CALIFORNIA SURFERS BEWARE: Fukushima 6.8 Quake, Tsunami Warning, 2nd Typhoon, 'Really Scary' Impacts, Expert Says

Fukushima nuclear plant has taken a hit that the world is not being told and Americans are not understanding. More quakes hit it; workers were ordered to evacuate after a 6.8 quake blasted it; Neoguri plus a tsunami possibly caused increased radioactive runoff into ocean; and experts warn that small amounts of Fukushima’s radiation hitting Americans, such as surfers, is cumulative and thus, carcinogenic.

Experts Cut to Heart of Biological Consequences of Fukushima Low-level Radiation Debate

“Am I concerned? Yes I am, that’s because I know radiation,” said Dr. Herbert Abrams, Harvard and Stanford University professor of radiology and principal researcher for the National Research Council’s study ‘Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation,’ who testified before Congress about its conclusions. “There’s increased risk… Avoid radiation as much as you can… Everyone is really scared of [Fukushima radiation.].” (La Jolla Light)

“We know it’s out there and we know it’s moving slowly across,” stated Dr. Ken Buesseler, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

“Any additional radioactivity can cause an increase in risk,” he said. “When no one makes measurements, then people will get more worried.”

Because US protective agencies continue refusing to do their jobs, the university experts are looking for agencies to step up, he said.

“We’re not getting any success with places like NOAA or the Department of Energy and that’s too bad. I think they have some responsibility.”

“The underlying premise that has to be considered as you talk about radioactivity, the water and people being exposed to it, is that the effects of radiation are cumulative,” adding, “Common sense is to avoid radiation as much as you can.

Experts project Fukushima’s radioactivity will be two-to-20 times greater than the residual radiation already in the Pacific from historic nuclear weapons tests.

“With the radiation from Fukushima predicted to [linger in the US for years] Abrams said the potential dose should not be dismissed as negligible.

“[Radiation] shakes up the cell and it goes after the genetic material… The bottom line is that (radiation) is a carcinogenic agent.

“But how do you translate that into an understandable discussion of what’s going to happen to guys on their surfboards? I don’t know.”

Abrams issues his own warning about scientists declaring low-level radiation to be absolutely “safe”

“Physicists, or at least some of them, are the people in the nuclear industry itself. They play down (the risks) at such low doses, but they never talk about it as being cumulative.”

More New Normal to Hit Fukushima Area, More Nuclear Industry Damage Denial

Typhoon Neoguri’s downgraded severe storm passed right over the epicenter of the earthquakes that have rocked Japan over the past 24 hours. Not only that, another typhoon is developing in same area as Neoguri and expected to strengthen early this week, due to waters warmer than usual, according to the Weather Channel.

While TEPCO has continued to hide extreme dangers at its Fukushima nuclear plant, newly released data shows 4,000% more radioactive material in Fukushima groundwater than TEPCO has claimed — 39 billion Bq/m³ in sample from shoreline after going through filtration process. The results were not made public until almost a year later.

“Note the strontium-90 concentration in the July 5 sample is 74% of the total amount of beta radiation,” EneNews says. “Based on this ratio (25 : 34), the post-filtration strontium-90 concentration for the July 9 sample would be nearly 30,000,000 Bq/liter.”

Watch TEPCO hid record level radiation data on the YouTube video below.

Equipment for the atomic plant’s decommissioning was being secured ahead of the storm, TEPCO said. Crews built high dams around storage tanks holding contaminated water as an extra precaution against leaks, site superintendent Akira Ono said in the statement, according to Bloomberg News.

While the storm’s downpour might “increase the amount of radioactive runoff from the plant into the ocean, it will be offset by dilution from off-shore rains – but it’s no problem, of course.

“There may be a flushing of contaminated soils and sediments from rivers and streams out into the ocean, but I wouldn’t anticipate any increased dose effects,” Higley said.

“A minor tsunami hit Japan’s Miyagi prefecture early on Saturday after a strong 6.8-magnitude quake jolted the northeastern Pacific coast, prompting advisories for regions including around the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant,” AP reported.

“A tsunami of 20 centimetres was observed at 5.12am local time in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said.

“We have not seen any damage or any change in radiation gauges after the quake,” TEPCO spokesman Masahiro Asaoka claimed.

“Today’s operation has yet to start but we ordered workers to evacuate to high places,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Nine is in the western Pacific Ocean, near where Super Typhoon Negouri first developed.

This system is expected to strengthen to a typhoon this weekend [...] intensifying, possibly rapidly, into early next week

The key uncertainty in the track is a weak southward dip in the jet stream that would bend Rammasun northward, but It is far too early to determine the exact path.

Bloomberg reported Jim Andrews with AccuWeather said the depression might grow into a typhoon and move northward next week. 

Japan along with China, Taiwan and South Korea should monitor its progress, he said.

The Weather Channel reports on future typhoon Rammasun:

“The key uncertainty in the track is whether the steering upper-level ridge of high pressure gives way to a weak southward dip in the jet stream moving in from eastern China, that would bend Rammasun northward in the general direction of Taiwan. If this doesn’t happen, and the upper-level ridge remains strong, Rammasun would continue on a west-northwest path, a more ominous track for the Philippines.

“It is far too early to determine the exact path of the storm. According to the National Hurricane Center, the average forecast track error for Atlantic tropical cyclones four to five days out ranges from 175 to 220 miles.

The center of future Typhoon Rammasun may approach the northern or central Philippines by Wednesday, possibly as a strong typhoon. Interests in the Philippines, Taiwan and southeast China should monitor the progress of this system closely. 

This system is expected to strengthen back into a tropical storm this weekend and then to a typhoon (equivalent to hurricane-strength in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific basins) early in the week.

The Philippines, among the most tropical cyclone-prone countries on Earth, took hits by four typhoons in 2013, the most destructive being Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). 

Photo illustration credit: Daniel K. Lew