Japan rocked with 8.9 earthquake.

**Kirsten** · 03-12-2011, 07:15 AM

My gosh, just heard there was an explosion in the nuclear plant of Fukushima, and the roof of the reactor was blown away...

It's almost 25 years ago that we had to face Chernobyl, and now the same seems to happen again...

Cabinet secretary: Explosion at Japanese nuclear plant

**pomtzu** · 03-12-2011, 07:56 AM

The media seems to be downplaying this situation of the explosion - probably to avoid any panic. But this appears to be a very bad situation to start with, and now is just getting worse. How do they stop a meltdown once it's started?? Sorry, but I'm no nuclear genius, so darned if I know.

**Maya & Inka's mommy** · 03-12-2011, 07:59 AM

Oh gosh............ that' s terrible.........

!!

Let's hope that they can get control on that nuclear plant! My hubby says it is a different kind of reactor than Tjernobyl. Something about "graphite's"

So many people are suffering now...!

My main prayer is that there will not be a nuclear explosion , because if Tokyo gets hit, this is extremely bad for the world economy!! So many companies have their headquarters in Tokyo, so many people live in that huge city...

@Sirrahbed: where was Missy living in Japan a few years ago???

**Alysser** · 03-12-2011, 09:29 AM

It's horrible, and now the Nuclear Plant blew.

Many good thoughts going out the survivors and the remainder of the population there, and anyone effected elsewhere.

**Asiel** · 03-12-2011, 09:53 AM

We were watching the devastation in Japan and I was shocked when they announced the plant blew. From what they were broadcasting yesterday it seemed they had that under control, I think maybe they are downplaying the situation.
Looking at all the videos and pictures on the news made me realize how lucky we are to live where we do. We get upset with snowstorms when they hit , we just got over another big one , having a few more into April would be no surprise but it sure made me appreciate that our only gripe is the sometimes heavy snow. Not much to get upset at compared to what some of those oter countries go through. Floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc..we never have to fear that.

**lizbud** · 03-12-2011, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Kirsten

My gosh, just heard there was an explosion in the nuclear plant of Fukushima, and the roof of the reactor was blown away...

It's almost 25 years ago that we had to face Chernobyl, and now the same seems to happen again...

Cabinet secretary: Explosion at Japanese nuclear plant

I read this morning that the building housing the reactor blew up, but the
reactor was not affected. Scary stuff.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapc...x.html?hpt=T1#

**Karen** · 03-12-2011, 02:27 PM

It is quite clear that Japanese officials are lying about what is happening at the nuclear plant. We have seen the video of that explosion, and there is no plausibility to them saying that no or very little radiation has escaped.

That everyone within a 12-mile radius has been told to evacuate, and that ring keeps growing, is a very bad sign. We are afraid for all the people and animals - both pets and wild animals in the area.

**momoffuzzyfaces** · 03-12-2011, 03:03 PM

They are saying now that a second reactor has moved into the red zone whatever that means. I imagine it's nothing good.

**RICHARD** · 03-14-2011, 12:32 AM

This is one of the saddest natural disasters to happen in my lifetime.

Not to discount other tragedies, but this was a double whammy.

-------------------------

One thing that is important to understand about a new clear reactor is how they operate and how they are made.

There isn't radioactivity spewing out across the landscape unless the closed system is broken.

I hope that it's all well for the people of Japan, this is a disaster in triplicate..

-------------------

Yeah,

WTF is that volcano doing?

That's effing BS, haven't these people suffered enough?

**pomtzu** · 03-12-2011, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Karen

It is quite clear that Japanese officials are lying about what is happening at the nuclear plant. We have seen the video of that explosion, and there is no plausibility to them saying that no or very little radiation has escaped.

That everyone within a 12-mile radius has been told to evacuate, and that ring keeps growing, is a very bad sign. We are afraid for all the people and animals - both pets and wild animals in the area.

Of course they're lying - the same as our own government would do in the same situation. They are reporting that the level of radiation around the plant is dropping too - so why do they keep increasing the area of evacuation???? That just doesn't equate.

A lot more videos on CNN and MSNBC that weren't available yesterday, have been playing today. It's so much worse than anything I could have imagined, or anything I saw yesterday. Also now reporting that 9500 people in one port town are missing, and that 4 trains that were traveling along the coast are gone. It just gets worse by the hour.

**Freedom** · 03-12-2011, 08:16 PM

Yesterday we watched tv most of the day - MSNBC and CNN.

Today, I just couldn't. I did turn it on for an hour, CNN. Wolf Blitzer had the Japanese ambassador on, live, sitting right next to him. I felt so badly for the poor man. His English wasn't great, he seemed no match for Blitzer, and Blitzer kept on about the nuclear plant situation. It was clear he was giving the "party line." He just couldn't cover it

Finally someone sent in a Tweet, and Blitzer asked the man - all his immediate family is fine, but extended family and many, many friends have not made contact w/ anyone.

And more photos, more filming, MORE after shocks, MORE tsunami sirens -- one went off while Blitzer was on, he cut to the on sight journalist for that.

The film of that huge whirlpool, and the small boat being drawn in -- and so many other videos and photos -- seem like special effects from some movie. I have to keep reminding myself, this is REAL!

I had to stop watching, it was just SO MUCH; imagine the people there; they can't take a break from the flattened surroundings.

**IRescue452** · 03-12-2011, 08:24 PM

Its all terrible. I went to Lakeland College and had a lot fo friends from Lakeland College Japan. I just spent some time putting in searches for people on google's people finder for the earthquakes in Japan. I hope I get some responses soon.

**wombat2u2004** · 03-12-2011, 09:00 PM

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/201...its_japan.html

**sasvermont** · 03-12-2011, 09:06 PM

From what I have heard, their next trick is to fill the reactor with sea water and boric acid, bringing the temperature down .... and killing the reactor completely. The very last resort is to fill it with concrete. I feel comfortable that the Japanese government has it under control. I don't think they want to panic the public. Since they knew all along that earthquakes were an issue, they prepared for it.... and have had all the plans in place, unlike some of the earlier meltdown failures. Of course, they had hoped that the diesel generators would have worked better - and the backup batteries worked better .... failed in both cases....now they are down to the last two resorts. The explosion wasn't a surprise to them from what I have heard in the reports... I predict that the concrete trucks are mixing up their loads right now. The seawater option creates a problem of where to expel the water...right back into the ocean? Radioactive water into the ocean? I hope not. Thus concrete sounds like the only option left.

Disclaimer: I could be totally wrong about this. Just gathered this information from what I have heard via the news reports. NPR mostly.