Fukushima Update: From Reliable Non-Hysterical Sources

Of course the situation is very serious, but very likely nothing like what the chronic habitual alarmists portray it be. Look – it’s a messy job cleaning this up and things will neither go smoothly nor happen right away when you want them to.Right now you’ve got hundreds of thousands of poor earthquake victims outside freezing in the bitter elements and it would be nice if the media focused on them and did something to lift their spirits for once.

That said, here are some good links from calmer heads:

– Firsthand account from someone in Tokyo: chipango blog (hat-tip: oekowatch.org):

And while a momentary increase in radiation has been observed on Monday (which was still an absolutely harmless figure and mostly proves the sensitivity of our measurement processes), the figures have been falling ever since. Since yesterday morning, we’re essentially measuring only the natural background here in Tokyo.”

– More information here at the iaea.org/news:

Japanese authorities have informed the IAEA that engineers were able to lay an external grid power line cable to unit 2. The operation was completed at 08:30 UTC.  They plan to reconnect power to unit 2 once the spraying of water on the unit 3 reactor building is completed.

The spraying of water on the unit 3 reactor building was temporarily stopped at 11:09 UTC (20:09 local time) of 17 March. The IAEA continues to liaise with the Japanese authorities and is monitoring the situation as it evolves.”

– More detailed report here at World Nuclear News:

There have been about 50 staff engaged in pumping seawater into the reactor cores and primary containment vessels of units 1, 2 and 3. From time to time these need to vent steam, which causes radiation to rise across the site and required the workers to move to a safer location.

Another 130 were also on site, according to reports, including soldiers from the Japan Self Defence Force.”

and

The Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry said at 8.38pm that a cable was being laid to bring external power from transmission lines owned by Tohoku Electric Power Company. This was to be connected when radiation levels had died down after a planned venting operation at unit 2.

In addition, one of the emergency diesel units can now be operated and will be used to supply unit 5 and 6 alternately to inject water to their used fuel pools. Later, the power will be used to top up water in the reactor vessels.”

And here’s a view from Steven Goddard’s site (hat-tip: climatedepot.com). I know some people are addicted to downers and depressing news, but try to balance what you hear from the hysterical MSM and listen to non-wild-speculation reports like those above.