Earthquakes and nuclear power plants

A few years after the accident I worked with a couple of the airmen assigned to identifying the hazardous material areas. They were as I would have been on another accident the guys with the geiger counters. There wasn't really any excitement from those knowing what happened but those assigned to clean up sure we're but we're received when knowing the actual hazards. A nuclear bomb breaking apart or having a partial detonation is not a major concern for dangerous radio activity.

With nuclear fuel leaking out or being blown out you get Alpha radiation. You certainly do not want to breathe it in or get it in contact with your skin but otherwise, easy peasy. Alpha radiation will not penetrate a single piece of newspaper. Our hazmat suits were thin nylon with air filtration mask.Special government issue for us. Those guys assigned to dig it out wore paper hazmat suits with air filtration mask. No harm came to any of them and the good ol air force kept an eye on each one for a while. So, if a nuclear bomb lands in your yard and doesn't have one of those distinct mushroom clouds, (like you would even know) relax.

A little tidbit about we brave men and women of the US Air Force trained in NBC warfare medicine so made us the ones who could identify the dangers the quickest. Any time an unconventional weapon would be transfered be it land, ship, or air. Navy guys on ships. The Air Force was always concerned for every one's safety. The want to make sure that the proper people were on hand if there was an accident. What did the smart generals come up with? Put the proper personnel on the same planes or in a truck accompanying it. I remember on a few agent orange flights, what the fuck am I supposed to help with if the plane crashes? Geniuses. One thing was always a given. The ones with the best knowledge put in harm's way we're never officers. Someone must have figured it out at one time that doing that would have probably created bigger messes. For me, I was always way more concerned about accompanying chemicals or those boxes that basically said quietly, touch me and your dead, than any time being around a nuclear bomb or 30 of them.
What in the World is Wrong with All the Sick MF's who created Agent Orange, and Nuclear Bombs, and just treated it like cleaning up a kitchen spill! I don't care if the Radiation is Alpha Beta, or Omega! It is all Wrong! Since this stuff is so harmless, they should just use it as an anti caking agent and put in everyone's Salt shakers! 🤷🏼‍♂️🤪⚛️🫵☠️
 
For me, I was always way more concerned about accompanying chemicals or those boxes that basically said quietly, touch me and your dead, than any time being around a nuclear bomb or 30 of them.
Did some NBC exercises in my Navy days, usually with some very gore movies as illustration.
Same, I feared death by chemicals more than the nuclear risk.
Bon, in the Navy not much risk of chemical bombs.....
 
Tsunamis are commonly caused by earthquakes. Indonesia has both, so the slight addition may be in order
One can easily locate a facility far enough away or high enough to disregard tsunamis threats. Not so with earthquakes.
 
Tsunamis are commonly caused by earthquakes. Indonesia has both, so the slight addition may be in order
The Boxing Day tsunami on December 26, 2004, in Aceh was triggered by a powerful undersea earthquake with a magnitude between 9.2 and 9.3 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre located off the west coast of northern Sumatra. On average, the tsunami waves reached heights of 9 to 12 meters, but in certain coastal areas, they reached up to 30 meters. Now, imagine if a nuclear power plant had been situated in that region, has any nuclear facility ever been designed to withstand an earthquake and tsunami of such extreme magnitude?

Also nuclear power plants are often, built near coastal areas (or lake) due to their need for a large and reliable source of cooling water. The immense heat produced during nuclear fission must be dissipated, and the most efficient way of doing it is using water.

 
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The Boxing Day tsunami on December 26, 2004, in Aceh was triggered by a powerful undersea earthquake with a magnitude between 9.2 and 9.3 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre located off the west coast of northern Sumatra. On average, the tsunami waves reached heights of 9 to 12 meters, but in certain coastal areas, they reached up to 30 meters. Now, imagine if a nuclear power plant had been situated in that region, has any nuclear facility ever been designed to withstand an earthquake and tsunami of such extreme magnitude?

Also nuclear power plants are often, built near coastal areas (or lake) due to their need for a large and reliable source of cooling water. The immense heat produced during nuclear fission must be dissipated, and the most efficient way of doing it is using water.

Rivers work and many of them or all of them are inland. But maybe the question should be, how many tsunamis are you expecting? How many since the inception of nuclear plants have their been in Indonesia. Earthquakes for sure, tsunamis, not so much. Krakatoa's last big blast created a wave of 100 meters. You forgot to figure that one in or how about Krakatoa back in like 800 or so when it removed the land mass between Java and Sumatra. Let's figure that one in. Damn and some volcanos don't create shit, just villages and people frozen in stone. Sure, volcanos don't nessasarily create earthquakes but there are a lot more of them to worry about than earthquakes and for sure, tsunamis caused by earthquakes.

Do you live in an area with volcanos, earthquakes, or ever had a tsunami threat. We have. All of the above. Maybe you just are carrying about what could be thousands of lives lost in a tsunami. All those people sucking in seawater probably were not thinking, gee, glad there is no nuclear plant here. Same for those who have walls and ceilings coming down upon them during and earthquake. Damn, I'm getting crushed so with my last breath all I can say is, hope there is no tsunami coming.
 
To Tsunami or not to Tsunami is not the question. Balifrog posted an interesting reference to the number of nuclear mishaps involving weaponry which is chilling enough. However infrequent meltdown reactors might be the concern is to the longevity of the effects of radiation contamination which can render areas dangerous for thousands of years. Horrible and all as natural disasters might be, ultimately peope rebuild and even if it takes several generations, life can return to normal.
 
To Tsunami or not to Tsunami is not the question. Balifrog posted an interesting reference to the number of nuclear mishaps involving weaponry which is chilling enough. However infrequent meltdown reactors might be the concern is to the longevity of the effects of radiation contamination which can render areas dangerous for thousands of years. Horrible and all as natural disasters might be, ultimately peope rebuild and even if it takes several generations, life can return to normal.
A very good point! Humans, Do Not have the right to contaminate anywhere for Thousands of Years! A natural disaster is one thing, But a Nuclear disaster, regardless if it is from Bombs, or Reactors, is an abomination that should never be Allowed! Anyone that downplays this, is in Denial! They should be forced to watch videos of what the effects on a Humans flesh looks like after exposure from Start until Death! And hear the sounds these sufferers make! I'm sure it's not a pleasant sight!
I would rather take my chances with a Natural disaster any Time! 🤷🏼‍♂️🙏🙀✌️⚛️🫵
 

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