One Step Forward Two Steps Back (2011-03-30)
When power was restored to the stricken nuclear plant over a week ago, I was optimistic about the nuclear crisis. But every time I see light at the end of the tunnel, something bad happens: unexplainable black smoke, highly contaminated water in the turbine building, leaks from the reactor core, injured workers and plutonium in the soil at the nuclear plant.
All of a sudden, I feel pessimistic and down. Everyone is
tense, nobody knows when this radiation crisis will be over, and the
dark cloud of radioactive food and water hangs over our heads.
When can we/Japan get a friggin' break?!
At a frustrating time like this, it's easy to point fingers.
Although earthquake and tsunami are nature's calling, TEPCO, who
operates the Fukushima Plant did ignore scientists' warning of a
massive tsunami hitting it. The plant was only designed to
withstand a 5-meter tsunami and failing to revise their safety plan and
make corrective measures, the 15-meter tsunami on March 11 knocked out
steel towers and power that led to this whole reactor failing and
radiation fallout mess. (The Onagawa nuclear plant furthur up
north operated by another power company was built to withstand a
9-meter tsunami and sustained little damage.)
P.S. Please continue to refer to IAEA's site for updates. IAEA has sent their own specialists to Japan to co-monitor the radiation in the air and food level. Skeptics who choose not to believe any of the published test results and data, even from IAEA, God help them.
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