by Nelle Maxey
The issue of whether the damage at Fukushima was caused by the earthquake or the tsunami has serious implications for the safety of nuclear plants. This has now become a central issue in the analysis of what happened in Japan. My report this morning discusses how it is unfolding.
First, watch the video released yesterday.
Arnie Gunderson at Fairewinds Assoc May 22, 2011 video:
http://www.fairewinds.com/content/implications-fukushima-accident-worlds-operating-reactors
Gunderson discusses seismic criteria and states unequivocally that Unit 1 failed and Unit 4 spent fuel pool cracked due to the earthquake, NOT the tsunami.
Second see two articles published early on reporting earthquake damage at the plant:
1) Daily Yomiuri newspaper article Thursday, March 17, 2011
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110316005275.htm
"Terror at N-plant during quake
Naoko Kagemoto / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
FUKUSHIMA–Strong horizontal jolts dislodged ceiling pipes and massive amounts of water started flooding out–this was the frightening scene experienced by a worker who was in the building housing the No. 1 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant when the earthquake hit Friday.
His tale told to The Yomiuri Shimbun sheds light on the heavy initial damage the quake caused inside the building.
…When the earthquake struck, he was doing electrical work with some coworkers inside the containment building of the reactor… "
[Read the full story, it's very interesting.]
2) Japan Times article Monday, March 14, 2011
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20110320x2.html