Current Event- Japan's Nuclear Plant Damaged!

Radiation Leaps after Japan’s plant blasts

By Taiga Uranaka
and Ki Joon Kwon

Web Article

Posted: March 15, 2011

After an 8.9 earthquake hit Japan on March 11, 2011 hit about 150 kilometers away from Sendai. Numerous tsunamis have hit the shores of Japan causing a big crisis along the shores. The reoccurring tsunamis have destroyed many different villages and farmlands. The earthquake and tsunami has also damaged a nuclear power plant off the cost of Fukushima. The radiation levels have risen in the last few days. In total, two reactors have been damaged causing low-level radioactive gas to come out of the plant. Many predict that in just a few hours the low-level radioactive gas combined with the wind will reach Tokyo, Japan’s capital. The problem with radio activity is when you are exposed to radiation for a long time it can cause cancers and leukemia; hopefully this mess will be cleaned up in time. Officials have recommended that people stay indoors and conserve energy. The damage that the earthquake and tsunamis have upon Japan is huge; it has majorly affected its economy. Japan’s stocks have fallen less that 20% in the last few days. Representatives say that the result of the natural disasters has wiped about 600 billion dollars off the market!

This earthquake has a huge effect on Japan. Thousands of cadavers have been washed up on Japans shores. Business, land and buildings have been destroyed from this natural disaster. This devastating quake shook Japan economy, the question remains- will it be able to bounce back? About 900,000 houses have been destroyed from the quake and tsunami; the survivors are now living in freezing weather with no electricity. This just shows us what can happen to a very industrial country when faced with a natural disaster. Should Japan be more take more precautions?

When I first read about what happened to Japan, I was in shock! Japan is a very industrial country and the fact that some villages were completely wiped out is utterly amazing! Not to mention that the earthquake was so big and strong that it shifted the earth’s axis? All these natural disasters are occurring, what can we do to prevent so many causalities? Should countries require more safe-structural foundations? I think that the last few natural disasters are a big wakeup call saying it is time to take those safety classes about earthquakes, or it is time to finally screw the book shelves on to the wall. Our earth is constantly changing and moving, we need to be prepared for every shot that takes to defend everyone around us.
Sites Used:
Saoshiro, Shinichi. "NewsDaily: Japan Braces for Potential Radiation Catastrophe." NewsDaily: Your Best Source for Breaking News. 15 Mar. 2011. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. .