8.9 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan

[mwalsh]

Horrified is not the right word for what I felt, watching live coverage of people try to drive away from the tsunami and, worse yet, those stuck in traffic deciding to abandon their cars with the rushing water no more than a half-mile away. Not to mention those who were driving towards the incoming wave. Ack!

 

[LakeLeaf]

It is very difficult to see the pictures and video.

<Plans after tomorrow>
•Plants will suspend operations originally planned for Saturday March 12 and Sunday March 13.
•Operations after Monday, March 14, for all plants and facilities including the Global Headquarters (Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture), will be decided after all assessments including suppliers, are conducted tomorrow, March 12.

I don't think we have a good understanding of where the suppliers for the Leaf are located, nor what type of inventory is stocked in Oppama, nor how the ships that appear to transport materials to Oppama have been effected, nor how the families and friends of the Oppama assembly crew have been effected. Suspect it is going to take quite a while to sort it all out as the reports are the about half of the main island is without phone service.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Not good...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Nuke-plant-trouble-after-apf-1121920057.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=4&asset=&ccode=

 

[mwalsh]

Not good...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Nuke-plant-trouble-after-apf-1121920057.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=4&asset=&ccode=

No it's not. And it does not bode well for those who propose "safe nuclear" when the Japanese, who arguably should have been one of the most prepared societies to handle the effects of earthquake on nuclear infrastructure, don't get it right. :shock:

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Reports of cooling systems failing on nuke plant built in an earthquake prone area means that nothing or no one could be prepared for something that large.

One day it will be us. I only hope that japan rreceives the aid they deserve

 

[suresnoi]

I know people living there close to Tokyo.

Considering the magnitude, Tokyo is left in relatively good shape but it's been a long day for people there. Transports and many thing are shut down. It's been chaos trying to get home after work apparently.

People are really shaken and still under shock, many of them have experienced *real* fear in buildings but the Japanese are as good as it can be when it comes to being prepared to these events.

I wish them all the best.

 

[Skywagon]

Here is a photo posted on Autoblog a bit ago showing a Nissan port yard with numerous Infiniti cars along with 370Zs and what looks to be Jukes. I do not see any LEAFs in that photo.

 

[Herm]

"After the quake triggered a power outage, a backup generator also failed and the cooling system was unable to supply water to cool the 460-megawatt No. 1 reactor, though at least one backup cooling system was being used."

I have a couple of friends that work in nuke plants, the diesel emergency generators are tested constantly.. and they have more than one. It sounds like they need to work on their safety procedures a bit more. It is ironic that nuke plants require external electricity to operate.

The new generation of nukes are safe even without power, but not the 40 year old plants.

10 nukes shut down, that has to be a massive impact to electricity generation in Japan.. hopefully they can restart them soon.

 

[rainnw]

Some leaked videos a few years ago documented some japanese cooling systems having serious defects.

 

[mgoleta]

Oppama plant suspends operation till inspections are completed.
For details:

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=133721

 

[DaveEV]

Here is a photo posted on Autoblog a bit ago showing a Nissan port yard with numerous Infiniti cars along with 370Zs and what looks to be Jukes. I do not see any LEAFs in that photo.

Apparently this photo was taken in Hitachinaka, so it may be cars from the Iwaki or Tochigi plants which are closest to that location.

 

[Nekota]

Not good...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Nuke-plant-trouble-after-apf-1121920057.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=4&asset=&ccode=

No it's not. And it does not bode well for those who propose "safe nuclear" when the Japanese, who arguably should have been one of the most prepared societies to handle the effects of earthquake on nuclear infrastructure, don't get it right. :shock:

Foremost in my mind is providing the support and aid to the distressed peoples in Japan. However, I object to your negative tone on "safe nuclear" as in it could never be safe and the Japanese not getting it right. The loss of electrical power will disable any primary cooling system and failure of diesel power units to continuously power the primary is still a serious first level failure. Secondary and emergency cooling systems are functional and are only activated at the secondary level while additional electrical generators are being deployed to restore the primary power to remove the decay heat power. In addition, having evacuation around 3Km perimeter is a sign of preparedness, education and planning to deal with an over pressure condition not a cooling one.
Unfortunately I live in CA and I don't believe we are ready for any 7+ quake let alone one 10x in the Bay area. For example our CA electrical plants are powered mostly by "safe natural gas" - my gas shutoff wrench is close to the meter but it's manually operated.

 

[TomT]

I agree. I'm a strong proponent of nuclear. It also behooves people to remember that this is a forty year old plant and nuclear technology has advanced significantly in that time. The fact that this plant safely survived in such a significant event only drives home how safe newer plants are...

Foremost in my mind is providing the support and aid to the distressed peoples in Japan. However, I object to your negative tone on "safe nuclear" as in it could never be safe and the Japanese not getting it right.

 

[avanti5010]

Looks like Nissan has closed all its plants, too.

 

[Kataphn]

Not good...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Nuke-plant-trouble-after-apf-1121920057.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=4&asset=&ccode=

No it's not. And it does not bode well for those who propose "safe nuclear" when the Japanese, who arguably should have been one of the most prepared societies to handle the effects of earthquake on nuclear infrastructure, don't get it right. :shock:

Foremost in my mind is providing the support and aid to the distressed peoples in Japan. However, I object to your negative tone on "safe nuclear" as in it could never be safe and the Japanese not getting it right. The loss of electrical power will disable any primary cooling system and failure of diesel power units to continuously power the primary is still a serious first level failure. Secondary and emergency cooling systems are functional and are only activated at the secondary level while additional electrical generators are being deployed to restore the primary power to remove the decay heat power. In addition, having evacuation around 3Km perimeter is a sign of preparedness, education and planning to deal with an over pressure condition not a cooling one.
Unfortunately I live in CA and I don't believe we are ready for any 7+ quake let alone one 10x in the Bay area. For example our CA electrical plants are powered mostly by "safe natural gas" - my gas shutoff wrench is close to the meter but it's manually operated.

Just saying...we got an automatic gas shutoff device on our gas meter after the Northridge quake. It triggers at 4.0 or above, I believe. Pluse we have the wrench right there...just in case!

 

[LEAFfan]

Screw the car and deliveries. I hope that people are OK.

8.9 magnitude is HUGE. Biggest I've been was the Loma Prieta in '89 which was "only" a 6.9. A 8.9 is 100 times stronger.

Actually, an 8.9 is TEN times stronger than a 7.9 which is ten times stronger than a 6.9. They go up by a factor of '10'. And yes, an 8.9 is huge, but the one coming to CA will be around an 11.

 

[LEAFfan]

Magnitude 8.9 is in the epic range. There will likely be major aftershocks for many months. To our friends in Japan, we're thinking of you.

It was the largest in Japan's history since records have been kept over 100 years. Also, there was another 6.2 quake near Nagano which was NOT an aftershock.

 

[LEAFfan]

Horrified is not the right word for what I felt, watching live coverage of people try to drive away from the tsunami and, worse yet, those stuck in traffic deciding to abandon their cars with the rushing water no more than a half-mile away. Not to mention those who were driving towards the incoming wave. Ack!

The tsunami was moving at 500 mph through open ocean.

 

[LEAFfan]

Not good...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Nuke-plant-trouble-after-apf-1121920057.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=4&asset=&ccode=

No it's not. And it does not bode well for those who propose "safe nuclear" when the Japanese, who arguably should have been one of the most prepared societies to handle the effects of earthquake on nuclear infrastructure, don't get it right. :shock:

They had a backup, but the diesel generators were put of of service with the tsunami. Hopefully, people in the USA will learn from this with our nuclear reactors.

 

[GeekEV]

Screw the car and deliveries. I hope that people are OK.

8.9 magnitude is HUGE. Biggest I've been was the Loma Prieta in '89 which was "only" a 6.9. A 8.9 is 100 times stronger.

Actually, an 8.9 is TEN times stronger than a 7.9 which is ten times stronger than a 6.9. They go up by a factor of '10'. And yes, an 8.9 is huge, but the one coming to CA will be around an 11.

Yes, an 8.9 is 10x stronger than a 7.9, which is 10x stronger than a 6.9 - which would make an 8.9 quake 10x10x stronger than a 6.9. And 10x10 is ... 100. Exactly what drees said. So what exactly are you correcting here?