Tonight, along with the latest developments from the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan, we'll bring you stories of survival from the past few days and memories of loss from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which claimed the lives of 230,000 people. If you'd like to donate to charities working to help victims of Japan's disaster, just click here. You can also learn more about the charitable foundation launched by model Petra Nemcova to rebuild schools lost to natural disasters.
How you can help Japan's victims
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Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:23 PM EDT
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Question for experts: What about locating nuclear power plants in hurricane storm surge areas? I am curious and concerned about the South Texas Nuclear Power plant very near the Texas Gulf Coast.
All the news anchors and news media are ranting about nuclear reactors in earthquake zones - and missing the point that what crippled the reactors in Fukushima was NOT from the earthquake! What crippled the reactors was the loss of cooling water pumps because of the flooding from the tsunami! Your thoughts regarding hurricane storm surges - and other flooding events deserve serious consideration! Much more than seismic activity, I expect!
Seems to me, that if you are operating with steam, to turn turbines to generate electricity, than you can also use this to turn pumps to pump water back into nuclear reactor if the there is no power. As this is self sustaining.
HM
There are no steam powered pumps for reactor coolant or of any type in a pressurized steam nuclear plant. Doesn't work that way. What they did have was a battery backup to run coolant pumps at low power and diesel back up. Both were apparently corrupted by seawater contamination. I suspect that a part of the hydrogen gas created in containment came from the batteries as seawater breached their wells. As has been reported, they have been pumping or reverse flowing seawater into the reactor vessel for cooling (which can also cause hydrogen gassing).
I love Ann Curry's coverage but please, the town's name Minami Sanriku is pronounced "mee-nu-mee sun-reekoo". I lived in Japan and have a degree in Japanese language and what's going on there kills me inside. Please honor the victims by getting the town names correct.
Really? That's what is "killing" you about all the coverage? It's not the the fact that roughly 10,000+ people have been killed and that count is expected to rise? Not the fact that at a minimum 300,000 people are homeless? Not the fact that the Japanese economy is crippled and will be so for at least another 10 years because the country relies on nuclear power for 90% of their manufacturing? You really think if you ask victim's family how best we can honor their lost loved ones, they'll tell you that precise Japanese pronunciation is it? What a freakin' asinine comment that is when you consider the unbelievable loss of life, trauma, and suffering our Japanese brothers and sisters are enduring. Don't kid yourself - that comment reveals your self-centeredness which for some illogical reason you are telling yourself is empathy. It bothers you! I think those affected have a much longer list of things that bother them. How about honoring the victims by not making any part of this tragedy about yourself????
It's curious how many believe that nuclear reactors are somehow more inherently dangerous than a gas powered electrical generating plant or an oil refinery or a chemical storage depot (say like in Beaumont, Texas). All are equally dangerous in an earthquake or tsunami prone or flood prone zone.
Maybe the chances of catastrophic failure per 100,000 hours of operation are the same in any engineering created by man, and arguably nuke plants are engineered to a higher standard. I speak as a retired nuclear operator in the US Navy. But a refinery fire in Houston, while causing immediate loss of life and possible pollution immediately downwind, doesn't produce by-products that can harm humans for hundreds, or thousands of years. The accidents at Fukushima Dai-ichi are raising radiation levels in Tokyo, with the potential to threaten 13 million people over 150 miles away. The half life of plutonium 239 is 24,000 years. Comparing engineering failures but excluding possible risks and potential effects is at least disingenuous, at best it's weak logic, and at worst it's intellectually dishonest.
Where did Bachmann get her staff? From K-Mart, of course. They were Blue Light Specials...almost as good as regular advisors, but half off the intelligence!
Were did MSNBC get its staff. Talk about about screwing up the facts.
Lawrence is the worst person in the world and his show sucks! Only mindless trolls would listen to his hate speech.
for this poems and many more poems of encouragement go to Waterstrome.co.za
may the Lord be with you.
Amanda Boucher
The Word and Japan
Long before we were dwelling on this earth the Word was spoken
All these things have been told, not to scare, but to warn
The Lord send these words and dreams to people we don’t know
Dear Lord, please let us not be scared, but let us listen this time
Let us understand that these things is only a reminder
You give us the choice to follow You or not
Heavenly Father, I pray for those who don’t understand these words
I pray for those who still don’t believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ,
For, only through Him we are saved
Dear Lord, show Your love to those who believe in You
Show Your presence in such an unique way because every person is different
Lord, You are the only way to true salvation, the light in the dark
With this small prayer I bring before you all those who don’t know how
I bring all those who have forgotten You
I bring all those who blame You for what had happen
Dear Lord, touch them with a miracle specially created for them
Dear Lord, show them that You are the Lord of love
Show them that nothing is impossible if they just ask You
Let us be ready when You come, for we don’t know when it will be
Dear Lord, let us not scatter in desperation,
But let us pray together for those who have not met You
Let us pray and show the nations that we are praying to the Living God
Let us see this as an opportunity to praise You for those who survived this tragedy
Let us remember that You could take us at any time and we should be ready