Growing nuclear alarm after Japan earthquake, tsunami

LATEST: Japanese military helicopters and fire trucks have poured water on an overheating nuclear facility and the plant operator said electricity to part of the crippled complex could be restored in a desperate bid to avert catastrophe.

Washington and other foreign capitals expressed growing alarm about radiation leaking from the earthquake-shattered plant, 240km north of Tokyo. The United States said it was sending aircraft to help Americans leave Japan.

"The situation continues to be very serious," International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano told reporters at Vienna airport as he left with a group of nuclear experts for Japan.

Workers were trying to connect a 1km long power cable from the main grid to restart water pumps to cool reactor No2, which does not house spent fuel rods considered the biggest risk of spewing radioactivity into the atmosphere.

One official from the plant operator told a late night briefing the cable could be connected within hours. Other officials said it was unclear if water pumps at reactor No2, which sustained less damage from a series of explosions, would work.

US officials took pains not to criticise Japan's government, but Washington's actions indicated a divide with its close ally about the perilousness of the world's worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

The top US nuclear regulator said the cooling pool for spent fuel rods at reactor No4 may have run dry and another was leaking.

Gregory Jaczko, head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told a congressional hearing that radiation levels around the cooling pool were extremely high, posing deadly risks for workers still toiling in the wreckage of the power plant.

"It would be very difficult for emergency workers to get near the reactors. The doses they could experience would potentially be lethal doses in a very short period of time," he said in Washington.

Japan's nuclear agency said it could not confirm if water was covering the fuel rods. The plant operator said it believed the reactor spent-fuel pool still had water as of Wednesday, and made clear its priority was the spent-fuel pool at the No3 reactor.

Late yesterday (NZ time), military helicopters dumped around 30 tonnes of water, all aimed at this reactor. One emergency crew temporarily put off spraying the same reactor with a water cannon due to high radiation, broadcaster NHK said, but another crew later began hosing it.

Health experts said panic over radiation leaks from the Daiichi plant was diverting attention from other life-threatening risks facing survivors of last Friday's earthquake and tsunami, such as cold, heavy snow in parts and access to fresh water.

Inside the complex, torn apart by four explosions since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit last Friday, workers in protective suits and using makeshift lighting tried to monitor what was going on inside the six reactors. They have been working in short shifts to minimise radiation exposure.

The latest images from the nuclear plant showed severe damage after the blasts. Two of the buildings were a mangled mix of steel and concrete.

"The worst-case scenario doesn't bear mentioning and the best-case scenario keeps getting worse," Perpetual Investments said in a note on the crisis.

Financial leaders of the world's richest nations will hold talks today (NZ time) on ways to calm global markets roiled by the crisis and concern it will unravel a fragile global economic recovery.

One G7 central banker, who asked not to be named, said he was "extremely worried" about the wider effects of the disaster in Japan, the world's third-largest economy.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, whose country is not part of the G7, called the situation a "colossal national disaster".

But Japanese Economics Minister Kaoru Yosano told Reuters the country's markets were not unstable enough to warrant joint G7 currency intervention or government purchases of shares.

The yen surged to a record high against the dollar on market speculation Japan would repatriate funds to pay for the massive cost of post-disaster reconstruction. The yen rose as high as 76.25 per dollar, surpassing the previous record high of 79.75 reached in the wake of the Kobe earthquake in 1995.

Japan's Nikkei average fell sharply on opening yesterday, but ended the day down just 1.44 per cent. The Nikkei has fallen more than 12 per cent this week.

CRITICAL REACTOR CONTAINS PLUTONIUM

High radiation levels on Wednesday prevented helicopters from dropping water into reactor No3 to try to cool its fuel rods after an earlier blast damaged its roof and cooling system.

Another attempt yesterday appeared to partly succeed, with two of four water drops over the site hitting their mark. The giant, twin-blade aircraft have to make precisely timed flyovers and drops to avoid the brunt of the radiation.

The plant operator described No. 3 - the only reactor that uses plutonium in its fuel mix - as the "priority". Experts described plutonium as a pernicious isotope that could cause cancer if very small quantities were ingested.

Sebastian Pflugbeil, president of the private German-based Society for Radiation Protection, said Japan's efforts to pull the Fukushima plant back from the brink signalled "the beginning of the catastrophic phase".

"Maybe we have to pray," he said, adding that a wind blowing any nuclear fallout east into the Pacific would limit any damage for Japan's 127 million people in case of a meltdown or other releases, for instance from spent fuel storage pools.

The government warned Tokyo's 13 million people to prepare for a possible large-scale blackout but later said there was no need for one. Still, many firms voluntarily reduced power, submerging parts of the usually neon-lit city in darkness.

In a possible sign of panic, one bank, Mizuho, said all its automated teller machines in the country crashed twice in the day after excessive transactions at some branches.

ANXIETY IN TOKYO - AIRPORTS BUSY, STREETS QUIET

A US State Department official said flights would be laid on for Americans to leave Japan, and family of embassy staff had been authorised to go if they wanted.

Scores of flights to Japan have been halted or rerouted and air travellers are avoiding Tokyo for fear of radiation.

Yesterday, the US embassy in Tokyo urged citizens living within 80km of the Daiichi plant to evacuate or remain indoors "as a precaution", while Britain's foreign office urged citizens "to consider leaving the area".

The latest warnings were not as strong as those issued earlier by France and Australia, which urged nationals in Japan to leave the country. Russia said it planned to evacuate families of diplomats on Friday, and Hong Kong urged its citizens to leave Tokyo as soon as possible or head south.

Japan's government has told people within 30km of the plant to stay indoors.

At its worst, radiation in Tokyo has reached 0.809 microsieverts per hour this week, 10 times below what a person would receive if exposed to a dental x-ray. Yesterday, radiation levels were barely above average.

But many Tokyo residents stayed indoors, usually busy streets were nearly deserted and many shops were closed. At the second-floor office of the Tokyo Passport Centre in the city's Yurakucho district, queues snaked to the first floor.

"Since yesterday we have had one-and-a-half times more people than usual coming to apply for a passport or to enquire about getting one," said Shigeaki Ohashi, a passport official.

SNOW COMPOUNDS MISERY FOR TSUNAMI SURVIVORS

The plight of hundreds of thousands left homeless by the earthquake and tsunami worsened following a cold snap that brought heavy snow to worst-affected areas.

Supplies of water and heating oil are low at evacuation centres, where many survivors wait bundled in blankets.

About 850,000 households in the north were still without electricity in near-freezing weather, Tohuku Electric Power Co. said, and the government said at least 1.5 million households lack running water.

"It's cold today so many people have fallen ill, getting diarrhoea and other symptoms," said Takanori Watanabe, a Red Cross doctor in Otsuchi, a low-lying town where more than half the 17,000 residents are still missing.

The National Police Agency said it has confirmed 4,314 deaths in 12 prefectures as of midnight Wednesday, while 8,606 people remained unaccounted for in six prefectures.

U.S. Government-arranged Transport within Asia

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo informs U.S. citizens in Japan who wish to depart that the Department of State is making arrangements to provide transportation to destinations in East Asia outside Japan.

U.S. law requires that we bill all passengers for the transportation assistance provided through the U.S. government. U.S. citizens who travel on U.S. government-arranged transport will be expected to make their own onward travel plans from their arrival point. Flights began departing Tokyo on Thursday, March 17. U.S. government-arranged transport will be available from Tokyo on the evening of Friday, March 18.

U.S. citizens who have decided to depart Japan via USG-arranged transportation will find current transportation options, as well as any future scheduled flights, on the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami webpage at travel.state.gov.

Please note: Immediate family members (spouses and children) who are not U.S. citizens must be documented for entry into their destination country and/or U.S., if that is your final destination. Travelers are permitted only one piece of luggage per person.

U.S. citizens in Japan and their friends and loved ones can enter information into a database that we can use to provide emergency consular assistance during this crisis. This is a free service, and by entering their information into Task Force Alert, you are helping us provide assistance and account for U.S. citizens in Japan. You can find more information on using Task Force Alert   by visiting this website. 

For More News Regarding Japan TSUNAMI and Earthquakes Please visit this site

Radiation Emergency Measures You Can Take Now

Long before the disasters at Chernobyl or Three Mile Island, nutritional scientists, environmental groups and public health educators including proponents of the macrobiotic approach to diet and way of life sat down to discuss what actions one should take in the event of a nuclear attack or accident. It has long been known that certain foods and dietary approaches can actually be radio-protective, meaning that regular consumption and specific uses act to prevent radioactive pollutants and related contaminants from entering the body.

The Earthquake and Tsunami

On the afternoon of March 11, 2011, the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami it generated resulted in numerous environmental catastrophes. While the release of radiation from the meltdown of core rods in nuclear plants on Japan's east coast captures the public's attention, many other issues equally as devastating and harmful to human health are occurring. Radioactive pollutants are a grave concern but other issues are present as well.

Many of the earliest macrobiotic educators came to the U.S. from Japan in the late 1960's, encouraging environmental awareness and ecological practices. Japanese communities arenotoriously cautious about environmental waste, taking great care to separate contaminants into appropriate waste containers for storage and proper disposal; however, when the tsunami struck, virtually all such efforts proved to be futile, as massive waves of water churned every square inch of homes, plants, factories and businesses into an horrific toxic soup.

Battery acid from thousands of automobiles, gasoline, kerosene, mercury, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, hydrocarbons, lead, anionic detergents, fluorides, nitrates, sulphur, ammonia, diesel oil and other petroliferous agents have now been widely distributed through hundreds of square miles of farmland and urban areas. Even without the release of even more damaging radioactive isotopes, anyone in the area would be wise to learn about these protective measures people can take.

Sea Vegetables

Sea vegetables are a principal food recommended as part of a macrobiotic diet due in part because there is compelling evidence of the nutritional value and protective nature of these remarkable foods.

Following the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945, a group of medical doctors led by Tatsuichiro Akizuki, M.D. used a traditional diet consisting of roasted brown rice, miso soup, Hokkaido pumpkin, sea salt and wakame and other sea vegetables to help save many lives. Since that time, much research has confirmed that sea vegetables contain a polysaccharide substance that selectively binds radioactive strontium and other elements that eliminate them naturally from the body.

Many types of marine algae present a significant protection from the absorption of radioactive particles that may be released because of the naturally occurring iodine. Kombu (common kelp) can be used when cooking beans or vegetables and more familiar seaweeds like nori (commonly used to make sushi rolls) can also be eaten.

Macrobiotic nutritionists often recommend a few tablespoons daily of a sea vegetable like kombu, hiziki, wakame, arame or mekabu is all that is needed; however, "more" is not better -- these foods are concentrated minerals and there is a point of diminishing returns. Nearly all natural foods stores carry these products and most are also available mail order from U.S. sea vegetable grower Larch Hanson through his site. Sea vegetables should be a part of everyone's daily diet no matter what the circumstances.

Miso

Dr. Akizuki and others have also verified the remarkable healing quality of traditionally aged misopaste used as a bouillon in soup broth. Again, part of a macrobiotic approach includes preparing these soups using root vegetables -- carrots, onions, turnips and radishes -- helps not only to stimulate good digestive enzymes but also eliminates harmful pollutants from the bloodstream. Miso soup is typically made with wakame, a leafy sea vegetable that is widely available.

Drs. Lidia Yamchuk and Hanif Sharimardanov in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk (which I visited immediately after the fall of communism) demonstrated their use of miso soup broth when served to patients suffering from various forms of leukemia. The patients' improvement was markedly better than in patients who followed more modern diets.

Short term, quick miso pastes have little efficacy in this regard, so it is best to use long time, fermented miso pastes. Like seaweeds, they are commonly available at many natural food stores. Some of exceptional quality are available through traditional miso-maker Christian Elwell through his site.

Beware of lesser quality misos that use chemicals, sugar or genetically modified soybeans. The ideal types are misos made from all soybeans (called Hatcho) or with barley added (called Mugi). Note: Barley miso contains gluten, so for those who are sensitive, please use Hatcho which is gluten-free.

Brown Rice

In a standard macrobiotic approach in temperate climates, perhaps no single food is considered to be more important in cleansing the body and maintaining a proper acid/alkaline balance than short grain, organically grown brown rice. Now widely available and accepted as a principal food, brown rice should be lightly roasted when used in this radio-protective application, allowing the rice to be eaten "raw" if necessary (when one cannot find cooking facilities). Doing so also adds a slightly nutty flavor. All whole grains like brown rice must be chewed extremely well to be effective, releasing the protective elements and making good digestion and absorption possible.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, small red beans called aduki (grown in midwestern U.S.) are also powerful foods that stimulate and improve kidney function -- necessary to remove toxins. Aduki beans can be cooked with pumpkins, squash and carrots to make a delicious dish and can also be used as a part of soups and stews; however, they take a long time to cook and may be soaked first.

Other Foods and Staples

A good quality sea salt is an important component of the macrobiotic approach, using it regularly in the cooking process rather than at the table. The Japanese plum called umeboshi also helps to maintain the blood's alkalinity as well as adding flavor to many dishes. Additional grains like buckwheat, millet, quinoa and medium grain brown rice as well as various root vegetables and wild edible plants can be consumed to further strengthen the blood and create lasting vitality.

Foods to Avoid

Macrobiotic teachers often caution people to reduce or avoid certain foods, particularly under specific circumstances like this current environmental crisis. For protection against the release of radioactive isotopes into the environment, it may also be helpful to avoid all simple sugars, fruits and their juices, and most acidic, tropical vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant.

Not only do these vegetables contain high amounts of oxalic acid, they also add to the acidic burden of the bloodstream during stressful periods.

Coffee, sodas and dairy products are also best avoided when trying to eliminate pollutants from the body -- they add more of a burden and provide little benefit when compared to many other rich sources of nutrients. For example, sea vegetables provide more than the daily recommended amounts of calcium -- and soybeans, aduki beans and other legumes provide superior proteins without the saturated fats found in animal products.

Adaptation

Finally, it is worth noting that Charles Darwin did not say "only the strong survive." What he suggested, and made very clear, was that we must find ways to adapt in order to survive. Modifying our diet in times of crisis is among the most important action we can take. Now is clearly such a time to learn more about local, seasonal foods and to consider dietary changes that are preventative as well as potentially curative.

Fortunate Blessings, together with macrobiotic friends throughout the world who are familiar with these dietary and way of life recommendations, will continue to offer our experience and expertise as our heartfelt concern goes out to all those in Japan and elsewhere who suffer. In the coming weeks, we will consider organizing a team of mental health care experts in the same manner we did following tsunami and earthquake disasters in Indonesia, Samoa and elsewhere in order to support children and families who are facing massive traumas. For those interested in learning more, other articles I've posted here remain available as well as accessing our global outreach page through the foundation's website.

Your comments and contributions are most welcome.

Stop work on Andhra power plant: Environment ministry

New Delhi/Hyderabad, March 1 : A day after two people were killed in police firing during a protest against a power plant under construction in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district, the environment ministry Tuesday ordered suspension of work at the site.

Hours after Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh spoke in parliament threatening to slap another showcause notice on East Coast Energy Pvt Ltd, the ministry issued an order seeking a report by March 6 from the company on compliance with the conditions for environmental clearance.

It ordered that the work on the project be suspended forthwith till the recommendations of the ministry's expert appraisal committee (EAC) dealing with thermal power projects is received.

The EAC will hear the case on March 7 and the company has been asked to send its representatives.

The panel will look into representations regarding the project being in a wetlands area and also regarding non-compliance of the conditions stipulated in the environmental clearance given by National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA) on Aug 30, 2010.

Two people were killed in the police firing on villagers protesting against the plant at Kakarapalli village in Srikakulam Monday. The police action raised a huge public outcry and the district observed a shutdown on a call by the opposition Tuesday.

East Coast Energy Pvt. Limited (ECEPL) is setting up a 2,640 MW coal-based thermal power plant at a cost of Rs.12,000 crore at Kakarapally.

Earlier in the day the issue was raised in Rajya Sabha by V.Hanumantha Rao of the Congress. Ramesh had told the house that action would be taken by the end of the day.

Telangana stir delays salaries of Andhra chief minister

Telangana stir delays salaries of Andhra chief minister, officials

Hyderabad, March 2 : The ongoing movement for a separate Telangana state has not only affected normal life in the region and almost paralysed the administration, but has also delayed the February salaries of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, his cabinet colleagues and other state officials.

The chief minister, 39 ministers, top bureaucrats and other government employees in the state secretariat and other offices did not receive their salaries on the first day of March.

Due to the ongoing non-cooperation movement by government employees in Telangana demanding separate statehood for the region, the pay bills could not be prepared, as a result of which salaries were not paid Tuesday.

With Wednesday being a holiday on account of Mahashivratri, employees not participating in the non-cooperation movement will get their salaries only on Thursday, official sources said.

However, a majority of about 300,000 employees participating in the movement since Feb 17 are not likely to get their salaries as the government has decided to impose a "no work no pay" rule.

Though the employees are marking their attendance every day, they are not working.

They are pressing for the introduction of a bill in parliament for carving out a separate Telangana state.

The general administration department will seek individual declarations from employees about the period they have worked in February. The payments are likely to be made after scrutinising the declarations.

Government employees in Telangana are participating in the non-cooperation movement on a call given by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), an apex body of political parties fighting for a separate Telangana state.

Leaders of Telangana employees have said they would not be deterred by the non-payment of salaries and would continue their movement. They have even threatened to go on an indefinite strike from March 5 to force the central government to make a clear-cut announcement on the formation of Telangana.

The region, which comprises 10 districts including Hyderabad, observed a two-day shutdown last week and a 12-hour rail blockade Tuesday.

The movement is likely to further intensify with the JAC calling for a "million march to Hyderabad" March 10.

Libya "New-Sense"

BENGHAZI, Libya — Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi maintained a crackdown in the capital Monday as anti-government protesters appeared in the streets of Tripoli and fighting against Gadhafi forces broke out in other cities.

In Tripoli, a few hundred protesters marched in the Tajoura district after burying one of the victims of a deadly crackdown last week, said Ahmad Hamadi, a resident of Tripoli. Pro-government forces dispersed the protesters, and no casualties were reported.

"We were peacefully walking toward Green Square when the militia drove in from both sides of the road," he said. "They shot randomly into the crowd until everybody had to flee."

Banks and many stores in Tripoli were open Monday. Still, some residents stayed in their homes, and the price of basic foods has jumped.

"Even though a state of stability has reigned here for the past few days, people are in a terrible situation," said Nouri Boukhchem, 45, a professor at Al-Wifak University in Tripoli. "Some are starving because of what has happened."

Libyan authorities tried to show all was well. Libyan military troops took foreign reporters on a tour in Sabratha, west of Tripoli, to see a pro-Gadhafi demonstration.

"To escape Gadhafi's wrath and avoid being threatened, you have to wave the green flag and to praise the great leader publicly," Boukchem said. "He doesn't believe in neutrality. Either you are with him or against him. And against him, you know your fate."

Rebels who hold most of the eastern part of the country struggled to keep the cities of Misurata and Zawiya in their hands.

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