Japan hit by powerful earthquake

[GentaiShinigami]

If you listen closely, you can hear roughly 3-4 people saying things to her in hushed tones.. something's going on.

Yeah been hearing that too. Here is a different angle of the explosion. Definitely not steam, and damn thats a lot of smoke D:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...explosion.html

@ Shinzon I didn't even bother trying to post it cause I have no idea how to spell it xD

[*Shinzon*]

Fukushima prefecture says Tepco's no.1 reactor ceiling has collapsed - Jiji, Reuter's contributors reporting that it was the ceiling that collapsed and that that wall is the secondary contamination boundary, they do not know the condition of the first boundary.

[GentaiShinigami]

I think maybe this is the unit? https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Sievert

Bonus streetview of the plant for scale purposes (pre-earthquake):

Here

[Edelweiss]

Considering the heightened radioactivity detected earlier, and the presence of nuclear fission products.. I don't think the first containtment boundary held. One of Rachel Maddow's guests noted that this type of reactor has a vulnerability in the first containment boundary (feet of concrete).

[*Shinzon*]

I think Japan is going to have a serious problem on it's hands that can no longer be avoided. We can only hope at this point that the plant itself doesn't explode and spew the contaminants into the air. That earlier explosion though is not very encouraging.

More from Reuters:

Jiji news agency said there had been an explosion at the stricken 40-year-old Daichi 1 reactor and TV footage showed vapour rising from the plant, which lies 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo

Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Edano: expands evacuation area at no.2 plant to 10 km

[GentaiShinigami]

I may be confused, but didn't it just explode? The second containment is completely gone, and the first containment was inside that wasn't it? The first containment was supposed to be weak because of the rods coming up from the bottom rather than the top.

[Apelila]

Al Jazeera just showed a clip with the explosion at the plant. Holy shit.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...werefucked.png

[*Shinzon*]

Either they don't know much or the information they are getting from ground zero is varied. There was an explosion but I don't think it was from the reactor itself, but rather an explosion that took the wall down. Fuck I don't know really, trying to piece together different sources.

[Edelweiss]

I may be confused, but didn't it just explode? The second containment is completely gone, and the first containment was inside that wasn't it? The first containment was supposed to be weak because of the rods coming up from the bottom rather than the top.

Only the shell of the building remains, it's entirely blown out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg4uo...tailpage#t=43s

Closer look; the explosion looked rather forceful...so.

[Apelila]

There, I posted a picture. The video is much more terrifying when you consider the size of the building and that it houses a nuclear reactor.
New page:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...werefucked.png

[*Shinzon*]

Just saw the AJE clip, yea.... that building is completely compromised. If the reactor goes there is no doubt we're all fucked.

[Shenrien]

I really hope this doesn't end up like Chernobyl, for the JPs sake.

[GentaiShinigami]

I'm hearing that radiation reading was taken before the explosion. Hate to know what it is now if it was indeed a reactor blow @.@

Edit: I posted the video way up, and a 2nd angle further down guys XD

[Asai]

JP stream showing some of the plant footage. Not in english. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/annnews

[Yeyoking]

That guy in the NHK stream chat is saying that "1ST TOWER OF ALL 4 HAD BROKEN ALREADY <URL removed> MEANS MELTDOWN STARTING"

So what does it mean for us if it does end up like Chernobyl??

[Shenrien]

Worst case, it could spread over South East Asia poisoning millions who are not evacuated from the area, it could spread out to the west, worst it could do I think is kill a bunch of marine life and threaten Hawaii.

Either way, Japan I would think would become a wasteland.

[GentaiShinigami]

IDK, but this plant is much bigger than chernobyl was. Granted this one doesn't seem to be burning forever like chernobyl did (hard to tell though with the out of date and cut-up footage) which is what spews all the radiation in the air.

Don't forget they have 4 other reactors in not great situations as well, and now less people/supplies to treat them with (well maybe 3, I think they got one stabilized mostly).

[Edelweiss]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster_effects

[Maguspk]

The nuclear plant will not affect the US. Most likely nothing too bad will come of it, comparing it to Chernobyl is beyond stupid.

[Kaylia]

That guy in the NHK stream chat is saying that "1ST TOWER OF ALL 4 HAD BROKEN ALREADY <URL removed> MEANS MELTDOWN STARTING"

So what does it mean for us if it does end up like Chernobyl??

30 kilometer wide area that will be abandonned, people who were close will get cancer, people who arent moving the fuck away now will also get it...I don know.

I'm not sure how bad it is on long distance with wind and stuff like this though, but I wouldnt stay close from that point at the moment. Probably won't be as bad, but shit, I'm a pussy when it involves my life.