Japan

[amethyst73]

I can only begin to imagine what it's like near the failing nuclear reactors in Japan right now.

They've evacuated.  Some. 

In a country that's just been hit by a tremendous earthquake, it must be difficult to travel any real distance due to destruction of roads, harbors, etc. 

So you're just kind of, well, stuck.  Way-too-damn-close to a failing nuclear reactor. 

You're supposed to stay inside, cover your nose and mouth with a damp cloth for protection.  Which might do some good.  Maybe.

Pray for those in Japan.  I can only begin to imagine how terrified they must be.

Comments

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

If there's one thing that the Japanese can do better than folks in many countries, it's evacuate smoothly. They seem to be doing a good job of that so far, but perhaps you've read things I haven't.

What makes me ill is that if they have worse problems with one of these reactors and release some of the longer-lasting isotopes, those people will have to abandon their homes. As it is, we may find out there has been significant I-131 release, and while staying indoors and breathing through wet cloths should help a lot to keep people from ingesting the compound, it's still not good. Pray for rain, and pray we don't get cesium fallout. The iodine is bad enough.

It must be horrifying, yes, particularly because there are grandmothers and grandfathers who remember when Japan was hit by atomic bombs.

I don't think the power company and government have done everything right, with these reactor crises, but I keep comparing it with what I know of how Soviet Ukraine responded, and it is so much more open, and better, and the citizens will be able to petition their government to stop letting the power companies go on their own say-so about what constitutes "safe enough." Japan has regulatory problems, and when they flood reactors with seawater you know they're getting desperate, but I'm pleased that we already _know_ what's happening.

I'm praying for Japan too.

[amethyst73.livejournal.com]

I have to admit I was relying on no facts at all, only my own imagination. I don't actually know how effective the evacuation effort is. Having read mostly the NYT's description of what was going on at the plants plus my own nervousness about nuclear energy makes me want to be MUCH more than 12 miles away from a leaking plant.

So, thanks for your thoughtful comments here and your post with the BBC article.