'.

Should any of us really be surprised by all of this? We have been long warned.

160419002842-japan-earthquake-damage-drone-vo-00004715-large-169.jpg

We're told that geologists, reporters and others in Japan are 'mystified' by what is now happening and deeply concerned as this 'unusual quake cluster' has quite literally ripped this nation apart as seen in the images within this story and heard in the 2nd video below. If this IS 'just the beginning', then clearly there are many more difficulties ahead for this island nation and the rest of the world.

As ANP recently reported, with deadly earthquakes all across the 'Ring of Fire' in recent days and experts warning of a series of 'Biblical quakes' measuring over 8.0 on the horizon, we see that something huge is happening worldwide as shared in this story from Susan Duclos with 'Earth birth pangs' going on now only a small taste of what's to come. 

20180418_Quake1_article_main_image.jpg

The final two videos below offer us drone footage of several different areas throughout Japan that show us the widespread damage that has been caused by the series of quakes that still cannot be completely explained by geologists. In them we can actually see the fault lines that have ruptured causing all of this damage as the island nation is quite literally ripped apart.


If this is only the beginning and warnings from top geologists of a series of 4 or more magnitude 8.0 earthquakes on the horizon are correct, we see that the warnings long given by those urging us to prepare for whatever possibility might lay ahead for us are once again quite valid. In the excerpt below from the Extinction Protocol story, we see exactly why those who are unprepared suffer dearly in horrifying situations such as this. Could have being prepared helped?

Heavy rain started falling Saturday night, threatening to complicate the relief operation and set off more mudslides. “Daytime today is the big test” for rescue efforts, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said early Saturday. Landslides had already cut off roads and destroyed bridges, slowing down rescuers. Nearly 200,000 homes were without electricity, Japanese media reported, and an estimated 400,000 households were without running water. Kumamoto prefectural official Riho Tajima said that more than 200 houses and other buildings had been either destroyed or damaged, and that 91,000 people had evacuated from their homes.

Hundreds of people lined up for rations at distribution points before nightfall, bracing for the rain and strong winds that were expected. Local stores quickly ran out of stock and shuttered their doors, and people said they were worried about running out of food. Police in Kumamoto prefecture said that at least 32 people had died from Saturday morning’s earthquake. Nine died in the quake on Thursday night. More than half the deaths were in Mashiki, a town on the eastern border of Kumamoto city that was hit hardest by the first quake.

https://youtu.be/Z7bS_Bcgavs

https://youtu.be/oUbeog1-V64

https://youtu.be/au9MYNMVxtc

https://youtu.be/67PCj3qKGnQ

http://allnewspipeline.com/Fears_Mount_Japan_May_Be_Breaking_Apart.php


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on May 01, 2016, 05:13:54 pm
The Medical Implications of the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

he following article award winning author and Co-founder of Physicians for Social responsibility Dr. Helen Caldicott proceeds to examine the medical implications of the ongoing Fukushima crisis.

For her analysis on Chernobyl see:

The Medical Implications of the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster By Helen Caldicott, April 25, 2016.

It has been estimated by the authors of the Chernobyl report that by the year 2009, 23 years after the accident, some one million people had died.

The people in Japan were lucky in that 80% of the radiation resulting from the March 2011 Fukushima disaster blew across the Pacific Ocean in the first few days of the accident. The wind then changed and blew the radioactive plumes over the north west of Japan and south to Tokyo.

Large numbers of people were and still are exposed to high levels of radiation, both from external gamma rays beaming from radioactive elements on the ground, as well as internal doses from elements breathed into the lungs and incorporated into food.

(http://www.globalresearch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/fukushimaNuclearPlume_20111.png)
(http://www.globalresearch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/fukushima_radiation_nuclear_fallout_map.jpg)

Disinformation

In terms of the medical effects of Fukushima there is a cone of silence that has been placed over the release of documented data related to patients and their associated illnesses. In fact a report noted that many doctors have been ordered not to inform their patients that their symptoms could be related to radiation. This leaves the population and in particular the parents in a state of despair. They need to know the truth about their situation and that of their children.

In Fukushima Prefecture, it was the prefectural government that entered into an agreement with IAEA in the area of decontamination and radioactive waste management, whereas Fukushima Medical University entered into an agreement with IAEA in the area of the survey of radiological effect on human health. [...] “The Parties will ensure the confidentiality of information classified by the other Party as restricted or confidential.” [...] if either the prefectures or IAEA decide to classify information for “they contribute to worsening of the residents’ anxiety,” there is a possibility that such information as the accident information, as well as radiation measurement data and thyroid cancer information may not be publicized. [...] IAEA has published reports, after the Chernobyl nuclear accident, stating “there were no health effects due to radiation exposure.” [...] Tokyo Shimbum Dec 31, 1014

It is obvious that there is collaboration between the WHO and the IAEA and also the Japanese government and the “nuclear village” to hide, to lie and to cover-up vital medical information that must be made available to the Japanese population. The IAEA has also set up an office in Fukushima, and TEPCO and the Japanese government are constructing a large cancer hospital in Fukushima.

To make the situation worse about release of data relating to the accident, Prime Minister Abe has passed a secrecy law which will almost certainly intimidate the media from keeping a very close watch over the tenuous plant.

Radioactive Releases


What is known is that three times more noble gases escaped from the Fukushima accident than at Chernobyl. These gases, xenon, krypton and argon are inhaled into the lungs, are absorbed and deposited in fatty tissue of the body.

They are very high energy gamma emitters – like X rays, and they can therefore cause lung cancer, and cancers of other organs of the body.

It is also been estimated that about the same amount of cesium was released from Fukushima as at Chernobyl.

So based on the number of mortalities and illnesses in the countries around Chernobyl which were not as densely populated as Japan, and considering the very high density of the Japanese population, one would have to assume that similar morbidities and mortalities would occur in Japan over the coming decades.

Thyroid Cancer

Already of the 270,000 Fukushima children under the age of 18 examined for thyroid cancer a total of 75 have suspected or are confirmed to have thyroid cancer. The official line is that these cancers could not possibly be related to radiation because of the short incubation time of 2-3 years, however this correlates with the Chernobyl data which demonstrated  early thyroid cancer presentation.

Fish


The situation at the Fukushima Daichi plant gets worse by the day. 400 tons of very radioactive water have been discharged to the Pacific ocean on a daily basis ever since the accident causing fish to concentrate the radioactive elements in their flesh and bones. Some fish have been found to carry extremely high radiation levels – 12,400 Bc/K when the limit for food in Japan is 100 Bc/k. Of course no radiation is safe and the more radioactive food that is eaten the more these elements accumulate in bodily organs increasing the radiation dose. Some fresh water fish have also been found to be very radioactive, for instance 2657 Bc/k in a fish from the Mono River in NW Fukushima.

The fishermen are very concerned about the ongoing oceanic releases as well as the fact that TEPCO is considering discharging the very radioactive water it is currently storing in temporary tanks, after it has been “filtered” for many isotopes. Previous attempts have failed, and this new equipment, ARM from the US will almost certainly not remove the many isotopes before discharge. In particular tritium cannot be filtered, it accumulates in the food chain, and it causes brain tumors, congenital malformations, and many other cancers and it remains radioactive for 120 years.

Remedial Situation

As hundreds of tons of water pour down from the mountain behind the Fukushima reactors complex, it then travels beneath the damaged reactors becoming radioactive as it mixes with the three molten cores. TECO now plans to pump this mountain water before it enters the reactor area and divert it to the sea. However this technique will only suck more of the radiation beneath the reactors to mix with mountain water which will make the situation worse.

Recently TEPCO announced that it had been wrong about the measurements of strontium 90 being found in the water in various wells near the reactors and that the measurements last June, 2013 were actually 5 times higher than they originally announced and are now at 5 million Bc/liter. One wonders whether TEPCO covered up these findings so that the Olympic Committee would choose Tokyo for the games.

Much of the reactor complex now stands on liquefied mud. The buildings of unit 3 and 4 were quite severely structurally damaged by the initial earthquake. In the event of an earthquake greater than 7 on the Richter scale it is predicted that either one or both of these building could collapse. Unit 4 would plunge to the ground along with its cooling pool containing over 200 tons of extremely radioactive fuel. This fuel would then spontaneously ignite releasing 10 times more cesium than was released at Chernobyl. Such a catastrophe would severely pollute much of Japan including Tokyo and the northern hemisphere. It will take TEPCO more than 14 months to remove these fuel bundles from the pool and they are doing it manually instead of by computer control. This is a very delicate procedure and there is a possibility of rods breaking releasing radiation causing the workers to evacuate, or a fission reaction to occur which would also lead to evacuation.

An earthquake beneath unit 3 could also cause the building to collapse onto the molten core releasing huge amounts of radiation. Another earthquake could rupture over 1000 fragile metal tanks now holding thousands of tons of highly radioactive water which would drain into the Pacific Ocean.

Radioactive wastes are being carted around Japan and incinerated thus exporting radiation to other prefectures and cities, while the ashes are being dumped in Tokyo Bay where the athletes will swim during the 2020 Olympics.

Considering all these dangerous events that are now occurring and could occur in the future it would seem extremely unwise for young fit athletes who have trained so assiduously  be exposed to any radiation at all. It is a dangerous situation to contemplate.

Workers

Workers who are engaged at unit 4 to remove spent fuel rods from the pool are receiving high doses of radiation according to TEPCO so TECPO is contemplating putting lead plates between the men and the pool.  It is true that the workers at the plant are not adequately monitored nor are their radiation records carefully kept, nor their health routinely examined and medical records monitored. We know what happened to the liquidators at Chernobyl and almost certainly similar illness will pervade the Fukushima workers, some of whom are homeless men recruited by the Yakuza.

General Population

13% of the Japanese mainland is now contaminated with radioactive elements which will last for hundreds to thousands of years and will be concentrated in the food. Ten million people live in highly radioactive areas, so much so that the government has raised the accepted dose from 1 mS per year to 20 mS per year (which is the equivalent of 1000 chest X rays /year) – nuclear workers are allowed 50mS per year. Children are 10 to 20 times more sensitive to radiation effects than adults. Thousands of children are now locked inside, they wear masks and they are eating radioactive food and experiencing increased obesity as they get virtually no exercise.

The Environment

Dr Timothy Mousseau, an evolutionary biologist has been examining the birds and insects in the exclusion zones of Chernobyl and Fukushima. 40% of the male swallows are sterile or have abnormal sperm, many have tumors, crooked wings and other congenital abnormalities and mutations, many have cataracts and the insects are similarly deformed.

What happens to animals and insects happens to us, but because many generations appear in a year we then can postulate what will happen to future generations of humans as mutations are passed down to our descendants.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-medical-implications-of-the-2011-fukushima-nuclear-disaster/5521675


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on August 05, 2016, 06:38:48 pm
Hospital: Fukushima radiation may be eating holes in people’s brains — Report: Military brought in to hide true radiation levels — Experts: Officials covering up dire consequences of crisis… Worry over high number of cancers being detected — Public suffering radioactive-related diseases (VIDEO)

El País Semanal (Spanish newspaper), May 2, 2016 (emphasis added): Fukushima: Contaminated lives… Spanish media investigates how the 2011 Japanese tsunami changed the course of the country’s history… the Fukushima nuclear plant started to leak radiation that seeped insidiously into the atmosphere, the soil and the Pacific Ocean… Mr Toru Anzai, 63, wanders around the house he abandoned five years ago [in] Litate… Two years ago, he had a heart attack and a stroke… in the hospital they found a hole in the frontal lobe of his brain that was producing paralysis down the left side of his body. The doctor said it could have been caused by absorbing cesium over a period of time… [After the reactor explosion on] March 14, he heard a thunderous noise… It didn’t take long for the wind to bring the penetrating smell of melted iron mixed with sulfur to Litate as a massive toxic cloud blew towards his home. In spite of the mayor of Litate’s assurance that there was no risk of radiation, Mr Anzai bought his first dosimeter on April 18… the radiation in the room where he and his brothers had been sleeping for the past month was at six microSieverts an hour – 20 times higher than the level stipulated by the government for relocating residents…

rest: http://www.prepperfortress.com/home-location-enenews-com-energy-news-search-enenews-tv-truly-unsettling-discovery-fukushima-problem-far-greater-previously-thought/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on August 25, 2016, 05:33:34 pm
Fukushima's radiation still so potent that even robots can't survive

The site at which three Fukushima Daiichi reactors melted down in Japan more than six years ago remains a complete disaster zone, unsuitable for both humans and the electronic devices they have created. Though a massive cleanup is still underway, a lot must be done before the area can safely host human life again.

New information reveals that the radiation in the disaster zone is still so high that specialized robots built to assist in the cleanup are unable to function. Electronics designed by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and Toshiba have failed to perform the job they were created to do as a result of excessive radiation levels.

"The robots are designed to 'swim' in the radiated pools where the radioactive fuel rods are located, to search for and recover them," according to Fukushima Update.

Robots built to withstand high radiation prove faulty

However, the devices have been incapable of entering reactor number three, due to "concentrated levels of radiation" which exceed those found in reactor four, where an estimated 1,500 fuel rod assemblies were previously removed.

Reports confirm that workers were able to stand close enough to the radioactive pool of water in an effort to observe the process in reactor four. However, reactor three, the most toxic and arguably the deadliest, remains essentially unreachable.

TEPCO was previously exposed for using inadequate equipment after it admitted to "accidentally" deploying monitoring equipment measuring radiation levels that maxed out at 100mSv, despite radioactivity being 18 times higher.

"Nobody was concerned that the reading was stuck at 100 for really long periods of time," notes Fukushima Update.

Suspicious TEPCO may still be concealing information about reactor meltdown

TEPCO maintains that radiation levels have fallen dramatically at the disaster site; however, the company's continual lies and coverups make confirming facts difficult. TEPCO admitted in February of this year that it waited two months to disclose the severity of the Fukushima disaster.

The company knew within a matter of hours after the tsunami struck the plant on March 11, 2011, that a multi-reactor nuclear meltdown was underway. However, it refused to inform the public until April 2011.

"Despite the acknowledgement of wrong-doing in the press release, on the other hand, TEPCO says it didn't break the law, and did what was required when it reported the meltdowns to the Japanese Government within three days," reports Enviro News.

"But the company downplayed the severity to the public, allowing people to linger in worry, and to remain ignorant of the fact that dangerous radiation had already been spewed and rained down onto the population. And sadly, the Japanese government didn't let them know either."

In March 2016, three former TEPCO executives were indicted on charges of criminal negligence after being accused of "failing to take measures that would have protected the nuclear plant from the damage the tsunami wrought," the New York Times reported.

The former executives claimed it was impossible for them to foresee the disaster, which was invoked by a powerful earthquake that triggered a 15-meter tsunami, resulting in the meltdown of three of Fukushima's Daiichi reactors and the displacement of 100,000 residents.

The event killed 40 people and continues to affect the lives of thousands forever impacted by radiation-induced disease.

Fukushima robots could be used in everyday life, experts say

What exactly happens inside a nuclear reactor following a meltdown remains unknown, robotic engineer Hiroshi Endo told the LA Times, adding that the environment is less predictable than space.

More than 100 different kinds of robots are actively working to resolve the issues at Fukushima, all capable of various maneuvers including the ability to walk, crawl and brave dust, debris and radiation levels strong enough to kill a human.

Some of the devices deploy dry ice that absorbs radiation, while others use high-pressure water. Experts say the robots could be "spun off into regular society" through their ability to transmit data through concrete walls.

TEPCO says the Fukushima disaster zone is stable, allowing thousands of employees to assist in the cleanup, "pumping water into the devastated reactors to cool them and storing the contaminated water in massive tanks."

However, the long-term effects of the radioactive disaster on people and wildlife remain largely unknown.

Sources:

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/055089_TEPCO_Fukushima_robots.html#ixzz4IO0EsOBG


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 01, 2016, 03:30:04 pm
‘99% effective’ Fukushima ice wall fails to seal off crippled nuclear plant

An “almost” watertight ice wall built around the Fukushima nuclear plant in a bid to prevent groundwater from entering the site has, quite predictably, proven to be not good enough, with Japan’s nuclear watchdog now urging TEPCO to find a better solution.

TrendsFukushima nuclear disaster

An expert panel with the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority examined the latest TEPCO report this week to assess how far and how successfully the project had been implemented, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reports. The members of the panel concluded that the ice wall was not working and a new plan was necessary to prevent groundwater getting mixed up with radioactive substances.

Radiation levels in seabed off Fukushima ‘100s of times’ higher than prior to disaster – Greenpeace

“The plan to block groundwater with a frozen wall of earth is failing,”said Yoshinori Kitsutaka, a panel member and a professor of engineering at Tokyo Metropolitan University.

“They need to come up with another solution, even if they keep going forward with the plan.”

In March, construction company Kajima Corp. began building the frozen wall of earth around the four damaged nuclear reactors and has completed most of the 1.5-km (1 mile) barrier. TEPCO hoped that the frozen earth barrier would thwart most of the groundwater from reaching the plant and divert it into the ocean instead. However, little or no success was recorded in the wall’s ability to block the groundwater during the five-month-period. The amount of groundwater reaching the plant has not changed after the wall was built, experts said.

….
http://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/99-effective-fukushima-ice-wall-fails-to-seal-off-crippled-nuclear-plant/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on October 21, 2016, 12:02:45 pm
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/21/asia/japan-earthquake/index.html
10/21/16
6.2-magnitude earthquake hits Japan

Tokyo (CNN)A preliminary 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Japan on Friday, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake, which was 6.3 kilometers in depth, hit near Kurayoshi city to the west of Osaka, the USGS said.

Almost 80,000 households suffered from initial blackouts, but most power has been restored. A handful of light injuries were reported.

There have been reports of housing damage, with state media showing properties flattened by the temblor, but no tsunami warning has been issued.

No irregularities were reported from nuclear power plants in the region, authorities said.

The operator of the Chugoku and Okayama Highways, NEXCO West, said the roads had been closed for safety inspection, but no damage has been recorded.

Aid groups were standing by to offer material support if needed.

"We're hearing reports of homes suffering damage, several major highways have been closed off while the authorities assess their safety and tens of thousands of people have been left without power," said Kunio Senga, CEO of Save the Children Japan.

"We know children are always among the most vulnerable in disasters like this, so we're monitoring how we can support them in the recovery process."
The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of possible strong aftershocks in the next couple of days.

more


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 11, 2016, 07:48:26 pm
Magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes 70 km off coast of Japan - USGS
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/magnitude-62-earthquake-strikes-70-km-off-coast-of-japan-usgs/ar-AAkbLa2?li=AA4Zpp&ocid=spartandhp
11/11/16

Latest:

NO RISK OF TSUNAMI FROM JAPAN QUAKE - NHK

Earlier:

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 struck off the coast of Japan, 65 km east-northeast of the city of Sendai, at 6:43 a.m. on Saturday (2143 GMT Friday), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said no tsunami warning had been posted. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said "a destructive pacific-wide tsunami is not expected". (Reporting by London Editing Desk, editing by Larry King)


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 21, 2016, 05:18:22 pm
JAPAN TSUNAMI ALERT AFTER 6.9 MAG QUAKE...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/21/japan-earthquake-73-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-fukushima/

Fukushima reactor cooling system stops following quake & tsunami

The cooling system of the third reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant has stopped circulating water following a powerful 7.3 offshore earthquake. TEPCO said it managed to restart the system some 90 minutes after the failure.

According to the Nuclear Regulatory Agency the cooling system servicing the Unit 3 spent fuel pool is not able to circulate water to cool the nuclear fuel because of a broken pump.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) told national broadcaster NHK that the cooling system in the Reactor 3 spent fuel pool stopped working. Japan’s national nuclear agency has confirmed that the temperature rise in the pool is “gradual.” The exact cause of the cooling system stoppage is currently unknown. However, the system might have been “shaken” during the earthquake, according to nuclear agency officials, as reported by NHK. No cooling water leaks or any other “abnormalities” have been reported.

https://www.rt.com/news/367714-fukushima-reactor-cooling-earthquake/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on November 21, 2016, 07:50:39 pm
It's been 5 1/2 years since...however, it's slowly but surely dropped off the radar.

Thank you for the updates!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on December 07, 2016, 02:08:31 pm
http://www.businessinsider.com/japans-sex-problem-means-people-are-quitting-dating-and-marrying-friends-2016-12
Japan's sex problem is so bad that people are quitting dating and marrying their friends
12/7/16

The Japanese sex problem has become so desperate that its young population has given up on dating and is just marrying friends.

A government survey found 69% of Japanese men and 59% of Japanese women do not have a romantic partner.

One Japanese aggregator website has since been awash with stories of how people have simply married lifelong friends.

The country has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, with just 8.4 children being born per 1,000 inhabitants over the past five years.

Its population of 127 million people is predicted to decrease to 87 million by 2060.

The survey, carried out by the country's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, also reported that about 80% of unmarried Japanese want to get married.

In recent weeks, people have posted stories to the aggregator website Matome Naver, telling how in one case a colleague married a friend of 10 years.

The trend has been coined "Kousai zero Nichikon": roughly translated as "marrying without dating."

Japanese actress Maki Horikita married costar Koji Yamamoto in 2015 after just a month of dating.

A column in the Joshi Spa magazine last month compared hunting for a marriage partner with suicide.

There is no real evidence that the kousai zero nichikon trend is taking the far-eastern islands by storm.

But it draws parallels with Japan's now mostly defunct omiai arranged-marriage tradition, in which parents suggested partners for their adult children.

After the sexual-partners survey was released earlier this year, columnist and sociologist Maki Fukasawa criticized the media's use of his own term to describe the sex problem: "Herbivore men."


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on December 09, 2016, 05:18:14 pm
Fukushima nuclear plant RADIOACTIVE FISH found on west coast of US
RADIOACTIVE fish found off the United States has raised fears the country's food chain is polluted – and the Fukushima nuclear disaster is being blamed.


Highly toxic Cesium-134 – the "fingerprint" of Fukushima – was found in Tillamook Bay and Gold Beach, Oregon.

The terrifying discovery was reported by researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

The 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown was sparked by a massive tsunami off the coast of Japan caused by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake.

Since then, the entire area has been a dangerous no-go zone.

As giant waves crashed into the plant, huge quantities of contaminated water were leaked.

Cesium-124 has also been detected in Canadian salmon for the first time, reported chemical oceanographer Jay Cullen, who is leading the Fukushima InFORM team at the University off Victoria.

But researchers were quick to point out that the risk to human health is low because of the relatively small quantities of radiative material.

rest: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/568924/fukushima-disaster-radioactive-fish-west-coast-oregon-salmon-tsunami-fall-out


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 03, 2017, 07:29:46 pm
Record radiation level detected inside damaged Fukushima reactor

A record radiation level has been detected inside the No. 2 reactor at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex, with the estimated reading of up to 530 sieverts per hour, the plant operator said Thursday.

The reading means a person could die from even brief exposure, highlighting the difficulties ahead as the government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. grope their way toward dismantling all three reactors that melted down in the March 2011 nuclear disaster.

The plant operator also announced that based on an image analysis, a 1-square-meter hole has been found on a metal grating beneath the reactor pressure vessel, likely caused by melted nuclear fuel that fell through the vessel.

The new radiation level, described by some experts as “unimaginable,” far exceeds 73 sieverts per hour, the previously highest radiation reading monitored in the interior of the reactor.

An official of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences said medical professionals have never considered dealing with this level of radiation in their work.

According to TEPCO, the extremely high radiation level was detected inside the containment vessel, in the space around 2.3 meters away from the base of the reactor pressure vessel.

According to the institute, 4 sieverts of radiation exposure would kill one in two people.

Experts say 1,000 millisieverts, which equals 1 sievert, could lead to infertility, loss of hair and cataracts, while exposure to radiation doses above 100 millisieverts increases the risk of cancer.

The latest discovery spells difficulty in removing the fuel debris as part of decommissioning work at the plant. The government and TEPCO hope to locate the fuel and start removing it from a first reactor in 2021.

The debris is believed to have been created as nuclear fuel inside the reactor pressure vessel overheated and melted due to the loss of reactor cooling functions.

In the coming weeks, the plant operator plans to deploy a remote-controlled robot to check conditions inside the containment vessel, but the utility is likely to have to change its plan.

For one thing, it will have to reconsider the route the robot is to take to probe the interior because of the hole found on the grating.

Also, given the extraordinary level of radiation inside the containment vessel, the robot would only be able to operate for less than two hours before it is destroyed.

That is because the robot is designed to withstand exposure to a total of up to 1,000 sieverts of radiation. Based on the calculation of 73 sieverts per hour, the robot could have operated for more than 10 hours, but 530 sieverts per hour means the robot would be rendered inoperable in less than two hours.

The latest analysis follows TEPCO’s discovery Monday of a black mass deposited on the grating directly beneath the pressure vessel, possibly melted fuel after the unit suffered a meltdown along with two other reactors at the six-reactor plant.

Images captured using a camera attached to a telescopic arm on Monday also showed part of the grating has gone.

If the deposits are confirmed as fuel debris, it would be the first time the utility has found any at the three units that suffered meltdowns.

Following the world’s worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe, the plant’s No. 1 to 3 reactors suffered fuel meltdowns.

Portions of the fuel in the reactors are believed to have accumulated at the bottom of the containment vessels. But the actual condition of the melted fuel remains unknown due to high radiation levels.

https://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/record-radiation-level-detected-inside-damaged-fukushima-reactor


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 06, 2017, 04:35:25 am
Northern Hemisphere Potentially In Great Danger As Fukushima Radiation Spikes To ‘Unimaginable’ Levels

Radiation inside one of the damaged reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power facility has reached an “unimaginable” level according to experts. Because so much nuclear material from Fukushima escaped into the Pacific Ocean, there are many scientists that believe that it was the worst environmental disaster in human history, but most people in the general population seem to think that since the mainstream media really doesn’t talk about it anymore that everything must be under control. Unfortunately, that is not true at all. In fact, PBS reported just last year that “it is incorrect to say that Fukushima is under control when levels of radioactivity in the ocean indicate ongoing leaks“. And now we have just learned that the radiation level inside reactor 2 is so high that no human could possibly survive being exposed to it.

According to the Japan Times, the level of radiation inside the containment vessel of reactor 2 is now estimated to be “530 sieverts per hour”…

The radiation level in the containment vessel of reactor 2 at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 power plant has reached a maximum of 530 sieverts per hour, the highest since the triple core meltdown in March 2011, Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc. said.

Tepco said on Thursday that the blazing radiation reading was taken near the entrance to the space just below the pressure vessel, which contains the reactor core.

The high figure indicates that some of the melted fuel that escaped the pressure vessel is nearby.

It is hard to find the words to convey how serious this is.

If you were exposed to a radiation level of just 10 sieverts per hour, that would mean almost certain death. So 530 sieverts per hour is simply off the charts. According to the Guardian, this recent measurement is being described by scientists as “unimaginable”…

The recent reading, described by some experts as “unimaginable”, is far higher than the previous record of 73 sieverts an hour in that part of the reactor.

A single dose of one sievert is enough to cause radiation sickness and nausea; 5 sieverts would kill half those exposed to it within a month, and a single dose of 10 sieverts would prove fatal within weeks.

And the really bad news is that there appears to be a 2 meter hole that was created by melted nuclear fuel “in the metal grating under the pressure vessel in the reactor’s primary containment vessel”. The following comes from Bloomberg…

New photographs show what may be melted nuclear fuel sitting under one of Japan’s wrecked Fukushima reactors, a potential milestone in the search and retrieval of the fuel almost six years after it was lost in one of the worst atomic disasters in history.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc., Japan’s biggest utility, released images on Monday showing a grate under the Fukushima Dai-Ichi No. 2 reactor covered in black residue. The company, better known as Tepco, may send in a scorpion-like robot as soon as February to determine the temperature and radioactivity of the residue.

If that isn’t frightening enough, one Japanese news source is reporting that this melted nuclear fuel “has since come in contact with underground water flowing from the mountain side”…

The melted fuel has since come in contact with underground water flowing from the mountain side, generating radioactively contaminated water every day. In order to dismantle the reactor, it is necessary to take out the melted fuel, but high radiation levels inside the reactor had hampered work to locate the melted debris.

If this disaster was just limited to Japan, the entire northern hemisphere would not be at risk.

But that is not the case.

Most of the nuclear contamination from Fukushima ended up in the Pacific Ocean, and from there it was literally taken around the rest of the planet. The following was reported by PBS…

More than 80 percent of the radioactivity from the damaged reactors ended up in the Pacific — far more than reached the ocean from Chernobyl or Three Mile Island. Of this, a small fraction is currently on the seafloor — the rest was swept up by the Kuroshio current, a western Pacific version of the Gulf Stream, and carried out to sea where it mixed with (and was diluted by) the vast volume of the North Pacific.

We don’t know if there is a connection, but it is extremely interesting to note that fisheries up and down the west coast of the United States are failing because of a dramatic decrease in fish populations. Just check out the following excerpt from a story that was posted on January 18th…

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today determined there are commercial fishery failures for nine salmon and crab fisheries in Alaska, California and Washington.

In recent years, each of these fisheries experienced sudden and unexpected large decreases in fish stock biomass or loss of access due to unusual ocean and climate conditions. This decision enables fishing communities to seek disaster relief assistance from Congress.

Things are particularly bad up in Alaska, and biologists are “stumped” as to why this could be happening…

In 2016, the pink salmon harvests in Kodiak, Prince William Sounds, Chignik and lower Cook Inlet came in woefully under forecast and stumped biologists as to why.

The estimated value of Kodiak’s 2016 haul was $2.21 million, compared to a five-year average of $14.64 million, and in Prince William Sound the ex-vessel value was $6.6 million, far less that the $44 million five-year average. The total state harvest was the smallest since the late 1970s.

Although state biologists weren’t ready to declare a cause for the poor pink salmon performance, the Commerce Department press release attributed the disasters to “unusual ocean and climate conditions.”

Further south, it was being reported last month that millions of dead sardines are washing up on the shores of Chile.

I could go on and on with a lot more examples like this, but hopefully you get the point.

Something really strange is happening in the Pacific, and a lot of people believe that there is a link to Fukushima.

Not too long ago, I wrote about how the elite of Silicon Valley are “feverishly prepping“, but the truth is that all of us should be. If you need some tips on how to get started, you can find my prepping book right here. Our planet is becoming increasingly unstable, and the Fukushima nuclear disaster is just one piece of the puzzle.

But it is definitely a very important piece. The nuclear material from Fukushima is continuously entering the food chain, and once that nuclear material gets into our bodies it will slowly irradiate our organs for years to come. The following is an excerpt from an absolutely outstanding opinion piece by Helen Caldicott that was published in the Guardian…

Internal radiation, on the other hand, emanates from radioactive elements which enter the body by inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption. Hazardous radionuclides such as iodine-131, caesium 137, and other isotopes currently being released in the sea and air around Fukushima bio-concentrate at each step of various food chains (for example into algae, crustaceans, small fish, bigger fish, then humans; or soil, grass, cow’s meat and milk, then humans). After they enter the body, these elements – called internal emitters – migrate to specific organs such as the thyroid, liver, bone, and brain, where they continuously irradiate small volumes of cells with high doses of alpha, beta and/or gamma radiation, and over many years, can induce uncontrolled cell replication – that is, cancer. Further, many of the nuclides remain radioactive in the environment for generations, and ultimately will cause increased incidences of cancer and genetic diseases over time.

Are you starting to understand the gravity of the situation?

Sadly, this crisis is going to be with us for a very, very long time.

According to Bloomberg, they are not even going to start removing melted nuclear fuel from these reactors until 2021, and it is being projected that the overall cleanup “may take as long as 40 years”…

Decommissioning the reactors will cost 8 trillion yen ($70.4 billion), according to an estimate in December from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Removing the fuel is one of the most important steps in a cleanup that may take as long as 40 years.

The unprecedented nature of the Fukushima disaster means that Tepco is pinning its efforts on technology not yet invented to get the melted fuel out of the reactors.

The company aims to decide on a fuel removal procedure for the first reactor during the fiscal year ending March 2019, and to begin removing fuel in 2021.

A lot of people that end up dying as a result of this crisis may never even know that it was Fukushima that caused their deaths.

Personally, I am convinced that this is the greatest environmental crisis that humanity has ever experienced, and if the latest reading from reactor 2 is any indication, things just took a very serious turn for the worse.

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/northern-hemisphere-potentially-in-great-danger-as-fukushima-radiation-spikes-to-unimaginable-levels


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 08, 2017, 08:15:13 pm
Prominent Republicans Pitch Carbon-Tax Plan to Top Trump Aides OR Rich RHINO's looking to make a buck

A group of prominent Republicans and business leaders pitched a tax on carbon dioxide to top White House aides Wednesday, selling the plan as an economic win that could drive job growth and yield environmental dividends too.

Former Secretary of State James Baker and other members of the new "Climate Leadership Council" pressed the case in a 45-minute meeting in the Roosevelt Room that included President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser Gary Cohn, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and senior aide Kellyanne Conway.

"The signs were very encouraging," Ted Halstead, who founded the council, said after the meeting. "Two weeks into this new administration, we have positioned our solution as the most promising climate solution -- if they want to go there."

Baker also met briefly with Vice President Mike Pence, as the old-guard Republicans try to persuade the Trump administration that a carbon tax imposed in exchange for abolishing a slew of environmental regulations is an insurance policy against the risks of climate change.

"We know we have an uphill slog to get Republicans interested in this," Baker said before the White House meeting. But "a conservative, free-market approach is a very Republican way of approaching the problem."

White House spokesman Sean Spicer declined to comment on the idea.

The Republican and business leaders lent their stature to an approach for addressing climate change that mirrors an idea already advanced by Exxon Mobil Corp. Supporters say the tax is a conservative solution to climate change that replaces a regulatory regime with a free-market approach for addressing the greenhouse gas emissions.

The group includes Hank Paulson, who served as Treasury secretary under President George W. Bush and previously has advocated a carbon tax through his eponymous think tank, the Paulson Institute. Besides Baker, who served as secretary of state and Treasury secretary under two Republican administrations, other members include former Secretary of State George Shultz, Sequoia Capital Operations LLC partner Thomas Stephenson and former chairman of the board of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Rob Walton. Economic advisers to former presidents George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan also are involved in the effort.

Baker himself conceded he remains "somewhat of a skeptic about the extent to which man is responsible for climate change," but the "risks are too great to ignore."
Political Headwinds

The plan faces strong political headwinds; both Trump and a majority of the House of Representatives have come out against a carbon tax in the past year. Trump also has pledged to do away with environmental regulations limiting emissions of carbon dioxide.

But the idea of a carbon tax, long favored by economists as the most straightforward way to address climate change, could gain traction as part of a broad tax overhaul on Capitol Hill.

The blueprint involves a $40 tax on every metric ton of carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels, with the price climbing over time. To avoid an undue burden on the poor from the higher energy bills that would result, the projected $200 billion to $300 billion in annual revenue would be redistributed to households in the form of quarterly checks from the Social Security Administration. Families of four would see an average annual payout of $2,000 under the plan, they say.

The proposal also calls for border adjustments that would act to hike the costs of products imported from countries that do not put a price on carbon. The tax would be imposed at the point fossil fuels enter the economy, such as when oil leaves the refinery or coal leaves the mine. In exchange, regulations aimed at cutting emissions would be eliminated.
Tax Proposal

The Republican-led House last June approved a non-binding resolution condemning the idea of a carbon tax as "detrimental to American families and businesses." The measure, which passed 237-163, was designed to lock in lawmakers’ positions, making it harder for those who lodged a vote opposing a tax to support one later on.

Trump himself has come out against the idea, rejecting a carbon tax in responses to a survey by the American Energy Alliance last March. Many of the conservative advocates guiding Trump’s energy and environment policy also eschew the idea.

The approach also runs counter to Trump’s campaign promise to help bring back coal-mining jobs. Because it generates more carbon dioxide emissions than natural gas and oil, coal would be the fossil fuel hardest hit by a tax on carbon.

Opponents fear that with the foundation laid now, lawmakers could seize on a carbon tax as a potent source of revenue to offset rate reductions during a future congressional debate on overhauling the tax code.

"This is not a climate proposal; it’s a tax proposal," said Thomas Pyle, head of the free-market advocacy group American Energy Alliance. "There’s no need to trade Obama’s climate regulations for a carbon tax. Donald Trump has already promised to undo them."

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-02-08/prominent-republicans-begin-push-to-tax-carbon-cut-regulations


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 13, 2017, 06:20:41 pm
Why The Melted Fuel Under Fukushima Could Poison Our Planet With Nuclear Radiation For 1000s Of Years

Six years ago, an absolutely devastating tsunami caused a triple meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power facility.  It was the worst environmental disaster in all of human history, and even though six years have passed since that time, nobody knows where the three melted cores are.  Just recently, authorities believe that they spotted some melted fuel underneath reactor 2, but even from a distance the level of nuclear radiation that was detected was being described as “unimaginable”.  Essentially what we are talking about are three enormous “dirty bombs” that are continuously emitting tremendous amounts of nuclear radiation into the air, water and soil.  Some of the radioactive elements that are being released have half-lives that are measured in tens of thousands of years, and so the poisonous effect of these “dirty bombs” could potentially be with us for generation after generation.

Personally, I don’t know why the big mainstream news outlets in the U.S. are almost entirely ignoring Fukushima these days.  Fox News did a story on the “unimaginable” radiation at Fukushima just a few days ago, but that was about it.

To me, it is certainly newsworthy that nuclear radiation inside reactor 2 at Fukushima is at the highest level ever recorded…

Radiation levels inside a damaged reactor at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant have hit a record high, and are the worst since the plant suffered a triple meltdown nearly six years ago. The latest readings now pose a serious challenge as officials prepare to dismantle the stricken facility.

Radiation levels inside the containment vessel of reactor No. 2 at Fukushima has reached 530 sieverts per hour—a figure described by experts as “unimaginable.”

Previously, the highest level of radiation measured at Fukushima was 73 sieverts per hour, and just a small fraction of that amount would be fatal to most humans…

Needless to say, this plant is not fit for human life. Just one dose of a single sievert is enough to cause radiation sickness and nausea. Exposure to four to five sieverts would kill about half of those exposed to it within a month, while a single dose of 10 sieverts is enough to kill a person within weeks.

At 530 sieverts per hour, the radiation is so intense that even robots can only last for a couple of hours in that environment.  The Japanese hope to eventually remove the melted fuel from these reactors someday, but first they have to figure out if it is even possible.

And the truth is that the level of radiation in reactor 2 may actually be far higher than 530 sieverts per hour.  That is because the recent reading was taken “some distance from the melted fuel”…

The 530 sievert reading was recorded some distance from the melted fuel, so in reality it could be 10 times higher than recorded, said Hideyuki Ban, co-director of Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center.

Experts are also warning that the levels of radiation may be much higher than 530 sieverts per hour in reactors 1 and 3.  Nobody knows, because the melted fuel in those reactors has not even been located yet.

Even though so much time has gone by, there is still very much an urgency to this crisis.  In a newly published article, Mike Adams of Natural News explained why this is the case…

In effect, Fukushima has become the world’s largest dirty bomb, and the remaining fuel rods could explode (achieve criticality) at any moment. Even right now, the radiation is so intense that robots built to explore the wreckage can only survive for a few hours before their circuits are destroyed. Thus, there’s almost no scenario in which Japan, Tepco or anybody in the world figures out how to clean up the wreckage, reclaim the melting fuel rods and reestablish control over the nuclear reactions that are still ongoing.

You can’t even successfully build a containment vessel on top of it all because the melting nuclear fuel has already burned a massive hole in the floor and is melting its way into the ground water.

What most people don’t understand is that the melted nuclear fuel under Fukushima is going to be with us for a very, very long time.  Some of the fuel rods contained plutonium-239, and plutonium-239 has a half-life of approximately 24,000 years…

Do they think a one-meter hole magically appears in nuclear containment vessels due to random chance? No, it’s melting fuel rods, you morons. And some of that fuel is MOX fuel, which contains plutonium-239 that boasts a half life of 24,000 years. So sometime in the year 26000 A.D. the Fukushima nightmare will be HALF as toxic as it is right now. What a wonderful, progressive future to look forward to, eh?

Plutonium-239 is one of the most dangerous substances known to humanity.  As nuclear expert Steven C. Jones once explained, it would not take much plutonium-239 to kill every man, woman and child on the entire planet…

To give one an example of how lethal radiation is, one pound of plutonium evenly distributed into everyone’s lungs would kill every man, woman and child on Earth. There are literally “tons” of radioactive plutonium (among other radioactive elements) that have been released into the air and ocean environments since March 11th. Another critical fact to remember is that radioactive plutonium, for example, remains lethal (killing life) for thousands years as it has a half-life of 24,000 years. Some other radioactive elements such as uranium have a half-life of 4.47 billion years.

And remember, more radioactive material is being released from Fukushima every single day.  The following comes from an interview with Kevin Kamps, the radioactive waste monitor at Beyond Nuclear…

There are claims that “it’s all contained, don’t worry about it.” It is indisputable that there is a daily flow of radioactively contaminated groundwater into the ocean. The figures something like 80,000 gallons per day of relatively low-level radioactive waste water. Then you’ve got those storage tanks – we’re talking 800,000 tons of highly radioactive water stored in tanks. Every day they pour a hundred tons of water on each of these three melted down cores. Sometimes they lose those tanks. They leak, they overflow – it is an ongoing catastrophe.

Are you starting to understand how serious this is?

Once nuclear material escapes from Fukushima, it literally gets distributed all over the planet.

That means that it is getting into our air, our water and our food supply.

And I find it extremely interesting that the EPA was moving to dramatically raise the “safe limits” on radioactivity in our drinking water right at the end of the Obama administration.  The following comes from a Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility press release dated December 22, 2016…

“Following Japan’s Fukushima meltdown in 2011, EPA’s claims that no radioactivity could reach the U.S. at levels of concern were contradicted by its own rainwater measurements showing contamination from Fukushima throughout the U.S. well above Safe Drinking Water Act limits. In reaction, EPA prepared new limits 1000s of times higher than even the Fukushima rainwater because ‘EPA experienced major difficulties conveying to the public that the detected levels…were not of immediate concern for public health.’”

Why in the world would the EPA do that?

Here are some more of the details…

The documents obtained by PEER revealed that the EPA plans to raise maximum allowable limits of iodine-131, cobalt-60 and calcium-45 to more than 10,000 times the levels allowed under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Others would be hundreds or thousands of times higher under the new guidelines.

The agency’s justification for withholding the new proposed limits from the public until after the proposal had been adopted was that it wanted to “avoid confusion.”

Radioactive material is also getting into our food supply.  If you love to eat fish this next item may be a bummer, because it is being reported that radiation from Fukushima was recently found in salmon off the coast of Oregon…

Fish contaminated by radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan have been detected 6,000 miles away of the US west coast.

Salmon carrying traces of caesium 134 particles – the so-called fingerprint of the Fukushima – were found by researchers in the seas off Oregon.

One we eat something that has been contaminated, radioactive material will often migrate to key organs in our body, and once it is there it can poison us indefinitely.  In a previous article I included a quote from author Helen Caldicott, the author of “Crisis Without End: The Medical and Ecological Consequences of the Fukushima Nuclear Catastrophe“.  I am including the quote once again in this article because it is absolutely imperative that we all understand the danger that we are facing…

Internal radiation, on the other hand, emanates from radioactive elements which enter the body by inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption. Hazardous radionuclides such as iodine-131, caesium 137, and other isotopes currently being released in the sea and air around Fukushima bio-concentrate at each step of various food chains (for example into algae, crustaceans, small fish, bigger fish, then humans; or soil, grass, cow’s meat and milk, then humans). After they enter the body, these elements – called internal emitters – migrate to specific organs such as the thyroid, liver, bone, and brain, where they continuously irradiate small volumes of cells with high doses of alpha, beta and/or gamma radiation, and over many years, can induce uncontrolled cell replication – that is, cancer. Further, many of the nuclides remain radioactive in the environment for generations, and ultimately will cause increased incidences of cancer and genetic diseases over time.

The amount of cesium-137 that has been released at Fukushima is equivalent to hundreds of Hiroshima bombs.

But because we can’t see, touch, taste or hear the danger, to many people it may not seem real.

Nuclear radiation is a silent killer, and unless a miracle happens the consequences of the Fukushima nuclear disaster will be felt for generations to come.

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/why-the-melted-fuel-under-fukushima-could-poison-our-planet-with-nuclear-radiation-for-1000s-of-years


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 16, 2017, 12:39:06 am
Radiation at Japan’s Fukushima Reactor Is Now at ‘Unimaginable’ Levels

The radiation levels at Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant are now at “unimaginable” levels. …..the radiation levels – as high as 530 sieverts per hour – are now the highest they’ve been since 2011 when a tsunami hit the coastal reactor. “To put this in very simple terms. Four sieverts can kill a handful of people,”

http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/02/08/unimaginable-levels-radiation-fukushima-pacific-ocean-leaks


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 13, 2017, 08:30:49 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBmvIblGYcA&feature=youtu.be


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 13, 2017, 08:32:44 pm
So many are showing illness, environmental conditions could be a factor (PHOTOS) « ENENews.com – Energy News

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium – Local Environmental Observer Network, Feb 8, 2017 (emphasis added): Goodnews Bay, Alaska; Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) with lesions — Observation: While on the Goodnews River fishing in early February, (winter) a local resident pulled in a trout and immediately noticed, what looked like pus coming out of a Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma). Is this something that is a natural/unnatural event? Can we consume the fish or is there a recommendation and/or advisory about eating fish with pus coming out of it?

ANTHC – LEO Network, Feb 9, 2017: Goodnews Bay, Alaska; Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) with deformity — Observation: Couple of local residents were out and about fishing for trout in early February. While fishing, a Dolly Varden was caught and pulled in, we could visibly see that the trout had a deformity. What is the reason for the deformity? ADF&G Fish Pathology Lab Consult: Jayde Ferguson writes: “… There are a number of different potential causes for a spinal deformity in fish, which would include genetic factors, infectious agents (e.g., Flavobacterium), traumatic injuries, neoplasia, d

http://enenews.com/fish-found-leaking-pus-covered-in-lesions-deformed-along-us-west-coast-fisherman-nearly-all-fish-caught-affected-ive-never-seen-this-some-had-pus-all-over-their-body-official-wit



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 13, 2017, 08:34:02 pm
Sleepwalking Towards Armageddon: The Nightmare Continues Six Years Later While The Mainstream Media Remains Silent

Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.' Hosea 4:3

Back on March 11th of 2011, our world changed forever for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere though most still do not know it. Whether via an 'act of nature' or an 'act of HAARP', the earthquake and resultant tidal wave that struck Fukushima, Japan on that day left a path of death and destruction that has stretched far beyond that island nation.

As nuclear expert Dr. Helen Caldicott recently stated of Fukushima, "highly radioactive water is still pouring into the ocean every day and will likely continue doing so until the end of time". Calling the hopes of cleaning up the mess that's been made 'a fantasy', the stories and videos we examine in this ANP story prove to us we're sleepwalking towards extinction. The 'mass animal deaths' painstakingly kept track of by End Times Prophecy continue with at least '117 known mass death events' in 43 countries in 2017 alone.

According to End Times Prophecy, the year 2016 brought 556 KNOWN 'mass death events' spread over 81 countries. In 2015 there were 828 known 'mass death events' spread over 96 countries. In 2014 there were 651 known 'mass death events' spread over 76 countries. In 2013 there were 798 known mass death events in 93 countries. In 2012 there were 465 'mass death events' documented across 67 countries while in 2011, the year of the disaster, hundreds of mass death events also happened across the planet.

caldicott_armageddon.jpg

Dr. Caldicott, author of the book "Sleepwalking To Armageddon", also warns us that if another massive earthquake over 7.0 magnitude strikes Fukushima, we could witness not only the 'end of Japan' but the need for parts of the Northern hemisphere to be evacuated after recent photos of Fukushima #2 showed structural damage and a massive hole. In the final video below, Pastor Paul Begley tells us all about that latest story.

As Dane Wigington over at his Geoengineering Watch Blog recently reported,"the triple meltdown nuclear volcanoes at Fukushima continue to dump unimaginable amounts of radiation into the atmosphere and oceans". If the mainstream media doesn't report upon the mass deaths due to Fukushima and this still unfolding tragedy, does that mean it never happened? 

As we learn in this brand new story from ENENews, every day since the tragedy now over 6 years ago, the Pacific Ocean has been completely pummeled while the mainstream media has nearly completely ignored the death and destruction that radiation from Fukushima has brought to the Pacific Ocean and the West coast of America.

As we hear in the 1st video below featuring nuclear activist Kevin Kamps, the government of Japan is now forcing some residents of Fukushima to move back into their homes or they'll lose their compensation for suffering through the disaster. Mothers who are concerned about the health of their children are being accused by the Japanese government of suffering from 'radiophobia' - the government of Japan is telling them that "it's all in their heads".

fuku_death_still_2017.jpg

According to a new study reported in Science Mag, it's now safe for Fukushima residents to return to their radioactively contaminated homes. Later in March, 6 years after the catastrophe, nearly 52,000 evacuees from Fukushima will be invited to go back to the Fukushima prefecture. In the 2nd video below, we hear directly from one 'refugee' from Fukushima who tells us that she'll never be going back as her home was completely contaminated. Japanese activist Setsuko Kida, who lost everything but her life to radioactive poisons from the Fukushima meltdown, shares with us how she overcame that very real tragedy and became an advocate for radiation refugee rights.

So, why is the Japanese government so eager to get residents of Fukushima to move back into their radioactively poisoned homes? Might the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan have anything to do with that ludicrous decision? Please keep in mind that more than 30 years after Chernobyl, it remains a ghost town.

As the previously cited recent story from ENENews that Steve Quayle linked to on March 10th reports, according to Dr. Caldicott after a recent conversation with nuclear engineer Arnie Gunderson:

The robot did pick up structural damage to the building of Unit 2, which means it makes it unstable should there be another earthquake greater than 7 on the Richter scale — which then means the building could collapse, which then means that would collapse onto the molten core, and also with the spent fuel rods which are incredibly radioactive in the spent fuel pool, they would go down as well.

A huge amount of radiation would be released, such that it would be the end of Japan and certainly, very much radioactive fallout in the Northern Hemisphere such that I would probably get my family from Boston to come straight away to Australia.”

end_game_fuku.jpg

In fact, the Japanese government has increased allowable radiation exposure more than 20X since the meltdown. Hence, Kamps warns us in the 1st video below, radioactive food from Japan is certainly being sold not only in Japan but America and elsewhere across the world as well. Why would government's raise the safety level of radiation in foods unless they KNEW that radiation was in our foods?

As Mike Adams over at Natural News reported back in February, the mainstream media blackout over “unimaginable” radiation levels detected at Fukushima is akin to a suicide death wish.

We are all trapped in a planet-wide SUICIDE CULT run by incompetent morons.

It is at moments like this that I seriously feel like humanity has become a planet-wide suicide cult run by incompetent morons. If they all want to drink the Kool-Aid, that’s their choice, but I would prefer they don’t take me with them. For my part, I would actually like to live on a planet that isn’t contaminated and condemned by plutonium-239, cesium-137 and strontium-90.

According to the insanely stupid mainstream media, that somehow makes me crazy. But you and I both know that conforming to the stupidity of the delusional masses has never been a measure of sanity.

california_glows.jpg

Back on February 26th we reported on ANP about a mysterious phenomenon scientists were calling 'radiation clouds' that may pose health risks to airline passengers and cause pilots to detect and avoid them in the future. As we reported then, Steve Quayle had himself recently flown through such a cloud as he documented in this video. We also reported then there was evidence that radioactive rain from Fukushima was falling on America. If that warning is true, are the large population hubs along the East coast of America and 50 million Americans about to be thrashed by a massive, 'radioactive snowstorm'?

On March 4th we reported we were watching a slow-motion disaster movie unfolding before our eyes with mass animal deaths continuing unabated while the mainstream media continued to remain silent. The silence from the MSM not only remains but has become deafening. With the Japanese government now forcing Fukushima residents to move back into a radioactive wasteland, we get more evidence we'll NEVER get truth from government.

And while a complete investigation of the radioactive fallout at Fukushima remains impossible due to one robot after another 'dying', we see in this brand new story from ENENews why we should all be concerned about Fukushima as fish leaking pus and covered in lesions have been found all up and down the US West Coast according to fishermen, deformed, starving and dying. But of course, if the msm doesn't report upon it, it's just 'fake news', right? Just ask the fish and sea life.

http://allnewspipeline.com/Fukushima_6_Years_Later.php


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 19, 2017, 05:36:04 pm
Report: Hundreds of millions of Pacific salmon missing, presumed dead — Gov’t issues emergency order along US West Coast — Japan suffering historic collapse, fish starving to death — All forms of ocean life dying in stunning numbers across Pacific

South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), Mar 16, 2017 (emphasis added): The low salmon run size for the Yuba River appears to be part of another regional salmon collapse. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife point to preliminary data from the Sacramento River that indicates salmon runs have also dropped to record low levels. According to Dan Bacher’s reporting, last year’s salmon run on the Klamath River was a 38-year low… Gary Reedy, SYRCL’s consulting salmon expert reports that “A new crash for the Central Valley Chinook salmon is not unexpected.”…

The Oregonian, Mar 15, 2017: Worst Klamath chinook run on record forecast — The worst run forecast on record for the Klamath River’s chinook salmon could close all salmon fishing along most of the Oregon Coast this summer…

Mendocino Beacon, Mar 16, 2017: Returns of spawning Klamath River fall Chinook are projected to be the lowest on record in 2017… “The salmon runs this year will present a challenge for ocean fishermen and managers throughout the West Coast,” said Executive Director Chuck Tracy… “the low forecast for Klamath River fall Chinook is unprecedented”… “This year will be an exceptionally difficult year for ocean salmon fisheries, especially in Oregon and California”… said Council Chair Herb Pollard.

Juneau Empire, Mar 6, 2017: Spring king fishing canceled by emergency order… the Juneau area will be closed for king salmon fishing… biologists expect a second-straight year of record-low king salmon returns on the Taku River. “We’ve been in a period of low productivity, not just on the Taku, but on several rivers up and down the coast,” Juneau Area Management Biologist Daniel Teske said… Nobody knows exactly why Southeast king salmon are struggling, but biologists do know where the fish are being affected: in the ocean… The increased die-off must be happening in a marine environment, Teske said, otherwise numbers on the four rivers wouldn’t fall at the same time…

Undercurrent News, Feb 1 , 2017: Japanese salmon fisheries in historic collapse — Landings in Hokkaido, Japan are the lowest in nearly three decades, reports the blog RussGeorge.net. The volume of salmon caught at main fishing ports, including Hokkaido, plunged 30-40% in 2016 from the previous year. The figure represented the lowest level in 28 years. The collapse has been confidently attributed to the starvation of four-year-old Chum salmon…

Russ George, Jan 31, 2017: Japanese Salmon Fisheries in Historic Collapse… News from Japan is terrible for NW Pacific fish… Local fishermen have been increasingly concerned over the fact that the trend of meager catch that continued in recent years has not been held in check and indeed is worsening every year… Given the shortfall of fish and the scrawny condition of the fish that were caught all evidence points to a cataclysmic collapse of ocean pasture primary productivity and fish starving at sea… Across the Pacific ocean salmon pastures have failed…

Minato-Tsukiji, Nov 17, 2016: Japan chum salmon landings the worst in 24 years — This year’s chum catch in Japan is very poor, with declines in landings not only in the Hokkaido region but also in Honshu… Also, chum sizes are also getting smaller…

Russ George, Feb 3, 2017: Hundreds of Millions of Pacific Salmon Missing and Presumed Dead — Across 10,000 miles of North Pacific ocean pasture declarations from Japan and the USA are reporting a cataclysmic collapse of Pacific Salmon. The fish are tragically starving at sea as the plankton pastures have turned into clear blue lifeless deserts… Collapse of North Pacific ocean fish pastures has resulted in near total collapse of Pacific Salmon… It’s not just Pacific salmon that are dying in the North Pacific all forms of ocean life are being reported dead and dying [in] stunning numbers…

Hokkaido Shimbun, Jan 31, 2017: Salmon landings in Hokkaido in 2016 are the lowest in three decades — The number of salmon caught in Hokkaido in 2016 plunged 29.4% from the previous year… The figure represented the lowest level in 28 years… Local fishermen have been increasingly concerned over the fact that the trend of meager catch that continued in recent years has not been held in check…

Minato-Tsukiji, Mar 3, 2017: The harvest in Hokkaido was the worst in 24 years… Beginning with the Sanriku area, landings all over Honshu were below those of the previous year… The number of returning four-year-olds, which are regarded as the main shoal, was a record low…

See also: Massive die-offs reported in Pacific Ocean — Officials: “No fish out there, anywhere, over a very large area”… “What’s happening? Where’s their food?” — “Alarming… Frightening… Like nothing we’ve ever observed before” (VIDEO)

http://enenews.com/report-hundreds-of-millions-of-pacific-salmon-missing-presumed-dead-govt-issues-emergency-order-along-us-west-coast-japan-suffering-historic-collapse-fish-starving-to-death-all-forms-of


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on March 22, 2017, 06:21:24 pm
Fukushima Radiation on US West Coast Poses No Health Risk, Scientists Say

Another reason NOT to trust a scientist

espite the devastating nuclear accident at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011, scientists studying the waters off the west coast of the United States have concluded that there is no contamination risk to people or the local ecology.

Studying the waters of the Pacific coastline, scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts and from Ottawa's Fisheries and Oceans Canada found levels of Cesium-134, the radiation footprint of the Fukushima disaster, to be at levels below what a dental patient would be exposed to in a routine X-ray, according to the Associated Press.

rest of this LIE: https://sputniknews.com/science/201703221051863194-fukushima-radiation-cesium134-no-risk/


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 24, 2017, 05:33:08 pm
TV: Fukushima Radiation Alert — Concern ‘nuclear chain reaction’ could occur at plant — Reactors are still melting down and spewing radioactivity — Fuel has burned through containment — Expert: It’s unprecedented… could’ve been 12 Chernobyls (VIDEO)

http://enenews.com/tv-fukushima-radiation-alert-concern-nuclear-chain-reaction-could-occur-at-plant-reactors-are-still-melting-down-and-spewing-radioactivity-fuel-has-burned-through-containment-expert


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on April 24, 2017, 06:04:35 pm
In the midst of all of the fake news flooding in, one thing is sure, THIS is NOT fake one iota!


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Psalm 51:17 on September 27, 2017, 05:59:26 pm
http://redstatewatcher.com/article.asp?id=96785
BREAKING!! Earthquake!!!

Breaking911

@Breaking911

BREAKING: 5.9 M Earthquake Strikes Off Honshu, Japan - EMSC
3:52 PM - Sep 26, 2017


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on November 19, 2017, 08:13:10 pm
Six Years After Fukushima,
Robots Finally Find Reactors’
Melted Uranium Fuel
The Japanese government and companies used radiation-hardened
machines to search for the fuel that escaped the plant’s ruined reactors.


Four engineers hunched before a bank of monitors, one holding what looked like a game controller. They had spent a month training for what they were about to do: pilot a small robot into the contaminated heart of the ruined Fukushima nuclear plant.

Earlier robots had failed, getting caught on debris or suffering circuit malfunctions from excess radiation. But the newer version, called the Mini-Manbo, or “little sunfish,” was made of radiation-hardened materials with a sensor to help it avoid dangerous hot spots in the plant’s flooded reactor buildings.

The size of a shoe box, the Manbo used tiny propellers to hover and glide through water in a manner similar to an aerial drone.

After three days of carefully navigating through a shattered reactor building, the Manbo finally reached the heavily damaged Unit 3 reactor. There, the robot beamed back video of a gaping hole at the bottom of the reactor and, on the floor beneath it, clumps of what looked like solidified lava: the first images ever taken of the plant’s melted uranium fuel.

rest: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/19/science/japan-fukushima-nuclear-meltdown-fuel.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on June 15, 2018, 01:45:03 am
Radioactive water being stored at the Fukushima power plant approaches the limit; Japanese officials still have no plan to dispose of it –

There’s almost no more room for anymore storage tanks at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) nuclear reactor site in Fukushima, Japan, which means that very soon there won’t be any way to dispose of the ever-growing amount of treated water, also known as tritium water, that continues to accumulate within the disaster area.

Neither the Japanese government nor TEPCO officials have made a decision as to how they plan to proceed with cleanup at the failed nuclear plant, which was severely damaged by a major earthquake and tsunami that occurred back in 2011. Currently, the amount of groundwater that’s entering the fatally damaged No. 1 nuclear plant amounts to about 160 tons per day.

Purification devices set up at the site are able to remove most of the radioactive materials from this water, except for tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that can’t be removed for “technical reasons.” Consequently, tritium-contaminated water continues to increase, despite the fact that there’s increasingly no where to put it.

Existing storage tanks at the site have a total capacity of about 1.13 million tons of water. But roughly 1.07 million tons of that amount, or about 80 percent of it, is already filled with contaminated water – meaning there’s very little left to spare.

Officials have been frantically trying to make more space for new storage tanks by razing forests and clearing other nearby areas, which has added about 230,000 square meters – the rough equivalent of about 32 soccer fields – to the storage area. However, there’s almost no more space beyond this, meaning the Fukushima site has about reached its max in terms of contaminated water storage space.

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“Operation of tanks is close to its capacity,” stated a senior official from the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, noting that even if the existing tanks are “upgraded” to be larger, there still will come a time when there’s no more storage space available.

“It is impossible to continue to store [treated water] forever,” added Akira Ono, TEPCO’s chief decommissioning officer.

TEPCO is currently in the process of securing a total of 1.37 million tons of storage capacity by the end of 2020, which will buy some time. But what the company will do after that when no more storage space is available remains unclear, as the experts have yet to come up with a plan.
Nuclear industry working group suggests diluting tritium water and dumping it into the ocean

While tritium is naturally occurring in nature, and can be found in the ocean, in rivers, and even in tap water, the amount of it being generated at Fukushima is far too high for safety. A nuclear industry working committee is trying to figure out new ways to dispose of the contaminated water, with one idea involving mass dilution so that it can simply be dumped into the ocean.

Since June 2016, this working group has come up with four other ideas for the disposal of tritium water that include releasing it through evaporation or following hydrolysis, burying it underground, and injecting it into geological layers. The cheapest and quickest, however, is to simply dump it into the sea.

Another committee was also formed to maintain the narrative that “everything’s going to be alright,” essentially. With a stated purpose of fighting “harmful misinformation,” this committee has been meeting for a year and a half already and has yet to come up with any conclusion or suggestions.

Meanwhile, many warn that beginning to dump tritium water into the ocean is a bad idea, especially as Fukushima’s fishing industry is only just now beginning to revive itself. Contaminating nearby waters would only strengthen concerns that fish and other seafood caught near Fukushima are dangerous due to radioactive contamination.

https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-06-14-radioactive-water-being-stored-at-the-fukushima-power-plant-approaches-limit.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 12, 2018, 06:28:05 am
Nuclear power plants expected to take direct hit from Hurricane Florence

The NWS issued an alert on Tuesday warning of the coming “life-threatening storm surge along the coasts of North and South Carolina” as Hurricane Florence makes its way to the U.S. East Coast where the storm will make landfall Friday.

https://www.intellihub.com/twelve-nuclear-power-plants-expected-to-take-direct-hit-from-hurricane-florence/


At Least 10 And Potentially 15 Nuclear Power Plants Are In The Path Of Hurricane Florence - Is Florence An Attack Upon America? Still Think 'Weather Modification' Is A 'Conspiracy Theory'? You Won't After Reading This!

http://allnewspipeline.com/Hurricane_Florence_Lets_Talk_Weather_Modification.php



Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on July 30, 2019, 07:34:13 am
Toxic water level at Fukushima plant still not under control



Almost six years after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe famously declared the contaminated water problem at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant "under control," today it remains anything but.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) continues to face difficulties in dealing with water contaminated with radioactive substances at its crippled plant.

About 18,000 tons of highly contaminated water remain accumulated in reactor buildings and other places.

Abe made the declaration in September 2013 while Tokyo was bidding to win the 2020 Summer Games.

In reality, however, the situation is not under control even now.

In a meeting of the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in June, one of its members, Nobuhiko Ban, told TEPCO officials, “I want you to show whether you have a prospect (for the reduction of contaminated water) or you have given up.”

The water level did not fall as planned in an area of a basement floor at the No. 3 reactor building for two months. Asked why the level did not drop, TEPCO officials offered only vague explanations in the meeting. Ban made the remark out of irritation.

Highly contaminated water that has accumulated in reactor buildings and turbine buildings is a major concern at the Fukushima plant. In addition to water that was used to cool melted nuclear fuel at the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 reactors, groundwater also has flowed into those buildings through cracks.

The concentration of radioactive substances in the highly contaminated water is about 100 million times that of the contaminated water that has been processed and stored in tanks.

Immediately after the nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant in March 2011, highly contaminated water leaked into the sea through underground tunnels. As a result, radioactive substances whose concentrations were higher than allowable standards were detected in fish and other seafood.

After the nuclear accident, about 100,000 tons of water initially accumulated in the basement portions of buildings that housed the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 reactors and buildings that accommodated turbines.

TEPCO has removed groundwater through wells. It also created “frozen walls” in the ground by freezing soil around the buildings. Using those methods, the company has decreased the flow of groundwater into the buildings and, as a result, the level of highly contaminated water has dropped there.

Eight years since the nuclear accident occurred, the volume of highly contaminated water in the buildings has fallen to 18,000 tons. TEPCO aims to reduce the volume further to 6,000 tons by the end of fiscal 2020.

However, work to decrease the water has not progressed as expected.

As for the area in the basement of the No. 3 reactor building, it is known that water used to cool melted nuclear fuel is flowing into the area. But why the water level does not drop only in that area is not known.

If the water level in the building remains high, highly contaminated water there could leak into the ground through cracks when the groundwater level outside the building drops. If the leaks occur, the entire effort to decrease the amount of highly contaminated water will be stalled.

The NRA is also requiring TEPCO to take anti-tsunami measures because if a huge tsunami engulfs the buildings again, it could send highly contaminated water pouring into the sea

However, anti-tsunami measures are also delayed.

The work to close openings that could become locations for leakage of highly contaminated water during a tsunami is expected to continue until the end of fiscal 2021. Such openings exist at 50 locations at present.

Additional construction of sea walls as a safeguard against another huge tsunami like the one triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake will take time until the first half of fiscal 2020.


http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201907280040.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on September 10, 2019, 06:35:59 am
Japan may have to dump radioactive water into the sea, minister says

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power (9501.T) will have to dump radioactive water from its destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean as it runs out of room to store it, the environment minister said on Tuesday.

Tokyo Electric, or Tepco, has collected more than 1 million tonnes of contaminated water from the cooling pipes used to keep fuel cores from melting since the plant was crippled by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

“The only option will be to drain it into the sea and dilute it,” the minister, Yoshiaki Harada, told a news briefing in Tokyo.

“The whole of the government will discuss this, but I would like to offer my simple opinion.”

The government is awaiting a report from an expert panel before making a final decision on how to dispose of the radioactive water.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, in a separate press briefing, described Harada’s comments as “his personal opinion”.

Tepco was not in a position to decide what to do but would follow the policy once the government made a decision, a spokesman for the utility said.

The utility says it will run out of room to store the water by 2022. Harada did not say how much water would need to be dumped into the ocean.

Any green light from the government to dump the waste into the sea would anger neighbors such as South Korea, which summoned a senior Japanese embassy official last month to explain how the Fukushima water would be dealt with.

“We’re just hoping to hear more details of the discussions that are under way in Tokyo so that there won’t be a surprise announcement,” a South Korean diplomat told Reuters, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of bilateral ties.

South Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement said it had asked Japan “to take a wise and prudent decision on the issue”.

Relations between the East Asian nations are already frosty following a dispute over compensation for Koreans forced to work in Japanese factories in World War Two.

Coastal nuclear plants commonly dump into the ocean water that contains tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is hard to separate and is considered to be relatively harmless.

Tepco, which also faces opposition from fishermen, admitted last year that the water in its tanks still contained contaminants beside tritium.

“The government must commit to the only environmentally acceptable option for managing this water crisis which is long term storage and processing to remove radioactivity, including tritium,” Shaun Burnie, senior nuclear specialist with Greenpeace Germany, said in an email.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-fukushima-water/japan-will-have-to-dump-radioactive-fukushima-water-into-pacific-minister-says-idUSKCN1VV0CC


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on February 27, 2021, 10:44:00 am
Radioactive fish caught near Fukushima have five times the permitted radiation levels of highly dangerous cesium

A black rockfish caught near Fukushima by fishermen had caesium levels five times above the government’s permitted levels.

Radioactive cesium five times above permitted levels in Japan has been detected in black rockfish caught in northeastern Fukushima Prefecture, according to a Feb. 22 announcement by a local fishing association.

Some 500 becquerels per kilogram of cesium was found in black rockfish caught at a depth of 24 meters about 8.8 kilometers off the town of Shinchi, exceeding the national standard level of 100 becquerels per kilogram.

The Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations has since halted distribution of the fish until it can confirm their safety.

The voluntary suspension of seafood shipments by the fishing body marks the first time since October 2019, when 53 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium was detected in a white sea perch, exceeding the standard level set by the group at 50 becquerels per kilogram.

The fishing association has been conducting test fishing since June 2012 on a limited scale. After shipping restrictions on common skate were lifted in February 2020, shipment of all fish was permitted. The fishing body aims to resume full fishing operations in April.

It’s been 10 years since Japan’s worst nuclear accident, which was triggered by the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the country and a massive tsunami that wiped out everything in its path.

Yet the aftershocks from the devastating March 11 disaster continue to rattle these parts — the most recent occurring only a week ago, when a M7.3 earthquake hit on February 13, 2021.

It is not clear whether the radioactive substances in the offshore fish have been affected by the recent earthquake in the sea near Fukushima. But one thing is clear… Leaks and pressure drops have been reported in containment vessels after the quake.
Increase in radiation

The company’s errors have immediate implications, as monitoring equipment installed at sea off the plant detected a small increase in highly radioactive caesium in the days after the earthquake, indicating that water had indeed escaped from the site and was dispersing into the ocean.

And that coincided with the announcement that a black rockfish caught off the prefecture by a fishermen’s collective had caesium levels five times above the government’s permitted levels.

The revelations surrounding TEPCO’s latest problems is unlikely to reassure the public that produce from much of northeast Japan is safe to buy and eat.

Fukushima’s earthquake problems

The fallout from that incident was worsened after a serious earthquake on February 13 shook northeast Japan, including the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Seismologists said the magnitude 7.3 tremor was the largest to strike Japan since April 2011 and was actually the latest aftershock from the Great East Japan Earthquake nearly a decade ago.

TEPCO admitted a short while later that seismometers installed in two of the reactor buildings broke down last year and had not been repaired.

In addition, a report to the NRA confirmed that the earthquake caused radioactive water to slosh over the edges of containment tanks at the site, while the water level around two of the reactors has fallen.

That could indicate that the tremor enlarged existing fissures in the surrounding concrete or created new ones, enabling the escape of water that is needed to keep the reactors cool and prevent the release of more radioactivity into the atmosphere.

The incident “raised doubts” about TEPCO’s “fitness to operate nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, the utility must thoroughly reexamine every conceivable issue and raise its workers’ safety awareness to prevent missteps, once and for all.
Fukushima radioactive water problem

And how do you remove a million tonnes of contaminated water? All of the water that touches the highly radioactive molten fuel also becomes contaminated.

Although the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) removes more than 60 different types of radioactive materials from the water, it doesn’t completely purify it. The radioactive element, tritium, remains inside all of the stored water, albeit at “low” levels

Currently, 1.2 million tonnes of contaminated water is stored in more than 1,000 tanks spanning the entire power plant facility. But by the end of next year, the tanks and the site will be full.

The Japanese government is now weighing up what to do next. Experts have recommended disposing of it in the ocean as the most practical option as opposed to releasing it into the air.

Meanwhile, tritium water from nuclear plants is discharged all around the world… And Japan’s nuclear disaster site is still a hive of activity. TEPCO has spent the last 10 years trying to cool and stabilise the three reactors so that they can eventually start to remove the 800 tons of molten radioactive fuel debris that sits inside them.

https://strangesounds.org/2021/02/radioactive-fish-fukushima-cesium-radiation.html


Title: Re: 8.9 Japan quake and Fukushima nuclear meltdown
Post by: Mark on April 08, 2021, 08:03:44 pm
Japan will dump this Fukushima radioactive water into the ocean -
Strange Sounds
3 minutes

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga says that the government has put off figuring out what to do with all of the contaminated water building up at the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant for long enough — and it’s time to start dumping it into the ocean.

Suga’s hand is forced given that the plant will soon run out of space to store the contaminated groundwater seeping into the facility and he’s framing the controversial plan to release the water into the Pacific Ocean as “unavoidable.”

Japanese officials have been debating how to best contain the radioactive water at the Fukushima plant for years, but the plan that seems to have stuck is to purify the water as best as possible, dilute the radioactive tritium that persists even after the cleaning process, and to dump it over the course of 30 years.

“What to do with the [treated] water is a task that the government can no longer put off without setting a policy,” Japanese trade minister Hiroshi Kajiyama told reporters on Wednesday.

But outside of government halls, the plan is still considerably unpopular, especially among fishers who are concerned no one will want to buy fish caught in radioactive waters. Reasonably so, too, since 15 countries and regions still restrict imports from the Fukushima prefecture.

Suga is expected to make a formal decision on the release by next Tuesday. If the government proceeds, the plan will be to dilute tritium down to just 2.5 percent of the maximum concentration allowed by national standards before dumping it out.

That means, Japanese officials say, the water won’t be dangerous to people — though only time will tell how much people trust it.[The Japan Times, Futurism]

https://strangesounds.org/2021/04/japan-dumps-fukushima-radioactive-water-into-ocean.html