Antinuclear

Today – a hoax about new Fukushima crisis obscures the real peril that continues there

Nuclear Perceptions Fight Reality OpEd News,   By William Boardman, 22 Oct 12,  FUKUSHIMA FREAKOUT OBSCURES REAL ACCIDENT THAT GOES ON AND ON An early morning flurry of internet reports carried scary  — but false — headlines  aboutFukushima  nuclear power plant’s fuel

pools exploding and burning, and releasing massive amounts of radiation on October 22.  Many readers expressed skepticism, as the reports seemed to come from a single, unconfirmed source and by later the same afternoon more responsible websites were labeling the story a hoax .

The Fukushima accident in Japan continues nonetheless, at a slower pace for now, even though one of the more dangerous damaged units has cracks in its walls and is sinking into the ground, as affirmed by nuclear engineer Arnie Gunderson  in his October 21 podcast .

Unit 4 at Fukushima is perhaps the most threatening part of the damaged plant because the unit’s fuel rods are outside the containment where further mishap could lead to the release massive amounts of radiation directly into the environment.

At the time of the earthquake in March 2011, about 100 miles of Japan’s coastline, including the area around Fukushima, dropped about three feet, increasing the impact of the tsunami that destroyed the nuclear  power plant, which continues to deteriorate.

In recent weeks it’s become increasingly clear  that Fukushima Unit 4, with its unprotected fuel rods is continuing to sink  into the ground, and is sinking asymmetrically, creating the possibility that the building will begin to tilt.   The unit sank about 36 inches in March 2011 and has sunk another 30 inches since then, as confirmed by Gunderson.

How Safe Is a Buckled, Sinking Building?…….. http://www.opednews.com/articles/Nuclear-Perceptions-Fight-by-William-Boardman-121022-931.html

October 23, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized