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Japan - Reactor Explosion at Fukushima Nuclear Plant

Environment: UPDATE 6: Explosion in reactor 3 at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant; Radiation level normal at Onagawa nuclear plant. No indication of imminent meltdown.

This alert affects Japan
This alert began 14 Mar 2011 05:37 GMT and is scheduled to expire 16 Mar 2011 23:59 GMT.

Updated Information
A hydrogen explosion occurred at reactor 3 of the Fukushima No. 1 (Fukushima Daiichi) nuclear power plant in northeastern Honshu March 14 at about 1100. Government officials have estimated that the reactor`s inner containment unit remains intact. Three employees were injured in the blast and seven are reportedly missing. Technicians are continuing their investigation on the status of the plant and any impact of radioactive materials to the external environment.

Officials had advised the public in advance that the potential existed for a hydrogen explosion in reactor 3 as technicians released pressure in the unit to deal with a cooling system failure. A similar explosion had occurred earlier at the Fukushima facility`s reactor 1 while the same process was being performed. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced early March 13 that the cooling system had failed at the plant`s reactor 3 as of 0530 that morning. Officials were confident, however, that if the second explosion did indeed occur, there would be no significant impact on human health.

Radiation levels have returned to normal late March 13 at Tohoku Electric`s Onagawa nuclear power plant, located about 335 km (208 miles) northeast of Tokyo on the Miyagi Prefecture shoreline. Earlier in the day elevated radiation levels prompted authorities to declare the first (lowest) level of emergency at the plant. The plant`s cooling systems are reportedly operating properly. Authorities believe that the radioactivity causing the increase was probably carried by the wind from the Fukushima No. 1 facility located 116 km (72 miles) to the south.

Background and Analysis
Cooling systems have failed at at least two reactors at Tokyo Electric Power Company`s (TEPCO) Fukushima No. 1 (Fukushima Daiichi) nuclear power plant, located about 225 km (140 miles) northeast of Tokyo on the shore of Fukushima Prefecture. A large explosion occurred at the number 1 reactor at 1536 March 12, after its cooling system failed in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The explosion apparently occurred when hydrogen gas released during emergency venting mixed with the outside air, destroying portions of the concrete reactor building`s walls and roof. The steel core container was not breached and high radiation levels around the plant immediately after the accident have since fallen.

Additional, cooling systems have failed at three reactors at the TEPCO Fukushima No. 2 plant, also on the shoreline approximately 11 km (7 miles) south of Fukushima No. 1. The government has stated that conditions at that site are not as dangerous as at No. 1, but the reactors` exact status remains unclear.

An evacuation zone remains in effect in a 20 km (13 miles) radius around Fukushima No. 1 and No. 2, with more than 170,000 people evacuated. Police may block road access until the situation stabilizes.

There is no indication that enough radiation has been released to affect Tokyo or other large cities. NISA has rated the Fukushima No. 1 incident as a 4 on the 1 to 7 International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), below Three Mile Island`s 5 and Chernobyl`s 7.

Advice
Avoid approaching the 20 km evacuation radius. Heed the advice and instructions of authorities. Anyone who has been within the 20 km evacuation radius and feels ill should immediately seek medical advice.

Created: 14 March 2011  [Travel | Tourism]