July 13, 2014

Jul 13, 2014 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • Typhoon Neoguri’s approach to F. Daiichi produced numerous headlines. Tepco posted a Press release concerning preparations made just in case the typhoon struck with full fury. Since all reactor buildings were already strong enough to withstand the most severe typhoon imaginable, Tepco’s staff secured equipment, exposed pipes, and temporary decontamination and decommissioning structures. On July 11, site superintendent Akira Ono said, “The Fukushima Daiichi site is now prepared for the typhoon. Our workers have patrolled the site, taking a variety of precautions including securing pipes and cranes. To ensure that excess rainwater doesn’t become contaminated or affect the environment, we have taken various measures to protect the tanks, including the construction of high dams that would contain any leakage.” http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/2014/1238937_5892.html  While there were many scary news articles in the Japanese Press as the typhoon moved up the Japanese coast, NHK World was probably the most informative. NHK said all accumulated water from prior rainstorms was pumped out so that there might be enough room for a worst-case situation and prevent contaminated run-off. Workers also placed large weights on the bottom of tall cranes to prevent them from falling over. Tepco also told NHK that if the Typhoon hit F. Daiichi full force, outside work would be stopped to protect the station’s staff. NHK World; Fukushima Daiichi plant bracing for storm; 7/10/14  However, the typhoon merely “skirted” the station. A local meteorological official said they saw no rainfall or strong winds near the plant. A Tepco spokesperson said there were no problems and “We are conducting today’s operations as scheduled while monitoring any impact from the typhoon.” http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/tropical-storm-neoguri-heading-toward-fukushima
  • The Asahi Shimbun reports the typical distance traveled by voluntary Fukushima evacuees. The average was 273 kilometers from their homes. A survey was run by two universities with about 10,000 voluntary evacuees participating. It does not include data concerning the 75,000 evacuees from inside the exclusion zone mandated by the government. It is the first such survey to provide details about the voluntarily evacuation of Fukushima residents. The results are expected to help municipalities near other nuclear plants map out their evacuation plans. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201407130019
  • A Japanese court says they will rule on whether or not Tepco is legally culpable for a suicide. In June 2011, Hamako Watanabe and her husband began returning home periodically to tend their property, located just inside the mandated exclusion zone 50km northwest of the nuke plant. On June 30, Hamako cooked in the kitchen while her husband cleared brush around the house. They were required to leave the next day because of government-set stay-times. She did not want to leave. The next morning, she poured kerosene over herself and lit herself. Her husband, Mikio, filed a suit for over $900,000 USD against Tepco saying they are entirely responsible for her self-immolation, “If that accident hadn’t happened, we would have lived a normal, peaceful life. For them [Tepco] to argue that the suicide is not directly related is unforgivable.” Mikio now lives alone in prefabricated housing and regularly commutes to maintain the empty home. Since April 2011, there have been more than 1,500 suicides in the Fukushima Prefecture. So far, officials have ruled 54 of those deaths to be “disaster related”. This is the first of many suits concerning accident-related suicides to be tried. http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/fukushima-farmer-takes-on-tepco-over-wifes-suicide?utm_cam