Japan's Chernobyl: Nuke crisis level raised

This photo released by Tokyo Electric Power Company shows a fire burning near the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant's Unit 4 reactor, April 11, 2011. / AP/TEPCO

TOKYO - Japan raised the severity level of the crisis at its crippled nuclear plant Tuesday to rank it on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, citing cumulative radiation leaks that have contaminated the air, tap water, vegetables and seawater.

Japanese nuclear regulators said the rating was being raised from 5 to 7 — the highest level on an international scale overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency — after new assessments of radiation leaks from the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant since it was disabled by the March 11 tsunami.

The new ranking signifies a "major accident" that includes widespread effects on the environment and health, according to the Vienna-based IAEA.

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While Japanese officials have played down any health effects so far, the revision came a day after the government added five communities to a list of places people should leave to avoid long-term radiation exposure. A 12-mile radius already had been cleared around the plant.

Japanese officials have said the leaks from the Fukushima plant so far amount to a tenth of the radiation emitted in the Chernobyl disaster, while acknowledging they eventually could exceed Chernobyl's emissions if the crisis continues.

"This reconfirms that this is an extremely major disaster. We are very sorry to the public, people living near the nuclear complex and the international community for causing such a serious accident," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.

But Edano told reporters there was no "direct health damage" so far from the crisis. "The accident itself is really serious, but we have set our priority so as not to cause health damage."

To quell anxiety, the government has launched statewide radiation screenings of citizens and property at thousands of checkpoints, but the government's assurances have provided little comfort to the residents of Fukushima, reports CBS News correspondent Lucy Craft.

Hironobu Unesaki, a nuclear physicist at Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute, said the revision was not a cause for worry, that it had to do with the overall release of radiation and was not directly linked to health dangers. He said most of the radiation was released early in the crisis and that the reactors still have mostly intact containment vessels surrounding their nuclear cores.

The change was "not directly connected to the environmental and health effects," Unesaki said. "Judging from all the measurement data, it is quite under control. It doesn't mean that a significant amount of release is now continuing."

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Continued aftershocks following the 9.0-magnitude megaquake on March 11 have impeded work in stabilizing the Fukushima plant — the latest a 6.3-magnitude one Tuesday that prompted plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co., or TEPCO, to temporarily pull back workers.

Officials from Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said that the cumulative amount of radioactive particles released into the atmosphere since the incident had reached levels that apply to a Level 7 incident. Other factors included damage to the plant's buildings and accumulated radiation levels for its workers.

The revision was based on cross-checking and assessments of data on leaks of radioactive iodine-131 and cesium-137, NISA spokesman Hidehiko Nishiyama said.

"We have refrained from making announcements until we have reliable data," Nishiyama said. "The announcement is being made now because it became possible to look at and check the accumulated data assessed in two different ways," he said, referring to measurements from NISA and Japan's Nuclear Security Council.

Nishiyama noted that unlike in Chernobyl there have been no explosions of reactor cores at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, although there were hydrogen explosions.

"In that sense, this situation is totally different from Chernobyl," he said.

NISA and the NSC have been measuring emissions of radioactive iodine-131 and cesium-137, a heavier element with a much longer half-life. Based on an average of their estimates and a formula that converts elements into a common radioactive measure, the equivalent of about 500,000 terabecquerels of radiation from iodine-131 has been released into the atmosphere since the crisis began.

That well exceeds the Level 7 threshold of the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale of "several tens of thousands of terabecquerels" of iodine-131. A terabecquerel equals a trillion becquerels, a measure for radiation emissions.

The government says the Chernobyl incident released 5.2 million terabecquerels into the air — about 10 times that of the Fukushima plant.

However, an official from TEPCO, Takashi Kurita, acknowledged that, if leaks continue, the amount of radioactivity released might eventually exceed the amount emitted by Chernobyl.

The company, under fire for its handling of the accident and its disaster preparedness before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, issued yet another apology Tuesday.

"We humbly accept this. We deeply apologize for causing tremendous trouble to those who live near the nuclear complex and people in the prefecture," TEPCO spokesman Naoki Tsunoda said.

In Chernobyl, in the Ukraine, a reactor exploded on April 26, 1986, spewing a cloud of radiation over much of the Northern Hemisphere. A zone about 19 miles around the plant was declared uninhabitable, although some plant workers still live there for short periods and a few hundred other people have returned despite government encouragement to stay away.

In 2005, the Chernobyl Forum — a group comprising the International Atomic Energy Agency and several other U.N. groups — said fewer than 50 deaths could be confirmed as being connected to Chernobyl. It also said the number of radiation-related deaths among the 600,000 people who helped deal with the aftermath of the accident would ultimately be around 4,000.

The U.N. health agency, however, has said about 9,300 people are likely to die of cancers caused by radiation. Some groups, including Greenpeace, have put the numbers 10 times higher.

The Fukushima plant was damaged in a massive tsunami that knocked out cooling systems and backup diesel generators, leading to explosions at three reactors and a fire at a fourth that was undergoing regular maintenance and was empty of fuel.

The magnitude-9.0 earthquake that caused the tsunami immediately stopped the three reactors, but overheated cores and a lack of cooling functions led to further damage.

Engineers have pumped water into the damaged reactors to cool them down, but leaks have resulted in the pooling of tons of contaminated, radioactive water that has prevented workers from conducting further repairs.

A month after the disaster, more than 145,000 people are still living in shelters. The quake and tsunami are believed to have killed more than 25,000 people, but many of those bodies were swept out to sea and more than half of those feared dead are still listed as missing.

[thesevenveils]

OH great. This has been going on for a solid month before the Japanese government make this declaration?
BULL.
This accident could have been easily contained had the Japanese government reacted responisbly, taken control from the inept power company and controlled the situation before three reactors blew up in their faces.
With deep respect to the Japanese, its culture and its people I cannot believe how the power company, and the Japanese government have let down its people in such a grave disaster. Compared to this nuclear disaster, the tsunami was a child slashing in the tub.

Yea, sure, put nuclear power plants on the coast line, along a fault line, place the back up generators in basement pits (we call them swimming pools) right in the middle of an area that has experienced tsunamis even greater than this one for hundreds of years - nothing wrong will happen, enjoy your rice.

[clarkw11]

They should be shut down (all 104 of them). Then the whole East Coast would be dark. California would be dark. Lights out for all of you. Silly people. We have Coal, Natural Gas, Hydroelectric and Nuclear. You can Dream about wind, where I live they litter the land and the 1 Nuclear power plant produces so much more power that we sell the extra (nuclear power) to California. Solar power does the same, It covers vast areas with the panels and still wont produce near what the others produce. But hey... Shut those damn things down! Bring on the DARKNESS!!!

[alphaa10000]

ENERGY OPTIONS-- FAST BREEDER REACTORS, RENEWABLE WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY

NASA's Dr. James Hansen has said fast-breeder nuclear technology deserves a second look as an alternative to building more coal-fired power plants. Developers say fast breeder technology-- at least, in concept-- vastly reduces the waste produced.

But there have been understandable concerns about fast-breeder technology. Fast-breeder development was put on-hold early because of its vulnerability to terrorism, and because the US did not want to deny other nations fast-breeder reactors while building them conveniently for itself.

Like fossil-fuel plants, geothermal energy also comes from beneath the earth's surface, but geothermal is not mined out in a few hundred years, and produces no C02 burden. Extrusions of magma from the earth's molten core lie at variable depths from the surface, but many can be tapped to drive conventional power generators. Iceland, for example, already has plugged into its own geothermal riches, with no problems obtaining thermal or electrical energy.

Wind and solar are "renewable"-- not limited like fossil fuels as they harvest solar energy pouring daily down on the earth's surface. Renewable efficiencies are far better than when we began thinking about oil dependency, and steadily close the price gap with conventional power sources-- particularly after taking into account the actual cost of mineral extraction and distribution. (Not to mention the cost of MidEast wars. In his memoir, Greenspan says Iraq was all about oil.)

Interestingly, the MidEast may continue to supply power to its neighbors and to the EU-- solar and wind electricity delivered by land-lines. Countries like Morocco can harvest enough solar in one day to power the world for a year, at its present consumption rate.

But the MidEast is not the only lucky area. Aside from (variable) physical plant construction and maintenance costs, well-sited solar plants across the world's sun belt can realize the promise of renewable energy for their own regions-- all with no radiation or terror hazards, and no build-up of C02.

We are assured by conventional nuclear, coal, oil and gas advocates all this is a "pipe-dream", but scientists who work in alternative energy beg to disagree-- many of them, in fact, work at conventional mineral power companies which know the fossil fuel party will come to an end.

[FreshxWater]

cryptome.org is the best pics you can see of Daiichi.

An April 10 update.
cryptome.org/eyeball/daiichi-npp6/daiichi-photos6.htm
Go to the bottom of the page and look up to the 4th and 5th pics. This is what's called EVIDENCE. I see NO evidence of mud/debris and you can see a reactor in the background.

[ibsteve2u]

I always get a kick out of the statements regarding what is or is not a safe level of exposure to radiation.

They're all based upon the premise that each and every one of us is identical all the way down to the cellular level - and beyond - to a scientific model based upon limited empirical evidence (hard to get humans to volunteer for exposure to different radioactive isotopes "just to see what happens", you know).

If you <i>don't</i> happen to be a genetic clone of their "standard"...

Myself, I'd equate their "safe" exposure limits to insisting that everybody in the world requires exactly the same corrective lenses in the prescription glasses.

[FreshxWater]

I agree. Today, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women get cancer. Yes, we NEED MORE CANCER! The way the Corporate Media is spinning this disaster you can see how the Corporations control everything.

You can't even find the facts of our cancer rates on ANY Corporate Media site. Only fringe alternative sites.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/551998

The only hope is if people stop voting for Republicans and Corporate Democrats (Obama).

[stevador39]

The nuclear industry is a disaster. There is no way to contain or store nuclear waste. The nuclear industry is a crime against humanity.

[nfission]

I agree, it never should've been created, it's too volatile to be used as an energy source. All those geniuses including Einstein, what were they thinking? Just because you can split an atom should you? There's no way to harness the power safely once you start it, plus there is no place to store it. It is a crime against humanity and a formidable enemy.

[spaceatoms]

The problem is the realization of the economic impact instead of looking at humanitarian issues. The bailout again looked again at the former instead of the latter humanitarian and ethical issues. So we don't have computers for a few years while we change over to solar or geothermal power, we made it this far, looks like we can make it again but it the change must be at the top not bailing out a bunch of bankers who can't tie a shoe while we shut down NASA.

[James93x]

The nuclear facility should be mechanically-dissected. Once cooled and removed, the reactors provide case study for improved planning.

[Hadenoughuc]

We should all group together and rally to shut down all the nuke plants in the USA.......

[FreshxWater]

Good report on the terrible condition of Taiwan's nuclear plants. American cleaning companies have found loads of garbage in the cooling ponds.Areas of the reactors containment vessels canNOT be cleaned of sludge because of high radiation. If Taiwan's are like this I'd guess most of the world's are too!
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2011/04/05/2003499964

[Hadenoughuc]

And then to build it that close to the coast is just unacceptable ,They should never build anything that bad near a mass water source.

[documemts]

Ever hear of Diablo Canyon?

[FreshxWater]

Look at the pic CBSNEWS has published with this report. (small fire in seawater sampling building). I'd guess this building is 4-5 meters above sea level. Each level up to the plant in the far right corner is about 4-5 meters = 5levels x 4m=20meters x 3.28f = 65.6 feet. I've seen no evidence the tsunami wave damaged critical components. I've heard the Corporate Media say the tsunami caused damaged without ever supplying evidence. All information has come from one source, TEPCO salaried corporate Plant Manager.

[FreshxWater]

Empire - In some reports I read that the Tsunami damaged the generators not the pumps. But these "main stream" reports cited no evidence. So which is it pumps or generators and what is the source of the evidence?

All I ask is that you or the media show me some proof. If you have proof please post the links.

I'm sure you're seen the video of the boat captain gunning his boat head on to the tsunami wave? I believe that was shallower waters than the plant area because the plant was dredged to accommodate deep water hulls. Thus the wave was higher for the boat captain. Thus the wave in that video was NOT high enough to damage the plant.

I'm nervous that Americans accept information without logically dissecting it. Is this way America graduates the fewest in math and sciences?

[nfission]

I said two weeks ago that the reactor was in a complete meltdown. These people really have a difficult time stating the obvious.