2011 Sendai Earthquake & Tsunami

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

Japan's emperor in historic speech: 'Never give up hope'
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/0 ... tml?hpt=T1

An address by a sitting emperor is usually reserved for times of extreme crisis or war. Emperor Akihito's direct appeal to the public is considered exceptional in Japan and marks the first time that the emperor has spoken to the public after such a crisis.

[Infdidoll]

I think the US media is frothing at the mouth to see a melt down. If we weren't all panicking over this story right now after all, cable news ratings would have already fallen off to near their pre-quake levels. I hate to be cynical about it but I've been watching current events long enough to know this.

I think that if this were to become a large enough disaster that harmful amounts of radioactivity reach Okinawa, then it's pretty much in the jet stream and you won't be any safer in the United States, so unfortunately there's no real use in worrying about it.

The following post is NOT an official forecast and should not be used as such. It is just the opinion of the poster and may or may not be backed by sound meteorological/radiological/geological/psychiatric data. It is NOT endorsed by any professional institution including storm2k.org. For official information, please refer to, well, nobody seems to have any idea what's going on honestly!

Thank you for your answer! I think you are absolutely correct. I quit listening to the U.S. media after I found NHK's coverage, which is much more calm, concerned with FACTS not speculation, and isn't convinced the end of the world is happening tomorrow. I was convinced the world was coming to an end for about a half hour the other day. The U.S. media has completely run all credibility into the ground...and although there has been an earthquake, tsunami, and potential nuclear crisis - I think there is an even bigger fourth crisis: The U.S. media's obsession with politics and sensationalism. Should be a huge wake-up call to a lot of people.

I had some younger military wives contacting me in a panic because their mothers were telling them to empty their savings and come home. After explaining most flights from Okinawa are routed through Tokyo, where they could get stuck CLOSER to the radiation, they started considering just staying here. My plan, if worse came to worse, was to head to south east Asia and have a Singapore Sling in a pool somewhere in Thailand. I just came from there a few weeks ago...I'd gladly go back.

Right now, I'm relieved to hear Japan is accepting the help of the U.S. military so we don't have all those guys sitting offshore for nothing. My husband is on a CH-46 helicopter crew so I'm sure they'll be out delivering supplies. Hopefully sooner than later. From the looks of it, this stuff is needed NOW. I've seen lots of disaster footage. Nothing ever as heartbreaking as this.

[Chacor]

BBC:

At a news briefing with experts in London on Tuesday, the question was raised as to whether the incident should be upgraded from a four on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES).

INES four is defined as "accident with local consequences", five as "accident with wider consequences".

All the experts said that so far, four was the most apt category.

[RobWESTPACWX]

Good evening all, another busy night going on for me now.

At least now were getting in to a rythm as far as forecasting the weather around the HA/DR area. As far as the radiation, winds are out of the NW and looks like it is going to stay that way for the next 72hrs.

I know a lot of stuff as far as supplies and non-such is getting transported ashore from all the varios ships in the regions. Thus the U.S is having a decent hand in the recovery efforts. But Japan is a first world country and they really are taking the lead on the relief efforts.

With that said, I am pulling my wife and son out of the country, told the wife to catch a flight down to manilla, she has some family and friends there, thus will have her stay there until the situation gets better back home.

From her reports, gas is running out repeatedly, food is in short supply and rolling black outs are not helping on top of that. So would be better just to get the family out of that.

As for me, some rough seas made life a little miserable the last two days, another cold surge really kicked it up out here. Infidoll I'm around your region there so I'm sure you can confirm the cold northerly winds.

I know that will be a big concern for the people up north as well, we have snow in the fcst today and through out the week the cold northwesterlys. Hopefully they can get some heat turned on up there for the people with out it.

Any how stay safe out there everyone, thanks for the support and please if there is anything you can do to help the people out in Japan, I strongly suggest doing it.

Rob

[RobWESTPACWX]

Also infidoll, I'm sure your husband is allright as well. The media is really killing this nuclear scene, the bases and the whole kanto plain are very far from the fallout area. Glad to here hes up there though, maybe I'll give him a weather brief sometime!

[somethingfunny]

I'm concerned that search and rescue operations in Fukushima Prefecture have been scaled back because of the radiation leaks and trapped survivors are bleeding, starving, or freezing to death as a result. I have seen ZERO news reports from the devastation in that area.

[RobWESTPACWX]

Somethign funny, I have been watching Japanese news here, trust me they are getting taken care of by the japanese goverment. It is actually pretty incredible at how much they are doing.

[Aquawind]

I keep hearing we are giving supplies and it seems all I hear are thousands of pounds..These people need tons of supplies and will for some time. A couple of pallets barely make a dent. Granted I am sure they are appreciative for anything but, we need to get these people more blankets, food and medicine. I don't expect our military to do it all either. I imagine the distance logistics is one of the problems as well as our economy and we will be there helping for the long haul. I am so proud of these respectful people as they don't seem to be looting like the people in so many other countries..

Of course
I have been listening and reading USA news and I am disgusted how hollywood the new media is here they should all be ashamed of themselves..drama queens. I really want kick some of there pathetic rears. Seems like they are all taught to be dramatic hence..gone hollywood for money and fame..

[Ptarmigan]

Containment vessel failure unlikely: Edano
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 317a1.html

Meanwhile, TEPCO has been in trouble for false reporting in routine governmental inspection of its nuclear plants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Elec ... ny#Scandal

[Bunkertor]

I'm concerned that search and rescue operations in Fukushima Prefecture have been scaled back because of the radiation leaks and trapped survivors are bleeding, starving, or freezing to death as a result. I have seen ZERO news reports from the devastation in that area.

It´s close to zero. If they can´t manage to get the electric power line working, it is expected that the rods are going to melt, because there will be no water left to cool them dowm.

--> Just in: The evacuation zone will be expanded significantily. Munich airport detected radiation on a plane that has come from Tokio.

[Brent]

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko said at a congressional hearing in Washington that all the water is gone from the spent fuel storage pond of Fukushima Dai-ichi's Unit 4 reactor, but Japanese officials denied it. Hajime Motojuku, a spokesman for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co., said the "condition is stable" at Unit 4.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake

[cycloneye]

Alaska considers adding more radiation monitors:

WASHINGTON -- The state of Alaska is considering adding additional radiation monitors in rural areas as a precautionary measure as federal nuclear officials continue to monitor Japan's failing Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

State and federal officials continued to emphasize that they did not expect harmful radiation from Japan to reach North America, including Alaska.

The state currently has monitors placed in Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks. The Alaska sites have been monitoring radiation for three years, as part of a nationwide sensor network that collects radiation readings and sends them to an EPA lab in Alabama.


http://www.adn.com/2011/03/15/1757471/a ... ional.html

[Chacor]

BBC:

A top US nuclear official said attempts to cool reactors with sea water to prevent a meltdown appeared to be failing and workers could be exposed to "potentially lethal" radiation doses.

Japanese army helicopters on Thursday dumped water on the reactors to try to cool overheated fuel rods.

The plant was severely damaged by last week's huge earthquake and tsunami.

US Energy Secretary Steven Chu has said that the situation at the plant appears to be more serious than the partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania in 1979.

The US state department has urged Americans living within 80km (50 miles) of Fukushima Daiichi, which lies 220km from Tokyo, to leave the area - a much wider exclusion zone than the 20km advised by the Japanese government.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

Any how stay safe out there everyone, thanks for the support and please if there is anything you can do to help the people out in Japan, I strongly suggest doing it.

Rob

I'll be visiting the Salvation Army tomorrow.

Aid and Charitable Organizations

Each of the following groups have set up fundraising sites specifically for the victims of Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.

AMERICAN RED CROSS
Red Cross officials say donors can text REDCROSS to 90999 and a $10 donation will automatically be charged to donor’s phone bill, or donations can be made directly on its Web site.

AMERICARES
Information is available on the organization’s Web site.

B’NAI B’RITH INTERNATIONAL
To help the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami, donate online at the group’s secure Web site.
Or, by mail to: B’nai B’rith International Disaster Relief Fund, Attn: Japan Earthquake, 2020 K Street, NW, 7th Floor, Washington, D.C., 20006.
Or by phone: 800-573-9057

CARE
CARE is one of the world’s largest private international humanitarian organizations. Their offices in Asia are on high alert and have ensured that staff are informed of the tsunami warnings and other related developments.

GLOBALGIVING.ORG
GlobalGiving is working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground to disburse funds to organizations providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami. Donors can text JAPAN to 50555 to give $10, and larger increments can be submitted on GlobalGiving’s Web site.

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS
Information is available on the organization’s Web site.

LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL
Information is available on the organization’s Web site.

THE SALVATION ARMY
The Salvation Army has been providing food and shelter to Tokyo commuters who were stranded when public transportation was interrupted by the earthquake. They are to send a team to Sendai, a city about 250 miles Tokyo, to assess the situation there. Text JAPAN or QUAKE to 80888 to make a $10 donation. (Make sure to respond “YES” to the Thank You message you receive.) Donations can also be made on the organization’s Web site or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

SAVE THE CHILDREN
To make a donation, visit Save the Children’s Web site, call 1-800-728-3843, or text JAPAN to 20222 to donate $10.

SHELTERBOX.ORG
Shelterbox.org is a disaster-relief organization that focuses on providing survival materials such as tents and cooking equipment to families displaced by disasters.

UJA-FEDERATION OF NEW YORK
Information is available on the organization’s Web site or by calling (212) 836-1486.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

Two amazing pics are to be seen at this link
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow ... 65688.jpg/

Bathers wade in the Pacific Ocean as a dense school of fish approaches the beach in what residents said was unseen before in the resort city of Acapulco March 11, 2011. The fish appeared near the beach around the time the tsunami generated by the earthquake in Japan was expected to reach the coast of Mexico, but it is unknown whether there is any relationship between the two events.

edited because contents of links keep changing.

[dixiebreeze]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/scien ... .html?_r=1

Possibly southern California by Friday.

[Chacor]

Must be emphasised that this cannot be thought of in its current terms. Any radiation still left will be minuscule by the time it reaches the US.

[Chacor]

Latest news from NHK TV:

Confirmed dead: 5,924; 9,000 still unaccounted for
Evacuees from the nuclear exclusion radius have not displayed levels of radiation dangerous to human health in mandatory screenings
14 hospital patients have died after being transported to an evacuation centre, with snow and cold weather blamed

[RL3AO]

Best analogy I can think of is dropping a couple drops of food coloring in a gallon of water. At first, its concentrated in a small area but as it spreads out all over the bottle, it becomes pretty much unnoticeable. After spreading out, you might only be able to noticed the lightest rose tint in the water.

[Bunkertor]

Massive destruction at nuclear plant