The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says they have found trace amounts of iodine-131 in drinking water in the states of Washington and Idaho.
The samples were taken last week, at Boise, Idaho and Richland, Washington. The results were just released.
The EPA also says they picked up trace amounts of radiation in rain water.
I checked the Idaho RadNet site and, so far, there is no mention of the water tests by the EPA. The information is in the most recent EPA press release.
East Japan Railway Co said it hopes to have all its bullet trains running full service routes by the end of April.
The 11 March, 9.0 quake damaged East Japan Railway rail lines in at least 1,200 places. About 45% of their routes are operational.
In other parts of Japan the problem is still lack of electrical power. That will continue for longer than expected, due to the fact that at least three nuclear power plants are shut down, not counting Fukushima Daiichi.
In northern Honshu, as I posted in an earlier report, 40 year old Diesel engines were brought out of retirement, saved from the scrap heap, to run supplies into the areas of devastation. That may not last long either, due to lack of fuel.
“I’m sorry about your animals, but your life is more important.”-Kato Tokutaro, head of economics for Tamura City
Hundreds of farm animals, and pets, have been left to die by farmers, and families, who evacuated the radiation danger zone. Turns out that radiation levels are much higher than officially reported, after one man had his soil privately tested.
Maruzoi Tomishige, a construction worker, got so fed up with the faulty radiation reports that he decided to break police blockades to get back to his home in the farming community.
He said the police were in full nuclear protective suits, they backed down from his demands to let him through.
Maruzoi’s home is in farm territory, Okuma, just two miles from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. He said it’s like a scene from a disaster movie: Desolation, farm animals wandering free, no people anywhere.
He was greeted by his dog and cat. He grabbed clothes and a bag full of dirt. He rushed out, leaving his pets behind, his dog frantically chasing after him.
Upon returning to the city of Tamura, Maruzoi had the dirt tested for radiation. The radiation level is so high, that it’s likely no one will be able to return to Okuma for 20-30 years!
Most residents of Okuma thought they’d be retuning home by now, that’s why they didn’t rescue their animals.
“They said everything was safe, but look at this mess. Of course the tsunami was higher than we all expected, but why did TEPCo always say everything was definitely okay?”-Tochikubo Jiro, another former Okuma resident
Even if the radiation doesn’t kill the livestock and pets, they’ll die of starvation, because no one is coming for them.
According to The Japan Times, portable generators are almost sold out, thanks to the 11 March 2011 disasters. Also, because of power outages (ironic), and parts supply problems, producers will not be able to meet current (pun; electric generators) demand.
“We’re completely out. We ran out three days after the quake, but we’ve been receiving orders from hospitals and factories every day.” -Ryuzo Nishikawa, Fuji & Yamaha generator salesman
Yahoo Japan has actually been auctioning off Honda generators. The highest bid so far is ¥178,000 (about U.S. $2,000.00).
Lesson: If you got the money, buy the damn generator BEFORE the disaster!
After it was revealed that Tokyo Electric Power Company’s radiation data was totally faulty, the company has now agreed to use third party monitoring of radiation levels.
Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency blasted TEPCo, twice, for untrustworthy data. TEPCo admits that the faulty radiation level readings, at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, were caused by human error.
The third party monitors will include people from government agencies and utility companies.
Fukushima Prefecture is finally testing for radiation contamination at local elementary schools. Fukushima Prefecture is where the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is.
The tests will only run through Thursday. It was demanded by parents.
It’s amazing to me that it wasn’t already being done, and it’s amazing that they’re only doing it until Thursday. The nuclear disaster is still “critical” according to government officials.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the Japan Meteorological Agency delayed releasing info on radiation data. He also said, that when the data was released it was so confusing that it has added to the problem of getting people out of harms way.
And as an example of overlapping authority, Meteorological Agency officials say they thought the data was only to be reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency. They pointed out that the ‘data’ was a only computer projection, a simulation, of what could happen, not actual real time data!
Nissan says its April production, in Japan, will be about 40% of what was planned before the 11 March 2011 disasters.
Honda says its Japanese production will be half what it was hoping for.
Nissan is actually getting help for its Japanese production, from its engine plant in the United States.
Russia is offering a ‘water cleaner’ used on decommissioned nuclear submarines, to Japan.
State-run Rosatom corporation, which is involved with taking apart old nuclear submarines, has a device that ‘cleans’ low level radiation from water. TEPCo has to periodically release low level radioactive water into the ocean, to maintain operational safety at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant.
Also, Reactor 2 continues to dump high level radiation contaminated water into the ocean. However the Russian water cleaner can not handle the higher levels of radiation.
The Russian water cleaner is a 65 meters (213 feet) long floating platform that was build with money from Japan. Rosatom officials say they are ready to tow it to Japan, if requested.
Despite trying to be optimistic, Toyota has now admitted that the parts supply problem is so bad that it will have to close ALL its North American plants.
Toyota spokesman Mike Goss, said the shut downs will take place later in April. At least 25,000 employees will be affected. How long the shut downs last depends on parts supply issues.
Goss said that the North American plants, in Mexico, U.S. and Canada, get only 15% of their parts from Japan, but they are crucial for assembly of the vehicles.
There is about one week’s worth of parts for North America. Toyota, as well as other car makers, are scrambling to find factories outside Japan to make the parts.