the nuclear danger in Japan

Even the government is admitting how grim it is:

“The power plants, known as Daiichi and Daini and operated by Tokyo Electric Power, experienced critical failures of the cooling systems after the plants were shut down, as they were during the quake. Ryohei Shiomi, an official with Japan’s nuclear safety commission, said that a meltdown was possible at one of the two Daiichi reactors, The Associated Press reported. Japanese television reported that the country’s Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency said it had detected cesium near one of those reactors.”

two grim headlines from Japan

There are many more than two, of course, but here are two that make me shiver a bit:

*”Report: Contact lost with four trains in coastal areas”

*”Explosion reported near nuclear power plant”

The Kobe earthquake in the 1990’s was already the most expensive natural disaster in history. I’m sure this will eclipse that.