Monday, March 21, 2011

The clouds of smoke over Fukushima reconexin force to stop the reactors 3 and 4

The appearance of two clouds of smoke over the reactors 2 and 3 in central Fukushima, damaged by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, has revived concerns about the state of the nuclear plant, after the company this morning Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), which operates the plant, announced that the six reactors were connected to power and when the prime minister himself, Naoto Kan, had assured that the situation was improving "gradually" in gravity.

At this time the gray cloud of reactor 3 has already been dissipated, yet the incidence has forced to stop work to reconnect the reactors 3 and 4 to supply. The cloud of smoke from the reactor 2 is steam and not from the fuel pool, as indicated by technical Tepco, Kyodo reported. The column of gray smoke over the reactor 3, the most dangerous because it contains plutonium, had forced the evacuation of several workers and stop the spraying operation of sea water on the heated facility.

Meanwhile, continuing the cloud of white smoke on the reactor 2, which seeps through a crack in the roof of the building that houses the reactor. The cause of the two columns of smoke, although the company has said that has not changed the levels of radioactivity. The last two reactors ready to be connected to the main network today were the numbers 3 and 4, the two damaged units, as reported by the technicians, quoted by Kyodo news agency.

Due to the emergency have been arrested connection work, which is necessary to start the cooling system that reduces the temperature at the sites affected. Officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sent a message of caution: the situation is "very serious" but have "no doubt" that the crisis "will be overcome successfully." Amano has also been recognized that after the accident in Fukushima you should review the nuclear safety standards and the current pattern of international response to emergencies.

The incident in unit 3 (the most dangerous, because it contains plutonium) has not caused a significant increase in levels of radioactivity, or appreciable change in the pressure of the reactor containment vessel, according to Kyodo news agency reported. The company is reviewing the damage to the cooling system of the reactors and other plant machinery before attempting to turn them on again.

The only unit that operates using the power of the network is the reactor number 5, since it is one of the least damaged, according to company sources. Given the instability of central Fukushima, U.S. authorities have begun to distribute potassium iodide to members of his staff and family in Tokyo, Yokohama and other areas of Japan, as a measure of prevention against possible exposure to radiation.

A growing number of victims While the situation is slowly improving Fukushima, each day increases the death toll from the worst crisis that Japan has suffered since the Second World War. According to the latest tally, the death toll rises to 8,649, while the missing number rises to 12,877.

The total of deaths, 5,244 belong to the province of Miyagi, 2,650 to Iwate, and 699 to Fukushima. So far 3,550 bodies have been identified figures of dead and missing could overlap, since many of the bodies have been recovered have not been identified yet, so you can be among the missing.

More than 360,000 displaced people are still staying in schools, gyms and government buildings. A note of optimism came when they were located two survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. A woman of 80 years and his grandson, 16 were rescued on Sunday after the boy managed to get out of the ruins of his destroyed house.

Survived nine days with food from the refrigerator. International concern Concerns that there is a toxic cloud similar to that of Chernobyl has not disappeared, but the situation of the plant, that for 10 days is in the air to Japan and the international community, improving. This was said today the Koizumi was quoted by the Japanese agency Kyodo.

After suffering a series of explosions as a result of the magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami occurred on 11 in the northeast, which caused the leakage of radioactive material and forced the evacuation of the population in 20 miles, technicians yesterday managed to restore power to the reactor number 2-the plant has six-, which is a crucial step to cool the spent fuel rods and limit the escape of deadly radioactivity.

Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), the nuclear operating company, said yesterday that it expected to launch the control room, lighting and cooling the reactor 1. The receive power of 2, since both are connected and in this second installment even considered that the control panel comes into operation today.

The pressure in the reactor 3, the most worrying because it contains highly toxic plutonium, seem to have increased this morning (late in Spain), so that technicians raise some air leak to prevent explosions. Emergency teams were scheduled to meet today or tomorrow the reactor 4. 5 and 6 reactors are under control: they lowered the temperature to acceptable levels after several days of pumping water in fuel storage pools.

But stable condition "grave" situation of the reactor is stabilized but remains "very serious", as announced by the IAEA today from Vienna. The agency adds that there has been a "positive development" in the last 24 hours in the nuclear power plant damaged and that, despite the seriousness, they have "no doubt" that the crisis will be overcome successfully, "according to indicated Yukiya Amano, Director General of IAEA.

However, it should call for caution because the plant is releasing radiation and not discarded even greater risk. Revealed that TEPCO Fukushima six workers who were exposed to high radiation levels are still working and have not suffered health problems. If measures are not successful, technicians must take tough decisions, such as covering the plant with sand and concrete sarcophagus, similar to that of Chernobyl.

About 300 engineers and technicians working at top speed into the danger zone to prevent a catastrophe. "I think the situation is improving step by step," said Tetsuro Fukuyama, a spokesman for the Government. Radioactivity in food The World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated an investigation to analyze the possible effects of radiation on food from the affected area.

The Government today gave the order to suspend the sale of spinach and milk of four areas near Fukushima, after tests found levels of radioactive iodine than the safety limits. The water in Tokyo, which was detected iodine, also tested positive cesium. Both levels are very low. Taiwan has been identified in radioactivity in a lot of beans imported from Japan, although far less harmful to health.

In addition, the Japanese Ministry of Health has insisted this morning that residents of areas near the central should not drink tap water because they have detected high levels of iodine. Some Asian countries control food and passengers in Japan to check radiation levels. China and South Korea have announced today that tighten controls on Japanese food, hours after the World Health Organization (WHO) notice that the detection of radiation in some Japanese foods were more severe than expected.

The days of the Fukushima nuclear plant I are numbered. The Japanese government said yesterday that it will be closed once the nuclear crisis is resolved. "If we look at the situation objectively, the dismantling is clear," said Yukio yesterday Edan, Chief Executive Office of Japan, which also announced that the Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, has plans to travel this week to witness Fukushima jobs cleaning of the plant, on his second visit to the site after the earthquake.

Relatively normally in Tokyo In Tokyo, life begins to return slowly to normal after improvement of the situation in Fukushima, 240 miles north. Many people fled the capital last week to the south, while others locked themselves in their homes for fear of the potential arrival of radioactivity.

But, tired of staying in detention, have taken to the streets this weekend, especially in shopping and entertainment. Nevertheless, concern remains. "I'm a little scared, but the Japanese people is very strong and will overcome the situation," said Takashi Oka, a doctor of 26 years in the Ginza district, known for its luxury shopping.

All around, people go through bags and in and out of stores. In the district of Shibuya, people en masse back across the famous intersection in X. But all three giant screens that dominate the checkerboard of traffic lights and zebra crossings are in the dark. TEPCO said yesterday that seek to reduce taxes rotating blackouts in part of Tokyo.

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