Earthquake off Japan

[wautd]

Damn, those images are surreal. Broken water damn, a train missing, 4 nuclear plants shut down, huge mushroomcloud of fire in some refinery. And god knows how many aftershocks will follow to finish off the damaged parts. It's like a disaster movie turned real
Keeps fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong with those nuclear plants.

[CaptainChewbacca]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709856

Videos from the BBC never load for me. Still, tsunami, earthquakes, now a whirlpool? (same as a maelstrom?)

The difference between a whirlpool and a maelstrom is size and notoriety.

[aerius]

Refinery tank farm apocalypse. That oil refinery's a write-off.

[JME2]

I have two good friends overseas in Japan; I really hope they're alright.

[Pelranius]

Fuck, I wonder what happened to my aunt and her family. IIRC, my dad said she lived in northern Japan.

[Thanas]

Is there any way to get info about ships lost in the catastrophe?

[JME2]

I have two good friends overseas in Japan; I really hope they're alright.

One of them's fine, but I have no info on the other one yet.

[Ypoknons]

The latest Reuters report is 500 missing and 300 dead; unfortunately, with this magnitude and proximity to the coast, my (non-scientific) reflex there will be substantial causalities. My internet also seems to be disrupted, a few cables from Asia-US may be down.

[Stravo]

I hope we don't see what we saw with the Christmas Tsunami where the death toll started in the hundreds and within a news cycle it ballooned to thousands. That was a horrible feeling.

[aerius]

Reports are saying they're going to vent some radioactive steam at the nuke plant to keep the pressure within tolerance.

[LaCroix]

Is there any way to get info about ships lost in the catastrophe?

Was your brother in the area?

[phongn]

Reports are saying they're going to vent some radioactive steam at the nuke plant to keep the pressure within tolerance.

It's not clear if they're venting into atmosphere or into the containment dome.

[Thanas]

Is there any way to get info about ships lost in the catastrophe?

Was your brother in the area?

No, but somebody else I know.

[LaCroix]

Is there any way to get info about ships lost in the catastrophe?

Was your brother in the area?

No, but somebody else I know.

I have no subscription, but they might know -
http://www.lloydslist.com/

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

Looks like central and northern California got banged up quite a bit, or so one of the local ABC affiliates and the Los Angeles Times say:

Waves sweep 4 out to sea in Crescent City as tsunami surges reach west coast
C. Johnson Last updated 40 mins ago Posted: 3/11/2011

CRESCENT CITY, CA (AP) - Officials say the tsunami triggered by the massive earthquake in Japan has killed one person, swept three others out to sea and caused severe damage to the harbor in Crescent City, near the Oregon border.

ABC affiliate KDRV confirmed the waves pulled the four out to sea late Friday morning. Two of the other people were found alive and one was still unaccounted for.

Del Norte County sheriff's spokesman Bill Stevens said most boats were pulled out of the harbor in preparation for Friday's tsunami, but 35 vessels that remained are crashing into one another and sinking.

The wooden docks also were breaking apart under the force of the waves.

Crescent City Councilwoman Kelly Schellong said the docks and harbor "are pretty much completely destroyed."

Stevens said the damage cost was estimated to be into the millions, and surges still are expected through the afternoon.

However, the waves have not gone over the 20-foot break wall at the harbor, and no serious injuries or home damage have been reported.

Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz region experienced several surges in the harbor Friday morning following tsunami warnings that sucked some boats right out of the harbor.

The California Highway Patrol also issued several advisories regarding road closures in the area including Beach Drive and portions of Riverside. Also Highway 1 in Mendocino County 7 miles outside of Westport was closed.

The CHP also said there was some traffic congestion on southbound Highway 17 near Santa Cruz.

Gas stations in the area were reportedly jammed. Officials urged people to stay away from the shoreline. The Seaside State Park was also evacuated.

Ft. Bragg

Noyo harbor at Ft. Bragg on the Mendocino coast was evacuated Friday morning, according to local emergency officials. No damage had been reported.

Water was receding out of the harbor and surging back in stronger, said Shannon Barney, emergency coordinator for Mendocino. The increased wave activity was expected to continue for several hours and officials were warning residents a tsunami threat was still in effect.

Crescent City, Santa Cruz hit hard by tsunami from Japan quake
Crescent City, site of a deadly tsunami four decades ago, appears to be particularly hard hit

By Mike Anton and Shan Li
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
March 11, 2011, 10:41 a.m.

A tsunami from the devastating Japan earthquake hit the coast of California on Friday morning, causing significant damage in Crescent City, Santa Cruz and other parts of Northern California. There were no reports of major damage or flooding in Southern California.

Crescent City, site of a deadly tsunami four decades ago, appears to be particularly hard hit.

Local residents reported that about three dozen boats were "crushed" in the harbor and that surging waters significantly damaged or destroyed most of the docks. Ocean water surging up Elk Creek north of the harbor reportedly lapped up to front doors of the community's cultural center.

Officials were warning residents to expect higher surges throughout the day, one resident said by telephone. Officials from the local sheriffls department and the city could not be reached. Crescent City, near the Oregon border, was the scene of a devastating tsunami in 1964, which killed 11 people and destroyed 289 homes and businesses.

In 2006, tsunami-driven currents caused $10 million in damage to the city's harbor. One resident said Friday's damage to the harbor was as bad — or worse — as then.

Officials reported waves of 6 1/2 feet in Crescent City and 6 feet in Morro Bay, said Caltech scientist Lucy Jones.

Jones said officials won't know the extent of the damage until high tide occurs later Friday morning.

"Clearly, very large drawdown of water in Half Moon Bay," Jones said earlier in the day. "We are coming to high tide in a couple other hours. As long as we're still growing on tide, we need to keep a watch on the water. ... Currents may be very significant.

In Santa Cruz, the waves josted boats and damaged docks.

Authorities issued an evacuation advisory about 6:40 a.m. for coastal residents and those living along the San Lorenzo and Capitol rivers and other major waterways in Santa Cruz County, said county spokesman Enrique Sahagun.

The first waves reached land about 7:45 a.m. At Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, the swells pushed and bumped boats together and broke some docks, but total damage is unknown thus far, Sahagun said.

"The water is pushing the boats together like a major car collision on Highway 405 or another big highway," he said.

In addition to the one person killed at Crescent City, the Wiki article on the Sendai quake states that another four people have been killed in Santa Cruz Harbor, but I haven't been able to find verification for that.

[FSTargetDrone]

Damn, those images are surreal. Broken water damn, a train missing, 4 nuclear plants shut down, huge mushroomcloud of fire in some refinery. And god knows how many aftershocks will follow to finish off the damaged parts. It's like a disaster movie turned real
Keeps fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong with those nuclear plants.

Like I said before, I've never seen anything like this, large fires burning are being carried right along with everything else. It's astonishing.

[aerius]

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/urgent/

They're reporting that radiation levels 1000 times higher than normal have been detected at the nuke plant. Also that radiation could already have been released.

[phongn]

They're reporting that radiation levels 1000 times higher than normal have been detected at the nuke plant. Also that radiation could already have been released.

It would be awesome if we could find out exactly where the readings were from and what the actual readings were.

[starslayer]

In addition to the one person killed at Crescent City, the Wiki article on the Sendai quake states that another four people have been killed in Santa Cruz Harbor, but I haven't been able to find verification for that.

I live a block from the ocean in Santa Cruz (we're behind cliffs about 50 ft. high as well), and so far as I know, no one here was even injured. The harbor is what got hit really hard; I think the latest estimate was something like $14 million in damage. Apparently, one dock looked like it exploded, and a bunch of boats are damaged/capsized.

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

In addition to the one person killed at Crescent City, the Wiki article on the Sendai quake states that another four people have been killed in Santa Cruz Harbor, but I haven't been able to find verification for that.

I live a block from the ocean in Santa Cruz (we're behind cliffs about 50 ft. high as well), and so far as I know, no one here was even injured. The harbor is what got hit really hard; I think the latest estimate was something like $14 million in damage. Apparently, one dock looked like it exploded, and a bunch of boats are damaged/capsized.

At least it's good to hear that nobody else here in California has died other than that one very unfortunate person up in Crescent City. Hopefully, Santa Cruz Harbor can be repaired in a timely manner.

In other news, the U.S. Navy is already on its way to assist in disaster relief efforts:

Navy braces for tsunami, prepares for relief mission

By Sam Fellman - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Mar 11, 2011 10:32:35 EST

A tsunami, spawned by a catastrophic magnitude 8.9 earthquake in Japan, is tearing across the Pacific, unmooring two subs and forcing other ships to get underway or ease their lines as the surge waters arrived, according to updates posted on official Navy Facebook pages across the region. No injuries to military personnel have been reported in 3rd or 7th Fleets.

In Guam, the tsunami snapped mooring lines to two attack submarines, Houston and City of Corpus Christi. Tug boats immediately responded. “Both subs are safe and under the control of the tug boats,” Joint Region Marianas posted on its Facebook page. No injuries have been reported.

In Japan, 7th Fleet is mustering all military personnel. No damage has been reported to facilities. The headquarters of Combined Task Force 72 Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force in Misawa, Japan, had to be evacuated and is now without power, according to an update just after 5 a.m. ET by 7th Fleet. And the staff of Combined Task Force 76 Amphibious Force at White Beach, Okinawa, retreated to higher ground at Kadena Air Force Base.

7th Fleet directed ships in Guam to get underway, if practical, and some are preparing for humanitarian assistance missions in the wake of the disaster. The amphibious command ship Blue Ridge, now pierside in Singapore, is onloading disaster relief supplies and preparing to depart, 7th Fleet posted on its Facebook page. Amphibious assault ship Essex, which pulled into Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, Friday morning was preparing to get underway. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit is embarked. The dock landing ship Tortuga is taking on landing craft utility boats and preparing to get underway Saturday evening from Sasebo, Japan.

There were no reports of damage to the aircraft carrier George Washington, which was in port in Yokosuka, Japan.

The Navy said Friday that the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, which was in the Western Pacific, was preparing to respond if asked, and was moving toward Japan.

“We are assessing the situation and positioning forces so that they are ready to respond and provide disaster relief if directed,” 7th Fleet said on its page.

In Hawaii, there was no reported damage to ships or facilities as the tsunami passed through.

The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, returning from a six-month deployment to 5th Fleet, pulled into Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Thursday, according to its official Facebook page. The harbor experienced a half-meter surge, according to Navy Region Hawaii. Lincoln closed the brow as the giant waves passed, according to an update at 9:24 a.m. ET, and is waiting to reopen it.

Additionally, the Air Force has three bases in Japan: Misawa, Kadena and Yokota air bases. Lt. Col. John Haynes, an Air Force spokesman at the Pentagon, said Friday that the service has not received any report of major damage to the bases.

There's also been a fire at the Onagawa nuclear plant, though fortunately it didn't actually damage the reactor and it was quickly extinguished. People have also been ordered to evacuate the area around the Fukushima nuclear plant:

Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant under state of emergency after quake

• Thousands evacuated after reactor cooling system fails
• No leaks at 11 nuclear powerhouses in quake zone, says PM

Justin McCurry in Osaka
guardian.co.uk, Friday 11 March 2011 14.30 GMT

Thousands of people are being evacuated from the area around a nuclear reactor after its cooling system failed in Japan's devastating earthquake.

A state of emergency was declared around the Fukushima No 1 power plant as a precaution, because a cooling system was not working after the quake, officials said.

The prime minister, Naoto Kan, said there had been no reports of radiation leaks at any of the country's nuclear facilities.

Residents within a 2 mile (3km) radius of Tokyo Electric Power's (Tepco) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant had been told to evacuate, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yukio Edano, told a news conference. Kyodo news agency said around 3,000 residents were being moved out.

Work had begun on restoring the cooling function at the reactor, Jiji news agency quoted the trade ministry as saying.

Tepco confirmed that water levels inside the reactors were falling but it was working to maintain them to avert the exposure of nuclear fuel rods.

The company was trying to restore power to its emergency power system so it could add water to the reactors, a Tepco spokesman said.

"There is a falling trend (in water levels) but we have not confirmed an exposure of nuclear fuel rods," he said.

Tepco had been operating three out of six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant at the time of the quake – the No 1, No 2 and No 3 units – all of which were shut down. Reactors core remain hot and still need cooling after they have been shut down.

The spokesman said there were no concerns of a water leak in the other three reactors at the plant, which were closed for planned maintenance.

"We launched the measure so we can be fully prepared for the worst scenario," Edano said. "We are using all our might to deal with the situation."

Eleven nuclear reactors were automatically shut down in the wider quake-affected areas of Japan, the government said.

Kan said: "Parts of nuclear plants were automatically shut down but we haven't confirmed any effects induced by radioactive materials outside the facilities."

A fire broke out in a turbine building and was extinguished at the Tohoku Electricity company's Onagawa nuclear plant in north-east Japan. Smoke was seen coming from the building, which is separate from the plant's reactor.

The four nuclear power plants closest to the epicentre had all been safely shut down, the International Atomic Energy Agency said, adding that it was seeking more information and had offered its help to Japan.

[Broomstick]

It appears that those swept out to sea in California were all "wave-watchers" who got a little too close to what they were watching.

As for the nuclear plant, my admittedly limited understanding is that right now we're looking at something akin to Three Mile Island (another cooling system failure, albeit under very different circumstances). There was radiation released at TMI (even a partial meltdown), but it remained mostly contained, for the external environment the long terms effects were negligible, and while some workers were exposed to radiation it was nowhere near the catastrophic levels of Chernobyl. They've got emergency out there now and are working to hook it up to the necessary equipment to bring things under control. Apparently the worst fear is damage from yet another earthquake/aftershock setting them back from where they are now. According to the physicist they had on the news tonight, the power plant, which is 40 years old, was not designed for a quake of this magnitude, nor for getting hit with a tsunami shortly thereafter. Thank goodness for the standard practice in engineering of doing more than just the minimum when building stuff. So, it's survived a double-whammy so far, and far from hopeless though of course very serious.

Something like the fire at Kensumma (I hope I spelled that right) is actually far more likely to be a mass casualty event than the nuke plant provided they can get the emergency cooling system on line.

Of course, if someone more knowledgeable has more information by all means correct any error on my part regarding that.

And, for US Congressional stupidity - the US Congress is reported to have recently slashed funding for the Pacific Tsunami Warning System. I haven't confirmed that yet, but if did... grrr....

[phongn]

Nuclear information straight from the operator:

All 6 units of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have been shut down.

Unit 1 (shut down due to earthquake)
- Reactor was shut down and nuclear steam is cooled by the isolation condenser.
- Currently, there is a possibility of a release of radioactive materials due to decrease in reactor water level. Therefore, the national government has instructed evacuation for those local residents within 3km radius of the periphery and indoor standby for those local residents between 3km and 10km radius of the periphery.

Unit 2 (shut down due to earthquake)
- Reactor was shut down and although nuclear steam had been cooled by the Reactor Core Isolation Cooling system, the current operating status is unclear. However, reactor coolant level can be monitored by a temporary power supply and the level is stable.
- Currently, there is a possibility of a release of radioactive materials due to decrease in reactor water level. Therefore, the national government has instructed evacuation for those local residents within 3km radius of the periphery and indoor standby for those local residents between 3km and 10km radius of the periphery.

Unit 3 (shut down due to earthquake)
- Reactor was shut down and is cooled by the Reactor Core Isolation Cooling system.
- Currently, we do not believe there is any reactor coolant leakage inside the reactor containment vessel.

Unit 4 (shut down due to earthquake)
- Reactor has been shut down and sufficient level of reactor coolant to ensure safety is maintained.
- Currently, we do not believe there is any reactor coolant leakage inside the reactor containment vessel.

Unit 5 (outage due to regular inspection)
- Reactor has been shut down and sufficient level of reactor coolant to ensure safety is maintained.
- Currently, we do not believe there is any reactor coolant leakage inside the reactor containment vessel.

Unit 6 (outage due to regular inspection)
- Reactor has been shut down and sufficient level of reactor coolant to ensure safety is maintained.
- Currently, we do not believe there is any reactor coolant leakage inside the reactor containment vessel.

We measured radioactive materials inside and outside of the periphery of the nuclear power station (outdoor area) by monitoring car and confirmed that there was no difference from ordinary level.

No radiation impact to the external environment has been confirmed. We will continue to monitor in detail the possibility of radioactive material being discharged from exhaust stack or discharge canal.

Two subcontract workers were injured in the nuclear power station premise. One with a broken bone was transported to the hospital by an ambulance and the other by a company car. Further, there are 2 TEPCO employees whose presence has not been confirmed.

We are presently checking on the site situation of each plant while keeping the situation of aftershock and Tsunami in mind.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Radiation levels are "up to" 100 times higher in the control room, which as a sealed and secured facility, is going to have lower normal radiation levels than the surrounding atmosphere. The extra zero was added in the news media musical panic game. I would recommend buying KI tablets if you live in the Pacific Northwest and have small children, but that is a one in a million prospect (of major radioactive release being carried across the pacific) at this point--but a box of fourteen also costs 10 bucks, so why not take the extra precaution? Response failures in the wake of Chernobyl did contribute to increases in cancer rates, thus why I make the suggestion. Please do not use it as an excuse to panic; it is insurance being recommended only because of its extreme cheapness.

In reality the threat is not yet very great. Generators have been brought in, and internal temperatures inside the inner ceramic shell which is the first line of defence have reached 750 degrees fahrenheit, but that shell is rated to 2200 degrees fahrenheit.

We owe many things to the brave men at this reactor who stood their ground and correctly instituted SCRAM procedures. They were faced with an unknowable, catastrophic event, an earthquake whose magnitude may be revised up to a full 9.0, followed immediately afterwards with little warning by a massive tsunami up to 20 metres high which swept away the town in which their families lived and sent their homes floating through the perimeter of the plant where they worked, and they stood to their posts. Yes, the entire reactor facility was inundated, though the reactor buildings themselves were proofed against the flooding and not damaged. There was, however, water emitted into the generator rooms, which as well as shock damage from the earthquake combined to make it extremely difficult to restore the emergency generators to operational capability, leading to the present situation.

Should radiation be released into the atmosphere at this point it will be in a thoroughly regular and contained fashion with multiple filter scrubbing as the hot gasses pass out of the containment dome and will be no more dangerous than the trivial and non-fatal release at Three Mile Island. There is a danger, but though some precautions should be taken, concern is still not substantial.

[phongn]

Actual radiation levels can be found here (in Japanese), but the max levels posted are pretty low - like 4.97 μSv/h (by comparison, a flight gives you around 6 μSv/hr)

[Todeswind]

Kyodo News : The death toll from Friday's catastrophic earthquake in Japan reached 217 Saturday in nine prefectures, including Tokyo, with the toll likely to rise to well over 1,000 as some areas suffered devastating damage, according to the National Police Agency and the Defense Ministry.