Scientists have issued a dire warning that the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant is at risk of a massive new earthquake, and now scientists are telling Japanese authorities to urgently shore up the damaged reactor in expectation of more massive ‘quakes. They warn that more attention should be paid to the site’s ability to withstand strong earthquakes, and reduce the risk of another nuclear disaster.
The scientists conducted their research using data from more than 6,000 recent tremors has found that last March’s disaster has reactivated a seismic fault practically beneath the power station. They state that the ascending fluids observed in the area indicate that such an event is likely to occur in the near future.
Dapeng Zhao, geophysics professor at Japan’s Tohoku University, said: ‘There are a few active faults in the nuclear power plant area, and our results show the existence of similar structural anomalies under both the Iwaki and the Fukushima Daiichi areas.
‘Given that a large earthquake occurred in Iwaki not long ago, we think it is possible for a similarly strong earthquake to happen in Fukushima.’
Around Iwaki, Japan's seismic network recorded over 24,000 tremors from March 11, 2011 to October 27, 2011, up from under 1,300 detected quakes in the nine years before, the scientists report.
The research, published in European Geosciences Union’s open-access Solid Earth journal, shows that the Iwaki earthquake was triggered by fluids moving upwards from the subducting Pacific plate to the crust.
Source: Daily Mail
Scientists warn of massive new earthquake from activated faults around Fukushima Daiichi: Scientists have issued… bit.ly/zQ6bzH
— Enformable (@Enformable) February 14, 2012
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Ari
February 14, 2012
Last night I heard a show on the Progressive Radio Network about environmental tipping points. I had heard of some of them but others just blew my mind, like declining ocean salinity and the shrinking of the Sahara. I thought shrinking deserts would be a good thing but it just shows how everything on the planet is connected. Here’s the link http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/progressive-commentary-hour/2012/2/6/progressive-commentary-hour-020612.html