Updated information links:
Radiation Levels Falling at Fukushima Plant
A level of 752 microsieverts per hour was recorded at the plant's main gate at 5 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Wednesday, said the official, Tetsuo Ohmura. The monitoring point was then changed to the plant's west gate and readings were taken every 30 minutes, he said. At 5 a.m. the reading was 338 microsieverts per hour.
That level was still much higher then it should be, but was not dangerous, and that by comparison absorption of a level of 400 was normal from being outside over the course of a year, Ohmura said.
Pictures of Plant Devastation
Helicopters flying over the plant in an effort to maintain the cooling of the reactor have taken pictures of the devastation inside the reactor itself. Note that while the cement wall on #4 is gone, the actual containment vessel is still intact. Note that #3 still retains part of the cement containment wall. Both of these are advantages considering the crisis as they allow some protection from radiation escaping the plant.
Helicopters and Tankers in Bid to Cool Fukushima Reactor
The plant operators are trying to reactivate the power to re-start cooling systems, blocked the earthquake and tsunami. The incident caused the overheating of the reactor, where in recent days there have been explosions and fires in four of six reactors. People who live in a radius of 30 km are being invited to stay indoors or leave the area.
Despite the danger of radiation, 50 engineers have decided to continue the work to prevent the risk of a nuclear disaster. Today, another 300 volunteer workers joined them in an attempt to reactivate the electrical system and therefore the cooling of the reactors.
In some parts radiation levels have reached 10 millisievert, permitting a maximum exposure of only 10 -25 hours.
Note that it does not say those workers will die; it simply says that there is a limit to the amount of time they can be exposed to that environment without getting sick. Per articles previously posted in this thread 10 millisievert is the cut-off point at which, after maximum exposure time is reached, a human being will start feeling ill.
Japan Nuclear Situation Serious but Stable
The situation at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was serious but "reasonably stable" on Thursday with no major worsening since the day before, a senior U.N. nuclear watchdog official said.
"It hasn't got worse, which is positive," Graham Andrew of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said. "The situation remains very serious but there has been no significant worsening since yesterday."
Note the comments about the overall safety record of nuclear power. Given the short time in which we've been using it, this is rather impressive.
The citizens, on the other hand, are really suffering from the general effects of the disaster.
For Japan Tsunami Survivors, Woes Mount
A List of Tips on How to Help and What Charities are Reliable
How to Help
A list of active charities with donation links and a blurb about the type of help they're providing.
More options and a list of Earthquake Relief Personnel
Includes a list of organizations helping to find out the fates of the missing for those who had loved ones in the devastated area.
Another Excellent List of Charities with Donation Links
Don't send supplies personally. You have no way of knowing what may be specifically needed and no guarantee your donation will make it through customs to the people to whom it is intended. Don't send religious conversion materials; they don't need them now, don't want them, and it's a waste of resources as well as an insult.
You can help locally by donating blood and plasma; blood products are sure to be needed as the weeks go on.
I'm sorry to hear that, Bee. Honestly, you're all in my prayers.
