Japan Nuclear Reactor Explosion Prompts Chernobyl-Like Environmental Disaster Fears

Japan Nuclear Reactor Explosion Prompts Chernobyl-Like Environmental Disaster Fears

An 8.9-magnitude earthquake rocked Japan on Friday, causing widespread destruction as shock waves swept by means of the entire country and 30-foot tsunami waves beat down along the coasts even hours after the initial quake. So far the reported death toll is over 500, but officials expect that the number could soar as emergency and recovery operations continue.

But the earthquake caused a massive dilemma and panic in Fukushima, just 250 kilometers north Tokyo, when the 1 of the buildings surrounding a nuclear reactor at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant collapsed, causing an explosion. The explosion sent white smoke flooding into the air containing modest amounts of radiation, but Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the reactor was not damaged.
Even so, you'll find reports three people have sought medical aid for injuries from radiation exposure and the government has declared an "atomic emergency" leading to the evacuation of 90,000 men and women inside the region. The reactor hasn't experienced a full meltdown in which the reactor core can no longer cool properly, causing it to overheat and melt. A meltdown is incredibly dangerous given that it can leak radioactive substances. The impacts of radioactive materials on the environment and human well being is severe and long-term and is known to cause a wide selection of cancers, birth defects, and practically permanent contamination of water and soil.
You can find extensive efforts becoming produced to prevent any further damages to the nuclear reactor, but there's already concern over Chernobyl-like impacts. Although the explosion at the nuclear plant in Fukushima has however to reach Chernobyl's disaster level, if emergency efforts don't work quickly enough to secure the reactor totally, things could get significantly worse. The Chernobyl disaster happened in a comparatively unpopulated location, but the Fukushima nuclear plant is only about 150 miles from Tokyo, which has a metropolitan population

Additionally, Chernobyl caused radiation levels across Europe to spike, notifying countries of the nuclear disaster even just before Soviet officials announced it. If the nuclear reactor in Fukushima undergoes a meltdown, emitting high amounts of radiation, it could potentially reach the west coast of the U.S. and other islands in the northern Pacific.
Even though fears of the probable nuclear devastation continue, specialists say that it is unlikely to be a main disaster considering that the nuclear reactors in Japan are developed to withstand high seismic activity, although the recent earthquake was beyond what they're expected to withstand. So far, officials in Japan have announced that the core has not melted down and is still contained. Workers were making use of sea water to maintain the core from overheating and residents near the location had been given iodine to lessen possible radiation-related illnesses. Medical crews had been also testing children for radiation exposure too.

Rachel Krech offers an in-depth have a look at existing environmental issues and local Chicago news stories. As a college student from the Chicago suburbs pursuing two science degrees, she applies her information and passion to both topics to garner further public awareness.