Well ladies and gentlemen, over the last week Japan has been devastated by one of the largest earthquakes in recorded history. The original estimates were 8.9 on the Richter scale (R) and the final measurement indicated that it was a 9.0 (R). This is an extremely large earthquake that provided multiple aftershocks that were far greater than anything that we have seen earthquake wise here in the States.
Immediately following the earthquake the Pacific sides of Japan especially in the Northern regions were devastated by a massive Tsunami. It is estimated that 10,000 people are either missing or pronounced dead and this is only likely to increase as more coastal towns are cleared. The devastation will prove to be one of the most costly natural disasters ever far surpassing that of Hurricane Katrina. Katrina will look miniscule to the effect of this disaster.
The major after effect of the Quake and Tsunami is the destruction of the Fukushima Daiichi Plant. Four reactors have been damaged which has sent radioactive fallout throughout a small area in eastern Japan. Hopefully the Japanese are capable of reducing the threat from the plant and are capable of cleaning residual radioactive debris.
My concern is why the plant was so close to the coast, when the Pacific Rim is known as the ring of fire. I mean this region of the world has seen earthquakes for centuries and tsunamis are a given when these earthquakes strike. They believed a protective wall would protect the plant, give me a break. I really do hope this is a lesson for the Engineers and Designers of Nuclear facilities in the US. Risk Management must be considered when placing the most dangerous facility ever created, building a wall is no way to stop the fury of Mother Nature when she is pissed.
I believe Nuclear Energy can be safe, clean, and efficient, until we gain the technology to create energy from nothing. We just have to be smart about where we place them and how we construct them. I know our nuclear facilities have as much security as possible and have conducted planning and exercises against many threats, I bet the Japs prepped for that one too. Radiation is about the scariest way to die because it is slow and agonizing. For a large portion of our nation’s history we have been devastatingly scared of radioactive fallout from a nuclear war, let’s not suffer from the fallout through our own hands. Let’s learn from these mistakes and make a nation safer.
