Japan is recovering from a devastating earthquake, but they should consider themselves very lucky, as they just missed what could have been a far more devastating event, the total annihilation and destruction of a nuclear reactor. The explosion and fire at the Kashiwazaki nuclear plant bears an eerie resemblance to the dangerous event we experienced at Entergy's failing Indian Point reactors earlier this spring when a transformer simply BLEW UP, threatening workers, and potentially members of the public as well. If the earthquake had been a bit stronger, or a little closer, the Kashiawazaki Reactor could have been split right down the middle like a cracked egg, and if that had happened, the early morning earthquake would be the least of japan's problems.Here in America, Entergy's aged and dying reactors known as Indian Point FAILED to meet five of the six siting criteria necessary to be built. Instead of just saying no, our government WAIVED the criteria and allowed these reactors to be built anyway. More astounding, said brittling reactors are built on a known earthquake fault line. Do we have to wait until the egg is broken for the NRC to correct their errors? The time to close Indian Point is now. FAST BREAKING NEWS...the reactor accident is MUCH WORSE than first admitted, Japanese officials admitting radioactive release into the environment...ARE CITIZENS AND THE ENVIRONMENT AT RISK?
Japan Quake Kills Six, Injures Hundreds
By KOJI SASAHARA,
AP
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/japan-quake-kills-six-injures-hundreds/20070715221509990001
Posted: 2007-07-16 07:51:56
Filed Under: Natural Disaster, World
KASHIWAZAKI, Japan (July 16) - A strong earthquake struck northwestern Japan on Monday, destroying hundreds of homes, buckling roads and bridges and causing a fire at a nuclear power plant. At least six people were killed and hundreds were injured.
The quake hit the region shortly after 10 a.m. local time and was centered off the coast of Niigata state. Buildings swayed 160 miles away in Tokyo. The hardest-hit area appeared to be Kashiwazaki, a city of about 90,000 in Niigata
Japan's Meteorological Agency measured the quake at a 6.8 magnitude. The U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors quakes around the world, said it registered 6.7.
"I was so scared, the violent shaking went on for 20 seconds," Ritei Wakatsuki, who was on her job in a convenience store in Kashiwazaki. "I almost fainted by the fear of shaking."
Flames and billows of black smoke poured from the Kashiwazaki nuclear plant, which automatically shut down during the quake. The fire, in an electrical transformer, was put out about two hours later and there was no release of radioactivity or damage to the reactors, said Motoyasu Tamaki, a Tokyo Electric Power Co. official.
Tsunami warnings were issued along the coast of Niigata but later lifted.
The quake hit the region shortly after 10 a.m. local time and was centered off the coast of Niigata state. Buildings swayed 160 miles away in Tokyo. The hardest-hit area appeared to be Kashiwazaki, a city of about 90,000 in Niigata
Japan's Meteorological Agency measured the quake at a 6.8 magnitude. The U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors quakes around the world, said it registered 6.7.
"I was so scared, the violent shaking went on for 20 seconds," Ritei Wakatsuki, who was on her job in a convenience store in Kashiwazaki. "I almost fainted by the fear of shaking."
Flames and billows of black smoke poured from the Kashiwazaki nuclear plant, which automatically shut down during the quake. The fire, in an electrical transformer, was put out about two hours later and there was no release of radioactivity or damage to the reactors, said Motoyasu Tamaki, a Tokyo Electric Power Co. official.
Tsunami warnings were issued along the coast of Niigata but later lifted.
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