

New hydrogen explosion rocks stricken Japan reactor - ainsleyb
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/us-japan-quake-explosion-idUSTRE72D8EO20110314?WT.tsrc=Social%20Media&WT.z_smid=twtr-reuters_%20com&WT.z_smid_dest=Twitter

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pessimist
Turns out all the optimistic scenarios beloved by Hacker News were sadly
wrong. The containment for reactor 2 is almost surely damaged now. If I
understand correctly, the suppression pool is vital to maintain integrity
primary containment as it vents extra pressure steam and is also the source
for water that is pumped in to the primary containment to keep it cool. After
the explosion pressure in the suppression pool dropped to 1/3, implying its
seriously damaged. It may be only a matter of time till the primary
containment itself is damaged.

Its not apocalypse yet, nor will it be apocalypse even if the containment
fails. Chernobyl after all resulted only in a few hundred deaths. But there
are a few more complicating factors here. Primarily, if reactor 2 does indeed
go in to full meltdown and radioactivity escapes freely, how will the other
reactors be maintained? They are still critical. Sadly I think several of the
workers there will likely be giving their lifes for this.

Secondly, Japan is much more dense country than Ukraine/Belarus were. And
finally, the country's infrastructure is not yet restored to normalcy. Surely
power/water/communications all will further breakdown.

Still, Japan itself has recovered from even greater calamities - as the Prime
Minister reminded us. I believe in this case, within a few months recovery
will be with us.

