Japan earthquake

Live updates of developments after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, selected by Reuters.com editors and readers. To see updates from Reuters only, click "Options" and turn off comments.

3rd & 7 37yd

NHK: the container has not been breached.

発信者 Dennis Meyers 3/14/2011 2:46:00 AM
The US sent emergency generators to the site for power. Taking big ships there is not practical and, in the even of a major release of radioactivity they would be in the fallout path

発信者 Dean 3/14/2011 2:46:10 AM
Any word on that tsunami?

発信者 eEarth 3/14/2011 2:46:34 AM
Some possibility of massive radiation leak, according to Edano.

発信者 Scott 3/14/2011 2:46:36 AM
is there any death from blast ? any reports.....

発信者 kagichuma 3/14/2011 2:46:39 AM
Expert on BBC World Service raises some interesting points: we have to remember that this is a difficult job. Much of the instrumentation is likely to be broken, so all these engineers have to work off of is ad hoc information and assumption.

発信者 JBID 3/14/2011 2:46:44 AM
Didn't Plant 3 use a different fuel. Plutonium vs. Uranium?

発信者 Walter J 3/14/2011 2:46:47 AM
And MOX cores are not significantly more powerful.

発信者 kmcaprice14 3/14/2011 2:46:52 AM
@Jbid all alone ive been worried about No.3 reactor due to the mixed fuel of uranium and plutonium the lata being evil stuff... If this reactor is breeched then it will be extremely dire for the whole region.

発信者 Daily 3/14/2011 2:47:08 AM
About 2,000 bodies found on shores of Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture: Kyodo.

発信者 Suzanne Urpecz 3/14/2011 2:47:23 AM
@Walter J It uses a mixture of the two.

発信者 JBID 3/14/2011 2:47:23 AM
if they are still injecting water and boric acid that means it hasn't had a meltdown right?

発信者 rp 3/14/2011 2:47:26 AM
"massive radioactive leak" - how can they possible state this without knowing - incredibly irresponsible

発信者 Kundagoo 3/14/2011 2:47:29 AM
It will be the same as with reactor nº1, chill out. The reactor armor needs much, much more than that to break.

発信者 Sir Sefirot 3/14/2011 2:48:53 AM
These are exceptional circumstances. How can anyone say it will be OK. I guess people saying "Chill Out" are not living in Japan. We here are very worried.

発信者 Scott 3/14/2011 2:55:33 AM
Scott - panicking is not good for anyone, no matter where they are right now. NHK World live says little possibility of radioactive leak.

発信者 qwerty 3/14/2011 2:57:14 AM
I live in Korea and I'm worried. Which makes me feel rather selfish. I wish there were some way I could help.

発信者 bhimberg 3/14/2011 2:57:16 AM
Thanks for reminding some folks to show a little compassion.

発信者 fireofshiva 3/14/2011 2:57:19 AM
I am confused and frustrated by the reports coming from the Japanese government and I don't even live in Japan. I can't imagine what it's like for those living in Japan.

発信者 NHK 3/14/2011 2:57:21 AM
regardless if the plant is having a meltdown this is still very stressful for those of us trying to learn anything we can.

発信者 rp 3/14/2011 2:57:24 AM
At first, in English it was reported that there is a "small possibility of a massive leak". Now they say, "little possibility". This is a very confusing translation. Did anyone hear the Japanese statement?

発信者 Scott 3/14/2011 2:57:34 AM
Here's our latest update on the blast www.reuters.com

発信者 Reuters.com 3/14/2011 2:59:29 AM
We're backed up moderating comments. Thanks for your patience.

発信者 Reuters.com 3/14/2011 2:59:50 AM
If containment bldg is gone ,then the only containment is the 6 in. steel outer shell of the reactor.If salt water can still be pumped in then sand and tons of concrete should be poured over the reactor right now!

発信者 jim 3/14/2011 3:01:19 AM
The latest blast is unlikely to have caused a big radiation leak, according to the Japanese government www.reuters.com

発信者 Reuters.com 3/14/2011 3:02:09 AM
Edano's statement was (translating from Japanese myself): "I received a report that says the reactor container is intact. We believe that the possibility of large releases of radioactive material is low." www3.nhk.or.jp

発信者 borrrden 3/14/2011 3:02:16 AM
what about the 3 meter tsunami? did it hit yet?

発信者 regular guy 3/14/2011 3:02:23 AM
Tsunami alert was canceled..just a big wave.. all clear alert sounded..

発信者 Tsunami calledoff 3/14/2011 3:02:24 AM
good to hear. phew.

発信者 rp 3/14/2011 3:02:56 AM
If the IAEA was there, inspecting, reporting and generally doing their job we wouldn't be getting conflicting and wrong reports.

発信者 Mour 3/14/2011 3:03:06 AM
the containment is NOT gone.. just the outer building material. (as far as I know)

発信者 dan 3/14/2011 3:03:27 AM
NISA (Nuke Indust. Safety Auth.) - No unusual rise in radiation levels at this time.

発信者 JBID 3/14/2011 3:03:30 AM
What blew up is the secondary containment building. The primary containment structure is still whole as is the reactor vessel. The secondary buildings are designed to blow outward.

発信者 foobar 3/14/2011 3:03:33 AM
Workers injured at reactor 3 english.kyodonews.jp

発信者 Chris 3/14/2011 3:03:37 AM
First video of Reactor 3 at the Fukushima www.youtube.com

発信者 Subhas Kumar Ghosh 3/14/2011 3:03:49 AM
@Scott So far the reactor containers are holding. Obviously made of thick walls for such emergencies. As long as cooling continues, they will avoid meltdown. But I would be very concerned if cooling was interrupted with any of these reactor units.

発信者 SJ 3/14/2011 3:03:53 AM
As long as water can be forced into the core, it should be. It will do world's more for you than sanding and cementing. That was only used in Chernobyl because the core exploded after a power spike during a test. This is a different design, and does not face the same issues.

発信者 kmcaprice14 3/14/2011 3:04:07 AM
I just heard the Japanese. Edano said their is a slight possibility of a big leak of radiation.

発信者 Scott 3/14/2011 3:04:11 AM
the smoke coming after the unit 3 blast may be steam from the venting

発信者 Dean 3/14/2011 3:04:14 AM
@jim you can't just "pour" concrete over the reactor. water is being PUMPED in. anything that enters that compartment would have to withstand ungodly temperatures and nothing about the concrete process is ready to handle that. the japanese are doing everything they can

発信者 Dan 3/14/2011 3:04:32 AM
To follow Tsunami alerts : ptwc.weather.gov

発信者 Kiko 3/14/2011 3:04:45 AM
@Scott The latest report is that the reactor containment vessel is intact. If that is the case then there will not be any big leaks.

発信者 yebisupost 3/14/2011 3:05:43 AM
Can someone direct me to a detailed article explaining how the meltdown is being avoided? They are pumping water, but what does that look like/mean?

発信者 blob 3/14/2011 3:07:08 AM
anybody got any ideas WHY the IAEA is not actually there to investigate ANYTHING and why they are just regurgitating what is told to them?

発信者 Mour 3/14/2011 3:08:07 AM
Vibrations from the explosion of the nuclear plant triggered the tsunami warning- Fox News

発信者 NHK 3/14/2011 3:08:59 AM