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Originally Posted by echomodder
thanks cfg83, I believe that when the full extent of the disaster is known it will be as bad, if not worse than Chernobyl. It seems that they are going to have to construct a tomb for at least 2 if not all 4 reactors. They are finding plutonium in the water and soil. That tells me that the containment structure has at best a crack at worst a breach in the bottom of it. The problem with the nuclear fuel is the once it melts if its not cooled it can reach temp's of 5000F  We have nothing that can withstand temp's of that magnitude. It will just melt through everything it touches. Even at Chernobyl the “sarcophagus” that was built is failing, and there plans to build a new one. A great place for info. Frequently Asked Chernobyl Questions |
I disagree, there are huge differences between Chernobyl and Fukushima
One of the major problems with Chernobyl is that there was no containment structure at all surrounding the reactor.
When the Chernobyl reactor exploded, the core was exposed and ignited sending a plume of radioactive material spread over large areas. This hasn't happened in Japan.
The Japanese reactors are being cooled with seawater. This is undoubtedly the reason for finding radiation nearby. There is still a reasonable likelyhood of cooling the reactors and no "tomb" will be neccessary. At that point, radiation outside the plants should return to low levels.
It's a disaster, but nowhere near a Chernobyl 2.0.