What about the earthquake in Japan?

Question

I am really concerned about the nuclear plant and the leaks they have since the 6.8 earthquake yesterday. I know this is a VERY serious issue but how far away could an explosion affect other countries? I ask this because Japan has a bad track record with these nuclear power plants. What are the effects on the sea life too? Nuclear water has leaked into the ocean too. Also this morning, CNN announced that there was barrels found open and empty. Serious answers please.

How much of this nuclear waste is harmful to the sea life? I believe they said it was called "waste water"?

See "Mark B", this is what I read about after I posted this question. There are apparently a lot of problems with the Japanese and their handling of the nuclear plants. I am just curious as to how far away the affects are going to be, (countries, people) felt when the big one comes.

RunSueRun, that is my other concern too! What about the victims of this earthquake/ plant issue? I know that the Japs have sent help and aid to our country many times. If you are aware of a fund, please email me.

Answer 1

There is no way to make this 'right'. The answerer who has said this is a 'dreamer'.

Japan is a 'disaster' waiting to happen. I understand that their only way to get 'power' is nuclear, but that will never change what nature can and will eventually do.

They thought Aug. 6 & 9 /1945 was bad - wait 'till a gigantic quake hits(and it will), the radiation will be enormous !!

Answer 2

Japan is a big Island with very few rivers, so they have no choices to revert to nuclear power plants to produce the energy need. Their nuclear power stations, are mainly build by Toshiba, and are among the safest in the world! Japan Island is stuck between two subducting lines, which means that their Island is aquite unstable geologically speaking. Therefore, only the old houses made at the beginning of this century have collapse during the Earthquake as most newer buildings are equiped with earthquakes compensators devices (like rollerblades but for the foundations).

As for the nuclear incident, many countries have tested nuclear explosion under water (ever heard about Bikini Island). And few peoples also know that radioactivity and radioactive minerals are naturally found in nature. Tchernobyll have teach us that nature take over radioactivity quite fast (about 10 years for the tree cells to support 100 times more radiations than before). So this thing is dangerous in the short term, but will get absorbed later on.

In any case, Japanese emergency measures, are MUCH better than in America, so they will find a way to make this right!!

Answer 3

There should really be a world body that governs how nuclear material can be stored....oh wait, there is.

No danger of an explosion, but leaking radiation is a threat to anyone in the area for a few thousand years. A similar thing almost happened when the Mississippi river flooded and flood waters came within 8 feet of the barrels stored on an island in Minnesota. Who stores nuclear waste on a island in a river that floods every year? Who stores nuclear waste in barrels? If you think too hard on this situation you won't get much sleep.

Answer 4

Well Japan has many earthquakes , almost daily. And some are pretty good shakes. When it comes to nuclear water . If it was a 55 gal barrel and was spilled into the ocean . How many parts per trillion would u have. Even if it was pretty hot . You would have a better chance of dropping a barrel of HCL in the ocean and trying to detect it with litmus paper.

Answer 5

I lived close to a nuclear power for 25 years and we never had a problem. It's a cheap way to produce electricity and it's safe..One incident will cause everyone to be afraid of it..3 mile island was the nuclear plant to have problems and that has been 30 years ago. Technology has improved since then

Answer 6

Wherever the earthquake and tsunami happened in Japan, all anime and manga production will be shut down for about 2 years. In Tokyo, anime production will be seized for about a day or 2 and manga production will continue going. Except that no new books will be published for about 1 week.

Answer 7

The latest information is that the leak hasn't stopped.
Besides, the problem with the safety of the Japanese nuclear plants on the west coast is pretty old and widely discussed by China, Korea and Russia. Even if a problem exists, I doubt someone will admit it, because they risk a huge international attack, which would cause immense impact on their economy.

Answer 8

Japan's news
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P_4KSdHIFo&mode=related&search=
They say no harm for human and environment.The radio activity from leaked water is as harmful as 6L of water of radon hot spring.
But they also say in another news that there would be a unconfirmed fault just 20kms under the plant and have to pay attention for it though It have been stopped completely.

Answer 9

It's not big threat at this moment. It was of radioactive water from a spent fuel pool, but the level of radioactivity was lower than that in cooling water used for nuclear power reactors.
Anyway you better keep checking news for a while.

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200707170374.html
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/07/16/japan.quake.ap/

Answer 10

There were about fifty barrels of "radioactive waste" which went into the sea, NOT "waste water."



NOT GOOD.

Also, Japan sits on (I think it's ) SIX tectonic plates and has more earthquakes than almost any place on earth.

WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING WITH NUCLEAR FACILITIES, ANYWAY?