Japan's chief cabinet secretary says a hydrogen explosion has occurred at Unit 3 of Japan's stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. The blast was similar to an earlier one at a different unit of the facility. Unit 1 was a boiling-water reactor, (BWR-3) produced 460 MW and was supplied by General Electric in the 70’s while Unit 3 was a 784 MW BWR-4 made and supplied by Toshiba. Unit 3 is a far larger reactor. AP journalists felt the explosion of Unit 3 30 miles (50 kilometers) away.
Unit 2 is still undergoing emergency measures to try and cool the reactor sufficiently to inhibit a meltdown. The workers have resorted to using fire engines to cool the core down with seawater and boron. This is most likely being pumped back into the ocean creating fears that the release of radiation into the atmosphere and water, could lead to widespread cancer and other health problems.
Operators had earlier halted injection of sea water into the reactor of Unit 3, resulting in a rise in radiation levels and pressure. Official reports are that unit 3's inner containment vessel holding the nuclear rods is still intact, allaying some fears of the risk to the environment and public. However this is what was reported in the earlier unit 1 explosion and then officials admitted to the fact that a partial meltdown had occurred.
Previous to this latest explosion of Unit 3, a search and rescue helicopter has detected radiation 60 miles out to sea. Radiation levels at Fukushima are dangerously high.
A massive column of smoke was seen belching from the plant's No. 3 unit. The reactor had been under emergency watch for a possible explosion as pressure built up and emergency measures were undertaken. Unfortunately they have not stopped another large explosion from occurring.
It appears that the more the officials say they're in control, the more I sense things may be out of control.
The initial Earthquake that has caused major damage and devastating tsunami has been upgraded from a 8.9 magnitude to a 9 M. With many aftershocks still happening because of tectonic instability, a 7.1 M Earthquake is predicted to occur shortly.
