Radiation levels rise in Japan following third blast
|
Tuesday, 3 March 2011
|16:51 - 19:10 GMT
Hi, this is Martin again and not Ben Sutherland. I am still awaiting my own logon: The Japanese authorities say that the radiation levels at the Fukushima nuclear plant are now high enough to affect human health.
There has been a third explosion and fire there. Officials have extended the surrounding danger zone, warning people within 30km to evacuate or stay indoors, while radiation levels in Tokyo are reportedly higher than normal.
Your comments
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18:59
113631290
That''s all for now folks. Thanks for all your comments.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:51
113631290
Devdas from India emailed WHYS: We in India are building a nuclear plant in Jaitapur, which is not up to today's world standards. Even seeing this Japanese nuclear catastrophe, the Indian government - with the help of some nuclear scientists - are trying to defend the need for the world's largest nuclear plant.
Comment sent via SMS
18:48
111231884
What will be the effects of this disaster 5, 10 year on? Drew- Wilmington North Carolina USA
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18:42
113631290
Daniel Kahl tweets: Tokyo is a ghost town tonight. No people on the streets. Even the entertainment districts. Eerily quiet. But Tokyo is amazing. Even with blackouts, train problems, no rioting, no looting, no robberies.
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18:41
113631290
Martin in the UK emails: What is becoming clear is that the term "shut down" does not have the comforting meaning that people have commonly been led to assume. It clearly only means a suppression of the fission reaction, but not of the production of potentially catastrophic amounts of heat through other inescapable physical processes. In other words a nuclear reactor cannot, once in operation, have the production of energy turned off fully, and this is a fact previously not generally grasped by the public.
Comment sent via MSGBOARD
18:23
113631290
Kazuto from Yokohama city in Japan emails: I was told by the general manager of my company today that all colleagues including me had to stay at home this week since the radiation from Fukushima might get worse, according to reports from our government. So this afternoon I left the office, located near the Tokyo bay area.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:23
113631290
Rachel in Canada emails: My sister in law is visiting her family in Okayama, Japan. If the worst were to happen, and there was a meltdown or a nuclear blast, would she be affected and if so, in what way? We are very concerned about her safety, as she is travelling with her 2 small children. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:23
113631290
George in St. Louis asks: When a reactor is shut down properly, does it keep generating heat? Does a shut-down reactor still have to be cooled? If not, why couldn't these reactors be shut down when the earthquake occurred? I had imagined that the rods could be pulled apart to slow down the reaction.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:22
113631290
Dennis in North Carolina emails: Can any meaningful comparison be made between a nuclear plant meltdown and an atmospheric weapons test such as the Pacific region witnessed in the last few decades?
Comment sent via Facebook
18:17
113631290
Edward in Germany says on FB the temporary shut down is only because there's an election here this sunday.
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18:17
113631290
Haruka in Saitama, Japan emailed the 主播大秀: Although my home is located a designated blackout area, it didn't happen today as well as yesterday. But I'm trying to save electricity by wearing warm clothes, and not using the air conditioner. When I think about how much I used electricity before, I feel ashamed. My house is a little bit dark and cold but when I think about the sufferers, it's no problem.
Comment sent via Facebook
18:16
113631290
Lynne in Edinburgh on FB: I am no fan of nuclear energy but I think we are getting this out of perspective. I don't know the number of people who have died as a result of nuclear power going wrong but how many have been killed in coal mines? How many have been affected by unclean energy, and how many have died due to a lack of energy. Japan is a tragedy and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone there but we must not overstate the dangers inherent to nuclear energy.
Comment sent via SMS
17:32
116937439
Kathleen from Gaineville Fl we need to ask why are we not using thorium power instead of urainium in our nuclear plants google thorium and ask your government
Comment sent via host
17:05
113631290
We''re live on air. We''re looking at three areas on today''s programmes. 1) Sharing as much information as we can about what''s happening in the areas affected by the tsunami. 2) Getting as many of your questions about the Fukushima nuclear plant answered. 3) Discussing if countries like Germany are right to now review their plans for nuclear power plants. We are broadcasting to our audiences in the USA from 1700-1800 GMT and the rest of the world from 1800-1900GMT. Post your questions and comments here on our blog.
Radiation levels rise in Japan following third blast
| Tuesday, 3 March 2011 | 16:51 - 19:10 GMT
Hi, this is Martin again and not Ben Sutherland. I am still awaiting my own logon:
The Japanese authorities say that the radiation levels at the Fukushima nuclear plant are now high enough to affect human health.
There has been a third explosion and fire there. Officials have extended the surrounding danger zone, warning people within 30km to evacuate or stay indoors, while radiation levels in Tokyo are reportedly higher than normal.
Your comments
Comment sent via host
That''s all for now folks. Thanks for all your comments.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Devdas from India emailed WHYS: We in India are building a nuclear plant in Jaitapur, which is not up to today's world standards. Even seeing this Japanese nuclear catastrophe, the Indian government - with the help of some nuclear scientists - are trying to defend the need for the world's largest nuclear plant.
Comment sent via SMS
What will be the effects of this disaster 5, 10 year on? Drew- Wilmington North Carolina USA
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Daniel Kahl tweets: Tokyo is a ghost town tonight. No people on the streets. Even the entertainment districts. Eerily quiet. But Tokyo is amazing. Even with blackouts, train problems, no rioting, no looting, no robberies.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Martin in the UK emails: What is becoming clear is that the term "shut down" does not have the comforting meaning that people have commonly been led to assume. It clearly only means a suppression of the fission reaction, but not of the production of potentially catastrophic amounts of heat through other inescapable physical processes. In other words a nuclear reactor cannot, once in operation, have the production of energy turned off fully, and this is a fact previously not generally grasped by the public.
Comment sent via MSGBOARD
Kazuto from Yokohama city in Japan emails: I was told by the general manager of my company today that all colleagues including me had to stay at home this week since the radiation from Fukushima might get worse, according to reports from our government. So this afternoon I left the office, located near the Tokyo bay area.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Rachel in Canada emails: My sister in law is visiting her family in Okayama, Japan. If the worst were to happen, and there was a meltdown or a nuclear blast, would she be affected and if so, in what way? We are very concerned about her safety, as she is travelling with her 2 small children. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected
Comment sent via YOURSAY
George in St. Louis asks: When a reactor is shut down properly, does it keep generating heat? Does a shut-down reactor still have to be cooled? If not, why couldn't these reactors be shut down when the earthquake occurred? I had imagined that the rods could be pulled apart to slow down the reaction.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Dennis in North Carolina emails: Can any meaningful comparison be made between a nuclear plant meltdown and an atmospheric weapons test such as the Pacific region witnessed in the last few decades?
Comment sent via Facebook
Edward in Germany says on FB the temporary shut down is only because there's an election here this sunday.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Haruka in Saitama, Japan emailed the 主播大秀: Although my home is located a designated blackout area, it didn't happen today as well as yesterday. But I'm trying to save electricity by wearing warm clothes, and not using the air conditioner. When I think about how much I used electricity before, I feel ashamed. My house is a little bit dark and cold but when I think about the sufferers, it's no problem.
Comment sent via Facebook
Lynne in Edinburgh on FB: I am no fan of nuclear energy but I think we are getting this out of perspective. I don't know the number of people who have died as a result of nuclear power going wrong but how many have been killed in coal mines? How many have been affected by unclean energy, and how many have died due to a lack of energy. Japan is a tragedy and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone there but we must not overstate the dangers inherent to nuclear energy.
Comment sent via SMS
Kathleen from Gaineville Fl we need to ask why are we not using thorium power instead of urainium in our nuclear plants google thorium and ask your government
Comment sent via host
We''re live on air. We''re looking at three areas on today''s programmes. 1) Sharing as much information as we can about what''s happening in the areas affected by the tsunami. 2) Getting as many of your questions about the Fukushima nuclear plant answered. 3) Discussing if countries like Germany are right to now review their plans for nuclear power plants. We are broadcasting to our audiences in the USA from 1700-1800 GMT and the rest of the world from 1800-1900GMT. Post your questions and comments here on our blog.