# What is the worst case scenario for Japan right now? (re: Nuclear plant) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-case-scenario-for-japan-right-now-re-nuclear-plant/574494 "2011-03-13T03:34:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 43
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-case-scenario-for-japan-right-now-re-nuclear-plant/574494/43 "2011-03-15T16:33:39Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > I thought I read somewhere that two of the hydrogen explosions breached reactor containment\* buildings\* but not containment _vessels_ themselves, but I can’t cite that. You may have read a cite for that in [this other thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=600387): > [@Japan's nuclear power plants](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japans-nuclear-power-plants/574382/61): > > Not only that, but the outer building was \*designed \*to give way in the event of an explosion so that pressure would not damage the containment dome proper. > > Just as not understanding this blows away constanze’s credibility. Or you may have read any of the dozen other posters who have stressed the point the the shells of the containment buildings were blown up but not the containment dome and maybe not the shielding inside the domes. And I’m pretty sure every single news story has made this distinction as well. I can’t figure out how you could read any article and not come up with a cite for this. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-worst-case-scenario-for-japan-right-now-re-nuclear-plant/574494)._