NEWS: Massive landslides to sweep away spent nuclear fuel depositories in Kyrgyzstan

Pravda is reporting that massive landslides in Kyrgyzstan threaten to contaminate major areas of the country, including vital rivers and watersheds. Russian EMERCOM is attempting to coordinate aid, but there is a significant risk that not only Kyrgyzstan but much of Central Asia could be affected by extensive radiological contamination.



Isolation and safe processing of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste have tended to be neglected due to political and economic instability in the region.

Rains and flooding in areas where radioactive materials have been stored are threatening to breach the aging and neglected facilities, resulting in the release of dangerous nuclear materials into the environment.

While aid efforts are underway, there is a very real possibility that what may seem to be a local problem could become a major disaster for the entire region.

Background information on Kyrgyzstan and radioactive waste.

[edit on 4/15/2005 by Majic]

[edit on 4/15/2005 by Majic]

[edit on 4/15/2005 by Majic]

O.K., how much international aide is going to this disaster?

Halliburton?

No need for aid...............OBL is there with his "purse" gathering up the next attack............

Natural landslide ?? or was this planned near nuclear places ??

This can't happen... it is impossible. This story must be a lie...

Nuclear power is the safest form in the world... absolutley can't happen... this must be a lie spread by the Kryg government to initiate sympathy...

everyone knows that nuclear waste is handled very carefully and only placed in stable places like Yucca mountain and the area 51 burning trenches.

nuclear waste burning trenches at area 51

burning nuclear fuel is totally safe... otherwise why would our government insist it is safe? and refuse the lawsuits of area 51 workers who were supposidly contaminated.

burying nuclear fuel is absolutley safe... It would never be put in an area that had earthquakes or landslides... so this must be a fantasy or lie...

nothing to see here, proceed with your usage of nuclear power...
absolutely safe...

BAaaa BHAaaaa BHaaa bleet... BHaaaa

yeah, that was sarcasm... every time nuclear fuel gets stored, it is a burden and a time bomb for millions of years... do YOU want to take that responsibility and the chance that it could seep out or be destroyed in a war, or other natural disaster. Not I said the fly...

This is bad, and sad.
To bad we can only sit and watch all the crap that goes on. And it isn't even a Hollywood movie...

This is, wow this is not good at all. Its alot more serious than I think some people are considering. We are talkign a whole region here that could possibly be contaminated by radioactive wastes. That mans imports on agricultural goods in that area will be restricted, and land becomes unsafe. The economy will be devastated. I do believe they have natural gas andoil in that area so workers will just have to wear those suits.

since the original article was from pravda... I thought i would include a slightly more credible source that agrees...
this is RANSAC... the official nuclear regulatory inspector agency.

Kyrgyz Town Has Uranium in Its Blood (associated press article via RANSAC)
MAYLUU-SUU, Kyrgyzstan -- Lenin's portrait still watches over the rusting, closed Izolit uranium processing plant here, where 23 radioactive waste sites infest the landslide-prone hills -- a catastrophe-in-waiting that threatens to poison the river below and the most populous area of Central Asia.

Some 2 million cubic meters of tailings -- leftovers from more than two decades of refining the uranium from mines in this Kyrgyz mountain town as well as from as far off as East Germany -- are buried in this valley along the Mayluu-Suu River. The waterway runs a short distance south to Uzbekistan and the Fergana Valley, Central Asia's agricultural heartland, which has 12 million inhabitants.

The potential disasters rattle readily off the tongue of Arip Kokkozov, an official at the Ministry of Ecology and Emergency Situations who monitors waste sites. Landslides could carry waste into the river, snow and rain could cause leaks from containers built with outdated technology, wind could carry waste through the air, or the heavy radioactive materials could seep into groundwater.

this was an article from 12/17/2003 on RANSACS website...at RANSAC

so i guess the worst has happened... and they knew it would for years and still didn't do anything
stupid people... watch them run... right off the cliff...stay in line... you will get a turn...
I must be in a really sarcastic mood today... Sorry... but this me

[edit on 15-4-2005 by LazarusTheLong]

Originally posted by DYepes
This is, wow this is not good at all. Its alot more serious than I think some people are considering. We are talkign a whole region here that could possibly be contaminated by radioactive wastes. That mans imports on agricultural goods in that area will be restricted, and land becomes unsafe. The economy will be devastated. I do believe they have natural gas andoil in that area so workers will just have to wear those suits.

Hmmm. Are there any chance of the oil/oilfields becoming contaminated?
In that case, radioactive contamination will become more devastating by spreading to any product using that oil. I hope not MY waterbottles will start to glow in the night...

Edited typo

[edit on 16-4-2005 by Ulvetann]