The news is both confusing and conflicting tonight depending on whether you follow BBC or Sky News. BBC news has just broadcast that Tepco, Tokyo Electric Power Company, has just connected a power cable to one of the reactors but it is unclear as yet whether it will be able to restart the cooling pumps. Sky News however makes no mention of this, simply stating that there is no news as to how successful efforts have been to cool the reactors. Hopefully by tomorrow morning there will be more news – hopefully good.
An indicator of the fear and anxiety experienced by many Japanese is evidenced by the uncharacteristic displays of emotion. Normally a reserved and emotionally contained people, many Japanese are clearly frightened and angry at the government. We will probably never learn of the true extent of the damage to the reactors and the fuel rod cooling ponds but it is clear that the situation is still touch and go. Regretably some of the tabloid coverage has been sensationalist talking of Armageddon and ‘total melt-down.’ While the situation is clearly critical, and let’s not push to one side the effects of the earthquake and tsunami in favour of the ‘nuclear story’, there needs to be an undertstanding that the natural disaster has, and probably will, account for many more lives than that of potential radioactive fall-out from the Fukushima power plant. Whatever the outcome, our thoughts are with you our Japanese friends.
