If I understand it correctly the problem was not the earthquake but the Tsunami. The backup generators used to power the water pumps failed. These particular plants are 40 years old and are not of the type with the water reservoir above the nuclear pile. That is the best configuration because in the event of total power failure they can just use gravity to dump the water. This may be a case of triple redundancy gone awry.
As for disaster relief, the Japanese Red Cross is renowned for its efficiency and planning. They are the first people you would ever want to see anywhere in the world when it hits the fan.
I know I shouldn’t be thinking this but I find myself looking at ever larger views of the “big picture”. Everybody is thinking about all the important stuff that needs to be done first but I can’t help looking down the road to all the layers of the onion that get pealed away. The impact of multiple run-away nuclear meltdowns. It’s unimaginable. They were showing jet stream paths out of Japan and I could easily experience the tail end of this. That’s how bad it is. I keep thinking of all the people who are sick or pregnant or otherwise tied up with their own limitations. Imagine dealing with a kidney stone or geriatric parent while Armageddon swirls around you. And finally, pets or just wildlife in general. Those animals aren’t even on anyone’s radar and never will be. How do you mourn for a cat when your neighbors are dead.
Was there any change in elevation? Somewhere on those USGS pages, I saw a to-scale cross-section of the subduction zone, the trench in the ocean floor, and the earthquake site, and I am now imagining that as the crust above the subducting Pacific plate jerked eastward, it also thinned out a little.
The Japanese government was severely criticized for completely dropping the ball after the Kobe earthquake, so it’ll be interesting to see how/whether things have improved.
Woah! Don’t Panic! We caught a decent belt of the Chernobyl aftermath here in Britain, and it really wasn’t much of a big deal. This thing is nothing like the scale of what happened there.
for instance, don’t know why, but when I saw the power plant blow up, I immediately recalled a Japanese incendiary balloon during WWII landed a few miles from here . . .
“For every dollar you donate to the American Red Cross “Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami” Disaster Relief Fund from today through March 31, 2011, dealnews will match 100 percent, up to $25,000.”
I’m not worried about it but it’s just the idea that it could reach this far puts a scale on things. I was amazed at how much of Mt Saint Helens ended up on my car.
Canadopers - if any of you wish to donate, send a text message with the word ASIA to 30333 to donate $5 to Canadian Red Cross. Or www . redcross . ca is their website.
there was an ireporter on cnn that had video of when the quake hit disney. from the sound and pictures everyone stayed very calm, sitting down or squating on the ground and holding onto the children. (perhaps it maybe different if one was on a ride) it seems as if disney is a good place to be during a natural disaster.
i’m glad to hear all are okay. it must have been a bit nervewracking for your wife.
I am aware of aftershocks but they are getting 4 an hour. There have been over 250 of them according to the news. Over 50 have been above 6.0, 7.2 was the biggest so far.
I live in Tokyo and am sitting in front of my TV, posting updates from Japanese live coverage of the quake. I’m not an earthquake expert, but am providing folks back home w/ news as it comes in, as opposed to when it becomes available on CNN, BBC etc.
I’ve been posting on my FB page, and am making my posts visible to everyone, if anyone is interested. My name is Judy Howland.
there’s also a link to donate to the Red Cross for this disaster in the iTunes Store (Mac and PC iTunes app, doesn’t appear to be a link on the iPhone iTunes store) and on the Apple webpage
Okay, now I don’t feel so bad for thinking the same thing. With the earthquake, tsunami and potential nuclear meltdown I’ve been picturing Godzilla, Rodan, Ghidira, et al heading for Japan in a “what’s next?” scenario. If that happens, maybe one of them will say “guys, don’t you think they’ve had enough for now?”
