Japan Times: ‘Records shattered’ at Fukushima — Radiation levels surge after typhoon

Japan Times: ‘Records shattered’ at Fukushima — Radiation levels surge after typhoon — Tepco “doesn’t know why” this is happening — Warning “crisis could get worse” as 180 km/hr storm heading to area

Japan Times (Jiji Press), Oct. 12, 2014 (emphasis added): The radioactive water woes at [Fukushima] got worse over the weekend after the tritium concentration in a groundwater sample surged more than tenfold… [Tepco] said Saturday that heavy rain caused by Typhoon Phanfone probably affected the groundwater… [The] 150,000 becquerels… is a record for the well… [Beta ray emitters at the well] also shattered records with a reading of 1.2 million becquerels… close to the plant’s port in the Pacific…[.ex]

This is getting ridiculous. It's been 3 1/2 years now and Fukushima continues to emit large amounts of radiation with a more-deadly toxic mix of isotopes than any previous nuclear disaster (and that includes bombs). Not only are we wiping out life on Earth we're making certain nothing can follow in our footsteps.

Oh yeah. Remember when Fukushima was what everyone worried about? Good times...

"Tepco doesn't know why this is happening"

Yes they do. Every time it rains the runoff floods the basements and tank farms, washing all the "contained" radioactive miasma out of there and into the surrounding environment. Especially the sea, one of the primary reasons they build those facilities near large bodies of water in the first place.

Whoops, how did that happen?

In addition to the tritium contaminated water being flushed into the sea by the torrential downpour, 100mph+ winds are sucking particulate into the upper atmosphere where the jet stream can then distribute it globally.

The next rainfall we experience in North America will be highly contaminated.

Wear a hat.

Yep, Fuku fallout is "airborne" as well.

Heres an article about Typhoon rainwater from last year…

link

Well at least nuclear plants like Fuku don't pollute the atmosphere with carbon dioxide. Think of how bad it is to have the same amount of carbon loose in our environment, think of all the asthma attacks and the climate change it could bring.

Not so with our little buddy the Atom, the clean, green, energy of the future. If the nearest nuclear energy plant is ready to blow, just practice those A-Bomb drills from the 50's cold war era, and hide in a fallout shelter, if you can still find one anywhere. Nothing like space age nuclear radiation to cure whatever needs curing and to build healthy bones and a strong body. The Atom, for a glowing green America.

Long, LONG time lurker. First time poster, actually I just created an account today. So, hurray for my inaugural post?

Just wanted to dispel some fears about the spike in activity in Fukushima due to the Typhoon.

Intrptr has it right in why these spikes occur, but it seems the original post contains some standard fear tactics, namely in the numbers. 150,000 becquerels of radiation really isn't much at all. For reference, the natural levels of Potassium-40 in the average human body emits (roughly) 250,000 Bq per minute. So, your own body is delivering more radiation to you than the levels listed here.

So yes, this is a spike in activity, but not one people should be worried about. Honestly, if you're going to be wearing a hat next rain because you fear Fukushima radiation, I suggest you never fly in a commercial airliner again.

a reply to: ScientificRailgun

Thanks, and welcome to ATS. If your data is correct it's good to have an added voice of reason on the site.

a reply to: Aleister

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm glad to be finally posting. The data is pretty solid. Source below:

Harvard's "Radioactive Human Body" Study

"There are 1.2 radioactive atoms of 40K for every 10,000 nonradioactive atoms of potassium. There is of the order of 140 g of potassium in an adult who weighs 70 kg, and 0.0169 g consists of the 40K isotope. This amount of 40K disintegrates at the rate of 266,000 atoms per minute. Of every 100 disintegrations, 89 result in the release of beta particles with maximum energy of 1.33 MeV, and 11 result in gamma photons with an energy of 1.46 MeV. All of the beta particles and about 50 percent of the gamma rays are absorbed in the body, giving annual doses of 16 mrad from the beta particles and 2 mrad from the gamma rays."

I took a rough guess, but it looks like the actual study finds about 266,000 Bq per minute.

a reply to: ScientificRailgun

Welcome to the site.
I was going to post something similar to what you said. If all the predictions on this site came true, Japan would be lifeless by now.

a reply to: ScientificRailgun

if you're going to be wearing a hat next rain because you fear Fukushima radiation, I suggest you never fly in a commercial airliner again.

What? Why?

Evacuate Japan Immediately!!
Um, maybe not, where would they all go?
Just the elites get to move away.
The rest of you keep working and everything will be fine.
Don't be alarmed either, we gave you 60 years of bad science fiction movies to acclimate you.
Ahaahahhh! Gozirra!! Gozirra!!
Now you may scream.

I really hate Tepco. Why are those morons allowed anywhere near anything nuclear? ug.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
Evacuate Japan Immediately!!
Um, maybe not, where would they all go?

China.

Apparently there are brand new uninhabited cities just waiting for them.

I know there have been some comforting words on this thread....I for one, am not comforted. This already is (considering the length of time and the lack of any solution), is the worst nuclear disaster if all time. You throw the largest, most powerful storm of the year into the mix. It's not going to make anything the same or even stagnate. Why this isn't news worthy any longer should give you a hint on his bad it really is. We will see unfortunately....

a reply to: funkadeliaaaa

A typical commercial flight nets you a total radiation dose of about 4 µSv per hour at cruising altitude.

The radiation reported at Fukushima is a fraction of that.

a reply to: Psynic

Knock, knock..
Who's there?
Japan
Japan who?
All of Japan! just how much room you have in those vacant cities?
China could become the world's largest landlord overnight.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
a reply to: Psynic


Japan who?
All of Japan! just how much room you have in those vacant cities?

Many millions wouldn't survive the evacuation and/or events leading up to it.

Others would refuse to leave.

Oh yeah .... remember Fukishima, that still not contained NUCLEAR reactor that the media haven't talked about for over two years?

When Chernobyl blew, the word gave the Russians a VERY hard time until they contained it, there was story after story in the news.

For some reason, the Japanese seem to get carte blanche on not containing one of the worst environmental disasters of the decade so far.

266,000 bq might not be anything to us but what about the sea life that have been living in a toxic soup of radiation for the last 3 years?

add this latest toxic discharge to all the other ones and i bet those little fishies are glowing about now.