Everyone please spare a thought for those on the other side of the world.

[Channel Hopper]

The effects of the earthquake earlier today have still to reach the far side of the Pacific.

The Philippines and Hawaii are due the tsunami within the next one and two hours.

_http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/3/11/worldupdates/2011-03-11T142525Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-554942-1&sec=Worldupdates

For a history and predictive research

http://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/einsteins-alcove/189639-earthquake-detection-predictions.html

 

[Channel Hopper]

Tsunami now reaching some parts of Indonesia.

Kuril islands (Russia) are being evacuated.


A map of the estimated landfall times (earthquake occurred at 5.46 GMT)

 

[2cvbloke]

Been watching this on BBC1 most of the morning, it just humbles you to think that we live in such a calm area of the world, Japan is located on several cross points of tectonic plates, so they're sat in the worst place to be...

But the tsunami is probably causing more damage than the actual earthquake, washing away homes, businesses and farms, aswell as people, hearing on the news about a ship that's been washed away with approximately 100 people aboard, nobody knows if they're okay or if the ship has sunk...

But it's definitely causing a lot of chaos, powerstations haves shut down, transport networks closed, elevators in buildings have stopped working (presumably for safety reasons) and roads are packed, so there's definitely a lot to think about there...

The worst part is the pacific islands, the Tsunami may be a lot bigger than they can handle, and therefore may wash a lot of islands away too, so it's not only the people of Japan in trouble...

 

[sonnetpete]

My sister in law has a trip to Japan booked at the start of April and that fact has impressed the reality of what's happened on my mind. I was watching a clip on BBC News from Shelter Box, where they were packing plastic storage boxes with practical, helpful materials, including a saw, axe, hammer, a woodburning stove, blankets, and a 10 person tent. Donating towards the cost of a box seemed a far better idea than to just give money to a 'relief agency' and see it swallowed up by their 'organization'.

Have a look and see what you think _http://www.shelterbox.org/

(I've nothing to do with Shelterbox, just thought it was a damn good idea)

 

[Lazarus]

Good point, Pete. I saw that clip too and certainly agree about the worth of supporting them - We gave money to Disasters Emergency Committee after the Tsunami a few years ago and had a bad feeling it wasn't the wisest way to give.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Apart from a very minor risk to the coastline of Chile in the next couple of hours, the Pacific tsunami alarm has now been riscinded.

Odd that a couple of days ago there were reports of millions of dead fish in California

_http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/03/tsunami-could-help-clear-out-dead-fish-in-redondo-beach.html

 

[dig deep]

A tsunami destroyed parts of Japan. Seen some bad pictures in the paper, looks like a war zone.

Hope we all can help !

 

[Channel Hopper]

The latest reports on the nuclear plant(s) suggest this could be a disaster all of its own.

At least two lost their cooling power during the earthquake- one of which has collapsed - , and another three have been shutdown and a state of emergency issued for each of them. From memory Japan has around sixty plants in total.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Reactor number 3 is now being cooled by seawater as the normall coolant generators aren't running.

This is a fast breeder (plutonium/uranium mix) reactor, unlike the one that was vented yesterday.

 

[Lazarus]

Some of the reporting about the difficulties with the Nuclear plant is way over the top.

Does nothing to stop perpetuating scaremongering and myth amongst the ignorant who consider Nuclear power, Nuclear reactor, Nuclear anything to be something spawned by the devil and to be avoided at all costs.

Simple physics, history (and yes, not all of it good) plus a basic grasp of the "tolerability of risk" serve to put the issue into proper context.

All that said, let's hope the damage can be contained.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Agreed, Japan has had no issues with reactors since the start. However this is a country sitting on the edge of a tectonic plate, and any earthquake of significant magnitude is likely to cause some damage.

At least the tsunami didn't swamp the site(s).

 

[Lazarus]

Yes, the trouble here is that tolerable risk concepts may not have catered adequately for events of quite the magnitude we've seen.

Good example of appalling reporting in the Sunday Times today:

Headline "Fears of catastrophe as nuclear plant explodes"

Whereas a responsible Editor might have said "Explosion at nuclear power plant"

 

[Analoguesat]

"Fears of catastrophe as nuclear plant explodes"

Surely if the nuclear plant had exploded then the catastrophe has already happened.

Probably written by some wet behind the ears subbie.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Probably written by some wet behind the ears subbie.

It's not too much removed from the standard level of journalism for that rag.

Anyway, a lucky escape caught on camera

[tube]0JZcDOjQJ50[/tube]

 

[Topper]

"Fears of catastrophe as nuclear plant explodes"

Surely if the nuclear plant had exploded then the catastrophe has already happened.

Probably written by some wet behind the ears subbie.

According to reports this morning the explosion has not breached reactor containment though, hence what currently is the issue apart from coolant pumps not having emergency generators to run them as the emergency generators shut down after one hour

 

[Channel Hopper]

According to reports this morning the explosion has not breached reactor containment though, hence what currently is the issue apart from coolant pumps not having emergency generators to run them as the emergency generators shut down after one hour

The first reactor isn't really an issue as it is not the type to 'melt down', the first explosion does appear to have damaged a large amount of outer containment protection though.
The second one - reactor 3 - however is in need of much more advanced cooling, and they are now using an external generator to drive seawater round, which it is not designed to use (only the secondary system normally uses seawater, taking heat from the first, completely sealed set of pipes).

 

[Channel Hopper]

A link to the seismic monitors from around the world, showing the set of aftershocks currently battering the country.

_http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.php

 

[Channel Hopper]

Maybe Japan is no longer on the other side of the world...

_http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/12/japan.earthquake.tsunami.earth/index.html

Before and after images

_http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

 

[Analoguesat]

(CNN) -- The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis.

BLOODY HELL!!!!!

 

[Llew]

Our earth day is now shorter than before the earthquake - 1.8uS. Time for bed.