Fukushima
leaks radioactive water after Typhoon Etau busts drainage system
Flooding
from Typhoon Etau has caused new leaks of contaminated water to flow
from the Fukushima nuclear power station into the ocean. The incident
came after a rush of water overwhelmed the site’s drainage pumps.
RT,
10
September, 2015
Typhoon
Etau brought lashing rains, floods and storm winds to Japan. Tens of
thousands of Japanese people have been ordered to leave their homes
across the country.
Freak #Japan floods: Houses swept away, people trapped on roofs, 170k evacuated (VIDEOS)http://t.co/yE6QbT6H6vpic.twitter.com/CAH0blJxBr
— RT (@RT_com) September 10, 2015
Tokyo
Electric Power CO. (TEPCO) informed the public today that hundreds of
tons of radioactive water had leaked from the facility, but
maintained that the incident posed no risk to the environment. Large
quantities of contaminated water need to be stored in special
reservoirs that were used to cool melted fuel rods from reactors at
the TEPCO site, which was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami of
2011.
TEPCO
had acknowledged the risk of the typhoon to the nuclear site on
Tuesday, outlining the preventative measures it was taking.
“For
heavy rains, TEPCO has standard procedures to install rainwater
guttering on the upper part of the water storage tanks and also to
construct dikes around groups of tanks, which is applied to all of
the recently added storage tanks,” said
the statement adding that “the
drainage systems on the premises are most active during heavy rains
to keep the site from flooding.”
Despite
Tuesday’s statements asserting that the drainage system would
protect the nuclear plant station and the operator company was ready
to face the typhoon, today’s announcement would imply that TEPCO’s
efforts weren’t enough.
To
deal with the new leaks, TEPCO said on Thursday that it was sealing
off the seaside of the nuclear plant with an“impermeable
wall” which
would “play
a crucial role” in
preventing contaminated groundwater from reaching the ocean
ABC:
“Epic flooding in Japan threatening Fukushima… Serious concerns
about nuclear power plant in flood zone”
- Hundreds of tons of contaminated water have already flowed into ocean Torrential downpours overwhelm site
- Worst rains to hit area in past 50 years
10
September, 2015
Mainichi: Typhoon
causes injuries, cancelled trains and flights, radioactive water
leak…
[TEPCO] announced on Sept. 9 that rainwater contaminated with
radioactive materials had leaked from the plant’s drainage system
into the ocean. The heavy rains brought on by Typhoon Etau exceeded
the capacity of a transfer pump… This is the seventh time of
possible or confirmed leaks of radiation-contaminated water since the
utility began transferring the water from canal to canal in April…
TEPCO says it does not know how much contaminated water leaked into
the ocean, and is currently analyzing the concentration of the
radioactive matter in the leaked water.
ABC
News transcript:
Epic flooding in Japan threatening the Fukushima plant… Serious
concern this morning about a nuclear power plant in the flood zone…
Torrential downpours [are] raising concerns about the Fukushima power
plant… Reports that these heavy rains may overwhelm the site’s
drainage pumps.
Reuters:
A spokesman for operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) told the
Guardian hundreds of tonnes of contaminated water have flowed into
the ocean from the Fukushima nuclear plant… Rainfall reached 500 mm
around Joso, NHK said, with weather officials expecting at least 200
mm more in parts of eastern Japan, including Fukushima, the site of
the nuclear reactor crippled in 2011, before the downpour stops on
Friday.
AFP: Japan
flags grave danger from floods and water tainted by Fukushima nuke
plant radiation—
Tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate across Japan
today as heavy rain pounded the country, sending radiation-tainted
waters into the ocean at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant… The
torrential downpour has also exacerbated a contaminated water problem
at the Fukushima nuclear plant as it overwhelmed the site’s
drainage pumps, a spokesman for operator Tokyo Electric Power said.
Weather
Channel:
JMA issued landslide warnings parts of Miyagi and Fukushima
prefectures, including areas near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power
plant that suffered a catastrophic meltdown after the 2011 Tohoku
earthquake and tsunami. According to the Mainichi Shimbun, a national
newspaper, the heavy rain caused contaminated water from the site to
run off into the Pacific Ocean for several hours early Wednesday.
UPI:
More radioactive water has leaked out from the Fukushima Daiichi
nuclear power plant… The heavy rain has caused additional leaks at
the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where the site’s
drainage pumps were overwhelmed — causing radioactive water to leak
into the Pacific Ocean.
Telegraph:
The huge rains also exacerbated a contaminated water problem at the
crippled Fukushima nuclear plant as it overwhelmed the site’s
drainage pumps, sending radiation-tainted water into the ocean.
Guardian:
The heavy rain, which is expected to spread north on Friday, has also
caused additional leaks of radioactive water at the stricken
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant… The meteorological agency
warned that heavy rain would continue in the northeast, including
Fukushima prefecture, until early Friday morning.
Bloomberg:
The storm caused contaminated water from the wrecked Fukushima
nuclear plant to leak into the ocean… Contaminated water at Tokyo
Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi facility leaked into the
Pacific Ocean at about 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, company spokesman
Tatsuhiro Yamagishi said by phone, adding that company is still
investigating the leak.
ABC
Australia: Fukushima
tainted water flows into ocean…
weather officials [are] expecting at least 200mm more in parts of
eastern Japan, including Fukushima, the site of the nuclear reactor
crippled in 2011, before the downpour stops on Friday. The torrential
downpour has exacerbated a contaminated water problem at the
Fukushima nuclear plant as it overwhelmed the site’s drainage
pumps, sending hundreds of tonnes of contaminated water flowing into
the ocean, a spokesman for operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO)
said.
ABC
News:
In addition to the clear danger facing residents, Japanese
authorities are particularly concerned about the flooding, given its
proximity to one of the country’s biggest nuclear power plants,
Fukushima — damaged by the 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami…
“The torrential downpour is threatening safety at the Fukushima
nuclear plant, closed since the 2011 disaster, as it has overwhelmed
drainage pumps at the site’s contaminated water treatment
facility,” a Japanese government official told ABC News.
NPR:
Floodwaters also “overwhelmed the drainage pumps at the Fukushima
nuclear plant,” Japan Times reports, citing a Tokyo Electric Power
Co. spokesman who said the flooding sent “hundreds of tons of
contaminated water” into the ocean.
Prensa
Latina,
Sep 10, 2015: Typhoon Etau Causes Leak of Radioactive Water in
Fukushima — Typhoon Etau originated leaks of radioactive water from
the Fukushima plant in Japan… Leaks occurred in dams located around
the tanks storing liquid used to cool the reactors. With this leak,
there have been seven detected since last April when a pumping system
was implemented to prevent radioactive waste emanating from the
reactor to flow in a place away from the plant.
EFE:
Contaminated water from Fukushima leaks into sea due to typhoon Etau
— The Fukushima plant… has been found to be leaking contaminated
water into the sea following heavy rainfall in the region caused by
typhoon Etau, a spokesperson of Fukushima’s operator confirmed to
EFE Thursday… The leaks have been caused in the embankments around
the tanks where highly radioactive water is stored after they are
used to cool the reactors…
USA
Today:
Tens of thousands of people are ordered to flee homes across Japan as
heavy rain pounded the country, sending radiation-tainted waters into
the ocean at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
Kyodo:
Heavy rains whose severity was described as occurring once in 50
years were observed in… Fukushima Prefecture.
CNN:
Fukushima prefecture, which was devastated by the 2011 tsunami, saw
more than 30 centimeters (1 foot) of rain in 48 hours — the
heaviest downpour there in 50 years, NHK said.
No mention of Fukushima on BBC or Radio NZ
Massive flood swamps Japanese city
Widespread flooding and landslides in north-east Japan have forced more than 90,000 people to abandon their homes.
11
September, 2015
Rescue
workers transport evacuees in a rubber boat through floodwaters.Photo: AFP
The
city of Joso, north of the capital, Tokyo, was hit by a wall of water
after the Kinugawa River burst its banks. Helicopter rescue teams
have been plucking people from rooftops.
At
least eight people were still missing and 100 need rescuing.
The
rains came a day after a tropical storm brought winds of up to
125km/h to central Aichi prefecture.
Chief
forecaster at the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Takuya
Deshimaru, said that the rainfall was "unprecedented" for
that part of Japan.
"We
can say this is an abnormal situation and there is imminent serious
danger," he went on.
The
hardest-hit areas have been Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures. Japan's
Meteorological Agency had put both regions on its highest level of
alert.
Submerged
vehicles in floodwaters after an embankment of the Kinugawa river
collapsed. Photo: AFP
Saori
Mori, who lives close to the Tone River in the town of Abiko, told
the BBC that "the water is right up to the top of the banks
now".
"We
have been told to pack and prepare to evacuate as soon as we are told
to," Ms Mori said, adding that she and her family were "getting
ready for a fast exit".
Television
footage from Joso in Ibaraki showed people clinging to the rooftops
before helicopter rescue teams winched them to safety.
Entire
homes and cars were carried away on the torrent as the Kinugawa River
burst its banks after two days of heavy rainfall. The flood waters
reached as far as 8km from the breach.
In
Tochigi, more than 500mm of rain fell in 24 hours in places, double
the amount that normally falls there throughout the whole of
September, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
Parts
of central Tochigi had seen almost 600mm of rain since Monday
evening, breaking records.
Many
other areas of eastern and north-eastern Japan had also been issued
weather warnings, including Fukushima prefecture, home to the
still-damaged nuclear plant hit in 2011's earthquake and tsunami.
Floodwaters
from the burst Kinugawa river flow into a residential area in Joso,
Ibaraki. Photo: AFP
The
downpour overwhelmed the site's drainage pumps, a spokesman for
operator Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) said.
Huge
volumes of water, used to cool the plant's crippled reactors, are
being stored at the site.
Landslides and flooding
The
Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 15 people had been injured
across Japan. Two were elderly women seriously injured after being
knocked over by strong winds.
A
local resident is rescued by a helicopter of the Gound Self Defense
Force in a flooded area in Joso. Photo: AFP
The
BBC's Mariko Oi said seven people were missing in Joso and one in
Tochigi prefecture, and the authorities fear that number would rise.
She
said officials confirmed 265 people had been rescued, but at least
100 remain in need of help as rescue efforts are hindered by the
night time.
Some
areas have had power cuts and transport was disrupted, with many air
and train services cancelled or delayed. Some roads were also closed.
Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe said authorities were doing their best.
"The
government will stand united and do its best to deal with the
disaster... by putting its highest priority on people's lives,"
he told reporters.
Last
month, powerful Typhoon Goni hit Japan's southernmost main island of
Kyushu, killing at least one person and injuring 70 others.
-BBC
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