Japan urges residents near nuclear plant to leave

[bananas]

Source: LA Times

Reporting from Tokyo— Japan's government urges residents within 18 miles of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant to leave their homes, as new information suggests that the core of reactor No. 3 may have been breached.

<snip>

Although people living within 12 miles of the plant were evacuated early in the crisis, those between 12 and 18 miles had been told it was safe to remain as long as they stayed indoors. Authorities have suggested they might expand the mandatory evacuation zone.

"It has become increasingly difficult for goods to arrive, and life has become harder," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said at a news conference Friday. He called on local governments near the plant to encourage people to leave.

<snip>

It was not immediately clear how many people remained within 18 miles of the facility, and Edano's comments sowed confusion among residents and local officials. With more than 200,000 victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in emergency shelters, many of them elderly, evacuations of thousands more could further strain resources.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-quake-20110326,0,2408816.story

[Raschel]

1. So is he saying that they should move because of lack of supplies, etc?

[bananas]

2. Obama said they should have a 50 mile evacuation zone.

Think about it.

[AndyTiedye]

8. That is a Land Area of About 5 MILLION Acres

…in one of the most densely-populated countries on the planet.

How many people live in that area?

[Raschel]

4. Yes, I know that. Just trying to figure out what " It has become increasingly difficult

for goods to arrive, and life has become harder" means.

The article does say that the Japanese were confused by this, so I guess I'm not alone.

[bananas]

12. "the government expanded the evacuation zone in response to the deepening emergency at Fukushima."

I think you're asking, are they being evacuated because of current radiation levels, potentially higher fallout, or because of difficulty of supply?
Probably all three.
They have been told not to go outside, so how do they get supplies?
They may not have electricity or running water, so no electric stoves or refridgeration, food is spoiling and they can't cook.
And now "Late yesterday the government expanded the evacuation zone in response to the deepening emergency at Fukushima."

Here is one city that now must evacuate:
March 19 photos: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=23787
March 22 BBC audio interview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2011/03/110323_minamisoma_nh_sl.shtml
March 26 now in evacuation zone: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/fear-and-devastation-on-the-road-to-japans-nuclear-disaster-zone-2253509.html

From that last link: "Late yesterday the government expanded the evacuation zone in response to the deepening emergency at Fukushima."

<snip>

Only 20,000 of Minamisoma's population of 70,000 have stayed on here. In his office plastered with photographs of the aftermath, Sakurai Katsunobe, the town's lean and furious mayor, says residents have been left to fend for themselves. "Everyone here is angry with Tepco," he seethes. "They give us no information and no help."

Joking that he's a samurai, he vows to save his town with its crippled power plant, its poisoned rice paddies and terrified survivors. He is unlikely to get the chance. Late yesterday the government expanded the evacuation zone in response to the deepening emergency at Fukushima. Even the brave hangers-on will have to pack what they can and leave.

But until that order came, the few that remained were inhabitants of a kind of ghost world, removed entirely from the ordinary life they had once lived. Weighing that new reality in his office, Katsunobe stared at the images of devastation tacked to his wall. They were placed over the pictures that had decorated the room in more normal times. "We can't get supplies as drivers don't want to come here," he said. "We're like an island cut off from outside world."

[Corruption Winz]

3. Honestly...

If they said that 12 or 13 miles was safe, I'd have still moved.

I mean, that's simply a bit too close to comfort.

[AndyTiedye]

9. Most Who Can Move Already Have

Many who remain are elderly and will need help to get out of there.

Those who can leave already have.

Many people have left Tokyo for points well south for that matter.

The Japanese people know how nasty radiation can be.


:nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke::nuke: :hide:

[Corruption Winz]

11. Oh, trust me...

I'm sure they do. However, if I were an able-bodied 20-something -- like I am now -- I'm out of there before they give any sort of warning. It's simply not worth the risk. I do understand the elderly point you made, however.

I was simply stating how I would hope to be able to handle the circumstances.

[Raschel]

5. The US experts say that the data is contradictory. Are they saying it's worse or better than what

the Japanese are saying?

This is all so confusing. I shouldn't try to read this stuff when I'm tired...

[cutlassmama]

6. there are coflicting reports, it's not you, it's them

[Zorra]

13. Uh-oh. "Nuclear experts say U.S. residents safe from Japan radiation"

Must be those anti-nuke hippie environmentalists spreading lies again. Move along now nothing to see here. Turn on Fox News to get the truth. whispers(american idol, american idol)

BERKELEY —
Radiation from a tsunami-crippled nuclear power plant in Japan does not pose a public safety risk to people outside of the disaster area, UC Berkeley nuclear engineers told an overflow audience of about 100 people at the Institute for East Asian Studies on Wednesday (March 16).
snip---
“Is it dangerous here? No. Is it dangerous on the site ? Yes,” said nuclear engineering professor Peter Hosemann, one of six panelists at the roundtable discussion “Japan’s Aftermath: An Initial Assessment of the Nuclear Disaster in Japan.” The event focused on recent events in Japan, with professors, primarily from the College of Engineering, providing context and insights.

“I am not worried about that accident at the nuclear power plant,” said Shinya Nagasaki, a visiting professor at UC Berkeley who is scheduled to return to his position at the University of Tokyo on Tuesday (March 22). “I am worried about the shortage of food and supplies.”
snip--
“We need energy. Every source has risks associated with it,” said panelist Joonhong Ahn, professor of nuclear engineering. “If we do nuclear, we need deep international collaboration and discussion.”

http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/03/17/nuclear-panelists-japan-radiatio/
:scared:

[JohnnyRingo]

7. They wouldn't have gotten an answer at my house.

I would have found a relative or friend to move in with the same day the government told me not to be concerned about the nuclear meltdown next door.

I'm surprised there are any doors left to knock on in that area.

[AndyTiedye]

10. When the Government Officials are Telling People Not to Panic

…there is almost certainly a good reason for doing so.