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“It’s Official: Fukushima Was Hit With a Full-Blown Nuclear Meltdown” — Pool of radioactive lava could be melting its way out

Published: May 12th, 2011 at 6:22 pm ET
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It’s Official: Fukushima Was Hit With a Nuclear Meltdown, Sam Biddle for Gizmodo, May 12, 2011:

The flow of bad news (and radiation) out of Fukushima’s reactors has diminished to a trickle over the past several weeks, as rescue work has proceeded. Not today. TEPCO’s admitted for the first time that Fukushima experienced a grave meltdown. [...]

TEPCO workers and the Japanese government have desperately struggled to keep the nuclear fuel rods inside the reactors cool—if they don’t, the scorching material will melt into a pool of radioactive lava, further damaging the facility. That’s the scenario everyone’s been aiming to avoid—and that’s the scenario we now know had actually occurred all along. Underneath all that dumped seawater has been lying a blob of melted fuel. And it could be melting its way out.

This admittance goes against every assurance TEPCO has handed the world in the midst of Japan’s nuclear crisis [...]

Gizmodo is currently the 373rd most trafficked website in the United States.

UPDATE: Gizmodo has changed the article’s title to “It’s Official: Fukushima Was Hit With a Nuclear Meltdown” from “It’s Official: Fukushima Was Hit With a Full-Blown Nuclear Meltdown”.

Published: May 12th, 2011 at 6:22 pm ET
By
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95 comments

Related Posts

  1. TEPCO official describes possible meltdown at No. 1 reactor: The “molten fuel accumulates like lava” April 21, 2011
  2. Japan Times on Melt Through: “Molten ‘lava’ melted bottom of containment vessel,” says nuclear engineer given access by top official — Huge amounts of fission materials released into environment April 18, 2012
  3. Japan confirms “full meltdown” at all 3 reactors June 6, 2011
  4. CNN: Reactors may be “riddled with holes” — Experts suspect full meltdown at No. 1, 2 and 3 May 25, 2011
  5. Fukushima reactors will be releasing radioactive steam for a year or more: US nuclear official May 27, 2011
May 12th, 2011 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Reactor No. 1
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95 comments to “It’s Official: Fukushima Was Hit With a Full-Blown Nuclear Meltdown” — Pool of radioactive lava could be melting its way out

  • M from FI
    May 12, 2011 at 6:28 pm

    So it’s finally good time to tell the truth.
    Hmm.


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    • extra knight
      May 12, 2011 at 6:51 pm

      well Dbug, maybe you could show us your hole card there partner, maybe you can’t.. i was relying only upon commonsense and truth. ta ta.


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  • ocifferdave
    May 12, 2011 at 6:36 pm

    I like that bit at the end of how much traffic Gizmodo gets. But how much traffic does enenews…(i was going to say how much traffic do we get…we are enenews in a way…kinda…okay, maybe just xdrfx lol). Well, wonder no more! http://www.visualizetraffic.com/show/enenews.com


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  • tony wilson
    May 12, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    the true honest voices of arnold gunderson and
    dr christopher busby…
    a couple of honorable men in a corrupt sea of corporate stooges and filthy liars.
    some of these scum must have children and yet they choose a Transient industry paycheck over the truth.
    if society structures breakdown in the coming months, all i can say watch out george mombiot and people like you cos your going to feel real retribution and pain..


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    • extra knight
      May 12, 2011 at 6:54 pm

      why bother dude. let’s protect planet earth first, and lets’ try to save the pacific ocean from a sure-fire nuclear disaster.


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    • Arizonan
      May 13, 2011 at 12:16 am

      Agreed! Gunderson and Busby are men of integrity who are open-minded enough to actually analyze the science of what is happening, rather than burying their heads in the sand. Add Michio Kaku, Rosalie Bertell and Helen Calidicott to that list. The nuclear integrity short list!! The world owes them, and will owe them, a great debt.


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  • Noah
    May 12, 2011 at 6:46 pm

    WW2 was lost when it began.
    Japanese High Command foreknew this outcome at Pearl Harbor.
    Hid this information through war.

    What we have here is similar.

    There is a Japanese cultural pre-disposition, to hide truth to spare pain. This dynamic has functioned throughout Japanese history and is rooted in the Bushido code and samurai traditions.

    Difficult to understand by the west, whose mindset is based upon scientific rationalism born out the the European Renaissance, which depends heavily on accurate hard data.

    Today in Japan, a Cancer diagnosis may be hid from the patient to prevent fear and anxiety. The approach and justification of such action is inconceivable to the western mind. But, rational in light of cultural morays and traditions.

    It was clear to the Japanese High Command that the war was lost when it began. And so history repeats.


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    • Poor Daddy
      May 12, 2011 at 9:55 pm

      Noah said: “There is a Japanese cultural pre-disposition, to hide truth to spare pain.”
      The US has a cultural pre-disposition to hide truth to increase profits.
      Not nice either way.


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  • Deep Thought
    May 12, 2011 at 6:51 pm

    Imagine what we’ll know tomorrow.


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  • Jon
    May 12, 2011 at 6:53 pm

    @ Deep Thought – or imagine what will continue to be willfully ignored by the MSM and TPTB.


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  • extra knight
    May 12, 2011 at 6:56 pm

    @ Deep Thought – that’s a scary thought knowing there really is no tomorrow, the future was laughed at and belittled a long time ago. police state around the corner, you have been warned.


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    • Poor Daddy
      May 12, 2011 at 10:00 pm

      to extra knight. I just finished a lawn planting/rock garden project and in the process found a round, flat river rock that my daughter painted on many, many years ago. Quite faded, but it said “planting a garden is to believe in the future.” with a purple daisy on it. It was a bitter-sweet moment.


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  • Not Sure
    May 12, 2011 at 6:59 pm

    If this keeps up they’re going to have to kill Osama Bin Laden again.


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  • bfly
    May 12, 2011 at 6:59 pm

    dear admin, I am so very grateful to you. Ive been reading this throughout the crisis. You have provided a much needed outlet and format.A light in the dark…Thankyou


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    • admin
      May 12, 2011 at 7:15 pm

      thanks for the nice words


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    • extra knight
      May 12, 2011 at 7:20 pm

      count me in. this website and the people behind it are an invaluable resource. you are a shining light in the darkness of doom and despair. much thanks for this site.


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    • ocifferdave
      May 12, 2011 at 7:33 pm

      i check enenews from work, home, iphone…all times of the day. And yet new articles get posted here at all hours it seems. its awesome


      Report Comment

    • Arizonan
      May 13, 2011 at 12:23 am

      Dear Admin,
      You are a real hero/ine for keeping this site going. You are doing a deeply important service to humanity. Many blessings on you, as we go about trying to live our lives in the moment. We try to refrain from mourning the dead who have not yet died. We try to spread the information so that we are not wholly blind to reality. We go on planting gardens, because we must. Yet somehow, someday, it will be world news again: 3 reactors breached, 3 reactors leaking, ongoing criticality somewhere. I know it seems like no one is paying any attention, but this site is paying attention. It is critical. Now NILO has gone down – what a shame.


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    • WindorSolarPlease
      May 13, 2011 at 2:26 pm

      I am not even going to tell you how much I look at this site.

      Thank you who ever runs ENENEWS, you keep us informed and always updated with what is happening.

      Also, thank you for all the information that everyone puts in here.


      Report Comment

      • admin
        May 13, 2011 at 2:44 pm

        Thanks my friends
        Anyone have thoughts on getting more exposure/buzz?
        It’s hard to do PR when trying to research and post reports… oh yeah and my job.


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  • admin
    May 12, 2011 at 7:11 pm

    testing…im not the admin, just using the name for this one post to see if it is locked for use only by the real admin. otherwise, who knows who posted the other admin posts.


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  • Anthony
    May 12, 2011 at 7:15 pm

    Whiteman assists in worldwide radiation study

    by By Airman 1st Class Cody H. Ramirez
    509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

    5/5/2011 – WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. — The Air Force is currently sampling air radiation levels globally in a study to assess the effects of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant melt down.

    “An abnormal amount of alpha particles inhaled could lead to health concerns, so we want to ensure the levels of radiation in the air are safe,” the lieutenant added.

    http://www.afgsc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123254402


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    • ocifferdave
      May 12, 2011 at 7:30 pm

      nice find. I tried submitting a comment to say thanks to them, encourage them to keep testing until fukushima is resolved, and to search enenews. Had some trouble with it not working until i got rid of words like bloomberg, Kyodo News, etc as example sources of articles at enenews. once that was removed then they said they would review it.


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  • jmndodge
    May 12, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    What concerns me most is the continuing high concentrations of iodine 131. While it’s short half life is less dangerous environmentally, it’s continued presence indicates the release is continuing at high levels, and the build up of the more dangerous elements is also increasing.

    This containment battle is a war, and there will be casualties, but the war must be fought and won, and fought quickly


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    • Noah
      May 12, 2011 at 11:01 pm

      A platoon of men to fight a war

      “This containment battle is a war…” -jmndodge

      I agree it is war, but no war has been won by a platoon size army. Or in the case of TEPCO, a company sized army. Hence, the chances of victory are greatly diminished.


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    • Arizonan
      May 13, 2011 at 12:27 am

      I like Arnie’s suggestion about digging a trench down to bedrock. They could surround the monstrosity with concrete walls filled with zeolite, down to bedrock. Then fill the enormous concrete pool with water, then cap it for all time with a ceiling of a zeolite and concrete sandwich. Zeolite in between layers of concrete, all the way down to bedrock….now if we can just get someone in Japan to agree…


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  • charlie
    May 12, 2011 at 7:36 pm

    I am deeply grateful to the admin here and to my fellow posters inn the enenews community.


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  • Pu239
    May 12, 2011 at 7:50 pm

    “We will have to revise our plans,” Junichi Matsumoto, a TEPCO rep, told The Telegraph.

    PLAN OUTLINE
    1. Find other planet


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  • Ted
    May 12, 2011 at 8:01 pm

    One can only assume reactor 2,3,4 is going to be the same or worse.


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  • tony wilson
    May 12, 2011 at 8:27 pm

    what i find amazing is the complete disconnect between sites like this,reports from russia today,even nhk and the general public.

    i have posted comments on the guardian newspaper,contacted the bbc and i end up sounding like a looney.
    i speak to people and they say i am paranoid.
    you have to admit the media shutdown has been more complete than the powers that be could have ever imagined. the vast worldwide effort to guide,frame and black out everything connected with fukishima..why that effort could not have been put into a mega international rescue i do not know.
    another elite agenda has to be the reason to let this get to this stage


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    • Noah
      May 12, 2011 at 8:37 pm

      “i speak to people and they say i am paranoid.” – Tony Wilson

      Tony, the response I get is,

      “What fallout?”


      Report Comment

      • Heart of the Rose
        May 12, 2011 at 8:54 pm

        It’s a rather peculiar isolation ..isn’t it.
        Truly…family, friends, all..either yawn or look at a person… like we are mad.
        Amazing…and sickening.


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        • Poor Daddy
          May 12, 2011 at 9:07 pm

          Price of gas is more important to most.
          Even the people that tend to believe whats going on just tell me “nothing you can do, so why worry?”
          The common bond on this site, I think, is the desire to know the truth regardless of consequences.
          Don’t want the wool pullers to get ahold of my eyes!


          Report Comment

    • xdrfox
      May 12, 2011 at 8:50 pm

      Shows all the non news is working !


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    • Anthony
      May 12, 2011 at 8:53 pm

      You are not the problem. The gap between the more truthful uncovering and enlightening happening here and the media only diet fed friends and families is really happening. I think our leaders in North America are making a big mistake socially by treating the citizens generally as they have been. Most of us here feel similarly this way… it is just difficult to reconcile the TRUTHS as we can share and delve into with a polar opposite Autocratic type of mental condescension of sorts – at least mentally I think.

      One day soon others will tell you you were right all along.

      You found a place to communicate the tings you can’t seem to everywhere else. It is our collective “Twilight Zone Episode ” phenom I think that led many of us here.


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    • Godzilla
      May 12, 2011 at 10:08 pm

      “Oh, that place in Japan? Good thing they got that under control ….. it blew up or something, right? And then everyone was afraid of radiation. The media are always hyping everything to scare people.

      “By the way, did you know that Serena Williams was criticized for posting racy pictures?”


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    • Arizonan
      May 13, 2011 at 12:34 am

      Yes, it’s like it stopped happening in March. people look at you when you talk about the ONGOING Fukushima crisis like you are off your head. The media blackout has been one of the most impressive in my lifetime – scary, but impressive. Eventually they won’t be able to hide it any longer, and all of us here at Enenews will know the news first. But yes, it is a peculiar isolation at the moment.


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      • xdrfox
        May 13, 2011 at 5:52 pm

        They know at Toyota Dealerships what’s the deal, meet someone that bought one this week, she could not get the white with gray leather int, so they are going to take apart one with the gray int and put in hers, she said Dealerships are retrofitting to get sales out ! The said people can not get some parts too ! The lady said the salesman said people are scrambling to find cars and trying to get what customers want ! She says the Dealerships people there are aware of the radiation problems in Japan with the cars !


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  • charlie
    May 12, 2011 at 8:33 pm

    fukushima daini is some 10 kilometres down the road from the fukuahima daichi plant that we are discussing, well inside the permanent exclusion zone, heavily contaminated, and it’s still manned and being operated, and it has problems too.


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  • charlie
    May 12, 2011 at 8:34 pm

    I have contacted all levels of government and no response of any kind. This is bad news, but at least it will force the issue into the open.


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    • Poor Daddy
      May 12, 2011 at 9:12 pm

      Eventually, but they’ll BS as long as they can. They’ve gotten away with it so long now, they expect it will keep working. Please keep contacting all levels, write letters to your local editor. Thats important. Be as vocal as you can. Don’t let them get away with it again.


      Report Comment

    • isthistheend
      May 12, 2011 at 9:51 pm

      Govt isn’t going to help. Govt just going to cover up. Sooner you understand, better off you’ll be.


      Report Comment

  • Jill M. Clarkson
    May 12, 2011 at 10:01 pm

    I overheard my ‘peeps’ introducing me the other day as a “HayleBob comet type”! Pardon the spelling. I have no one but you new enenews friends!

    Thanks are not enough,…yet all we have I suppose,..for now.


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  • Jon
    May 12, 2011 at 11:11 pm

    I had to laugh today when I was actually looking at Pravda – PRAVDA! as one of the only news outlets that is still giving the Fukushima any coverage.

    Incredible how times have changed in such a short time.


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  • Jack
    May 12, 2011 at 11:30 pm

    Since I have been more on the Lazy side of the bell-curve for most of
    my life, I haven’t built the amazing survival cave-bunker-underground
    city like Heinlein would have done.
    So.
    I’ve gotta just accept the Peace which passeth all understanding.
    Thank You Jesus. Yahshua. Adonai, my Elohim.
    Be Not Afraid saith God the Lord,
    Be not afraid, thy help is near.
    HalleluYah!


    Report Comment

  • bcbud
    May 13, 2011 at 1:15 am

    So now that we have confirmed what Arnie and Busby have been saying the whole time are we going to formulate a plan of some sort? anybody? Japan? US? Russia? Mars?


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  • net
    May 13, 2011 at 3:55 am

    I haven’t heard a peep about this from any news agency/channels. like- CNN? FOX? ABC? no one. The silence is deafening! The world should be helping get this tragedy under control! I just don’t get it. shame on everyone


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  • Jack
    May 13, 2011 at 9:18 am

    Well, bcbud, it’s time to get Chronic. Whatta trip!
    All the old sci-fi movies…
    how about the Time Machine, where Rod Taylor finds the
    underground slave society. Maybe that’s what the Tunnel Elite
    will make out of their survivors’ subterranean sump.
    God, the sewage stank problems.
    hey, “net”…
    the TV talking heads are groomed and paid to think they are part
    of the elite, and they read their carefully-crafted propaganda scripts.
    There are no journalists in TV news.


    Report Comment

  • Craig
    May 13, 2011 at 9:28 am

    Absolutely nothing in the UK about this! BBC, Sky, absolute silence…

    It’s ‘old news’ to everyone, and this is the only way to get accurate information!


    Report Comment

  • Tricky Dick
    May 13, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    Beware of the Blob…


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  • Jill M. Clarkson
    May 13, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    Yes Jack,…”The time Machine”! You blow my mind sometimes–I think about the parallels of that OLD movie to world event often! They way the sheeple DRONNED ahead to their doom! Even when they KNEW what was happening it seemed!


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  • WindorSolarPlease
    May 13, 2011 at 2:48 pm

    If people aren’t seeing it in the news, if our Officials aren’t saying anything, why wouldn’t people think that everything is ok.

    People have heard everything is under control, Japan is to far away, US will be fine, a little radiation won’t hurt, this is what many believe, not the Internet.


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    • Heart of the Rose
      May 13, 2011 at 5:11 pm

      Yes..people talk about the Internet like it has a voice of it’s own.
      And somehow the information exchanged is second to their misinformed MSM news.
      A great mistake on the part of the sheeple.


      Report Comment

  • sara
    May 13, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    Thank you. Can no longer get this site on aol browser. Answer to dumbed downs-’Its insane NOT to be concerned.’ Intellectual midgets applying for coast guard and military. Scary. Especially if marshall law occurs.


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