Fuel rods exposed at third reactor at Japan plant

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Fuel rods exposed at third reactor at Japan plant
Last-ditch efforts to save it
Mike Lloyd Mar 14, 2011 08:29:53 AM
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TOKYO, JN. (NEWS1130) - An explosion at Unit 1, an explosion at Unit 3 and now there are troubles at a third reactor at Fukushima's nuclear power plant in Japan.

Workers are funneling more sea water into the plant, a last-ditch effort to prevent another disaster after the catastrophic quake and tsunami late last week.

The newest problem is fuel rods have been partially exposed at Unit 2.  It's the latest reactor to lose its ability to cool down.  The exposure of the rods has raised the risk of overheating and a meltdown.

There is word the rods are melting inside all three of the reactors.  Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary says they can't directly check it, but "it's likely happening."


The initial explosion was at Unit 1 on Saturday.  Since then, the US Navy has temporarily repositioned its ships and planes away from the plant after detecting low levels of contamination in the area.

This could end up the most expensive quake in history.  There are early but rough estimates losses are about $100 billion.

Survivors try to cope

As for survivors, they are facing a fourth night without water, food, or heating in near-freezing temperatures.  Many are still in complete shock as they try to adjust to life after the massive shaker.

Officially, the death toll in northeastern Japan is 2,800 as a tide of bodies washes up along the coast.  And even days after the disaster, there is no way of knowing how many people have died.  Police in one state predict another 10,000 people have been killed in one region alone.

For many people it's about finding the necessities of life.  One woman says she has found shelter in the only place she could by sleeping in a car for the past three days.

There are others who are trying to return to normal life by attempting to go to work.  But there are others who are showing up in places they normally would, even though those places no longer exist.

A 76-year-old man from Quebec is the only known Canadian to have died in the disaster.

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