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RSS FeedWorkers Continue Efforts to Prevent a Nuclear Disaster in Japan??18 March 2011
Photo: APMother and daughter receive radiation scanning in Fukushima, northern Japan, one week after a massive earthquake and tsunami. Share ThisDiggYahoo! BuzzFacebookdel.icio.usStumbleUponRelated ArticlesDoctors Lack Many Ways to Treat Radiation ExposureJapan’s Early Warning System One of the Best in the WorldJapan's Disaster Could Hurt Plans for Nuclear Energy IndustryNuclear Crisis in Japan Raises Worries About Radiation RisksQuake, Tsunami May Only Add to Economic Struggles for Japan Related LinksLatest updates from VOA NewsTO DOWNLOAD the MP3 of this story, click on the MP3 link in the upper right corner of the page. Double-click any word to find the definition in the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary
This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.
A huge earthquake and tsunami destroyed a large part of northeastern Japan last week. Survivors and rescue workers stopped for one minute on Friday to remember the hour when the earthquake struck.
The quake and tsunami killed at least six thousand people. More than nine thousand others are missing. About three hundred eighty thousand people have left their homes after they were heavily damaged or destroyed. Those displaced are now living in more than two thousand shelters.
There are shortages of food, water and fuel. Each day more roads are being reopened for trucks to take supplies to the survivors. But some communities remain cut off.
On Friday night, Prime Minister Naoto Kan spoke of the problems in a speech to the nation. The Prime Minister said he understands that people in shelters are cold and do not have enough food. But he said the government is doing all it can. And he said he hopes to return a sense of security to the survivors soon.
APHelicopters gather water off Japan's northeast coast on their way to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.
Mister Kan also said the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power center is the worst Japan has ever faced. He said police, firefighters and military workers were risking their lives to prevent a wider disaster. On Friday, workers continued to direct water on the damaged reactor buildings. It was an attempt to cool the highly radioactive fuel rods from overheating. Workers used powerful hoses to shoot fifty tons of water on the buildings. But the military and civilian firefighters had to keep their distance and limit the time they could be in the area because of the radiation.
Fires, explosions and a partial melting of cores have taken place at four of the six reactors at the Fukushima nuclear center.
Officials say the situation in the number three reactor is the most serious. Mixed oxide fuel rods are partly made of plutonium. These fuel rods are partly exposed. Without water, they will continue to heat up and possibly release a large amount of radiation.
On Friday, the government raised the severity rating of its nuclear disaster from four to five on a seven-point international nuclear event scale. Level five means an accident with wider results, including some release of radioactive material. It also means a high possibility of the material making contact with people.
In Washington on Thursday, President Obama said the United States will stand with Japan as it contains its nuclear crisis, recovers and rebuilds.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: “The Japanese people are not alone in this time of great trial and sorrow. Across the Pacific, they will find a hand of support extended from the United States as they get back on their feet.”
APA baby arriving from Japan receives nuclear radiation detection from at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia.
The president noted some of the steps the United States has taken to help.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: “Search and rescue teams are on the ground in Japan to help the recovery effort. A disaster assistance and response team is working to confront the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami. The U.S. military, which has helped to ensure the security of Japan for decades, is working around the clock.”
Mr. Obama said the military has completed hundreds of flights to bring food and water to Japan.
And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.
___
Contributing: Steve Herman, Kent Klein, Martyn Williams
Listen? Email? Print? Comments?Comments (72)18-03-2011Shouldn't that headline read "Workers Continue Efforts to Prevent a WORSE Nuclear Disaster in Japan"?
18-03-2011Obama is releasing more hot air than all of the over-heated reactors comibined. Just what does all this verbal garbage actually mean in concete terms?
18-03-2011I think that using snow cannons to spray artificial snow on to the reactor would offer a more immediate outcome ... or using helicopters to dump small particles of ice could also have a more immediate effect ... P Saya
18-03-2011Nichole(USA)May God Bless all the citizens of Japan..and may his hands of confort reach you all. Your friends in America are praying for you.
18-03-2011(USA)We need to end nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and fossil fuels.
19-03-2011carl(usa)Does anyone not believe that both USA and Japan are "covering up" the extent of the radiation pouring out of these reactors and the "spent but highly radioactive" pools of used rods? This is heading to be the worst accident in world history. Someone needs to step in now and drop sand and water to at least begin to minimize this disaster. Please.....
19-03-2011What a good report. I would want to express my admiration for this great Japanese people I am sure they will know how to overcome all their difficulties, and they will be an example for all us.
19-03-2011Magdalena Ilcheva(Bulgaria)I want to express my regret for the many casualties and great tragedy in Japan. We in Bulgaria are very mindful of Japan
19-03-2011kuong do(Vietnam)I highly respect the supports from USA to Japan. President Barack Obama is so kind.
19-03-2011Taha El nawam(Egypt)In the name of all Egyptians on the Earth, we condolence the great japanese people in their disasterwith my respect to the great japanese people
19-03-2011Daitt(VietNam)the huge earthquake in japan is disaster for Japanese but I always believes that they will overcome difficulty to recover their country because it's demonstrate after the second war.Vietnamese are always standing them.
19-03-2011thunana(VietNam)it's too terrible to say anything. I'm pray for Japanese
20-03-2011Jeffrey Yeh(Taiwan)This MP3 cannot be downloaded, too.
20-03-2011Damon(China)Hope everything will be ok with you , come on ,Japan
20-03-2011Hero(China)I'm pray for Japanese
20-03-2011Kevin chen(Taiwan)Pray for Japanese
20-03-2011Twaha(Tanzania)Poleni sana Japan! Tunawaombea kwa Mungu. Hii ni changamoto kwetu hasa viongozi wetu wa Africa kujiandaa na kuwasaidia raia pindi yanapotokea majanga makubwa kama haya. Pongezi kwenu viongozi wa Japan kwa kazi kubwa mnayofanya kuokoa na kuwasaidia wananchi wa Japan.
20-03-2011lourb likeo(cambodia)i pray to Buddish to help Japanese. it was really terrible.
20-03-2011masa(japan)thank you president obama
20-03-2011aike(Japan)Now engineers are struggling to restore the cooling system of the nuclear plant. At the same time, workers are trying to direct water on the damaged reactor. As a consequence, radiation leak becomes smaller than before. But I heard bad news on TV. Japanese government confirmed that milk and spinach grown near the damaged nuclear power plant is contaminated by radiation. This earthquake and tsunami is truly the most serious disaster in Japan since World War II.
20-03-2011lipeng(China)it is too terrible to say anything.
20-03-2011FRANZ(BRAZIL)I think my country could help more the Japanese homeless with food, water, clothes, etc. that we have a lot here. Obama is here in Brazil could ask Dilma (our President) for help the Japanese. We have to find a new electric resource. Our atomic reactors are becoming old and we know how dangerous they are. I think that countries from Africa with the new system of government (for them) - Democracy - could have a good paper in the world economy selling us your solar energy.
20-03-2011thelionking(vietnam)sorry, but i can not download this audio from this site. someone can give me some advice?
20-03-2011Chaojie Shao(China)May God Bless all citizens of Japan
20-03-2011xiaoliangzi(china)I'm pray for Japanese
20-03-2011C(Vietnam)the japan's nuclear crisis is the worst that i have ever seen. japanese people are very brave and resilient to confront with aftermath of recently massive earthquake. we are standing with you and praying for you.
20-03-2011vuongtuantien(vietnam-economic university HCM.C)I extend my sincere to Japan , expecialy frienfly member have died and missing, so sad! and i belive this disaster only is a chalenge to they show character and spirit Japanese. we wait to see a fabulous result in the future. All the best to VOA family members .
20-03-2011Andrew Chen(Taiwan)Hopefully,they will be recovered asap!
20-03-2011Hoang Phu Nguyen Thi(Viet Nam)Pray for the best wishes and peaceful life for Japanese people. Hoping that they can overcome this grief to start new life soon.We are always stand by you.
20-03-2011Maki(Japan)It seems that Prime Minister Kan spoke to the nation how the government tackled the problem on Friday according to this article, but as we have watched so much more about the nuclear disaster and those affected areas, his message was not heard among our nationals so strongly. Only a few people know the directionality of Japan. I hope our leader shows a stronger step and delivers what he thinks.
20-03-2011J.u.l.i.a.n.a(Brazil)It is very important the support of the others countries in this momment... All must be cross our fingers to Japan... Their workers are heroes and they will full off that disaster.
21-03-2011Muneki Akutagawa(Japan)Flood the damaged reactor buildings more and more. I hope the government announce the level of radioactivity around Fukusima prefecture frequently.
21-03-2011KhanhYou'll not walk alone. We're praying for you.
21-03-2011Khanh(Vietnam)You'll not walk alone. We're praying for you, for the lost people and for the atempts of the government.
21-03-2011sunny(china)I think human should kind to the earth,and the earth can kind to us.What do you think of this?
21-03-2011Jong-hyun Lee(Korea)It is time to review and reconsider the use of nuclear plant as method of getting electricity. Is this real green energy?Does our government see the other aspect of nuclear energy??
21-03-2011Nguyen Quynh(Viet Nam)Countries all over the world should support Japan.Hope everything will be all right. I pray for Japan.
21-03-2011Leandro(Brazil)I think the brazilian government should help Japan . In Brazil, there are thousands of japanese that living and working here. Actually, the whole world must support Japan.
21-03-2011fly(turkey)if they dont succes to prevent radiotion they can embed these reactors like as ?ernobil disaster.and as ? know radiotion has arrived usa..
21-03-2011gaofei(China)one world,one home. pray for Japan.
22-03-2011pray for janpanese
22-03-2011moon(vietnam)pray for japanese
22-03-2011Guo(china) 22-03-2011Nguyen Thanh Nga(Vietnam)Hope Japan will overcome this difficulty. We're always besides you. Japan, stand up!
22-03-2011Hoai Phuong(Viet Nam)this is the good online page for learning english
22-03-2011taha saeed(egypt)may god help japan
22-03-2011qing(china)support Jaoan
22-03-2011Le Van Nham(VietNam)i believe that Japanese will do something as they do in history.
22-03-2011qta(vietnam)it's really terrible natural disaster. I think the Japanese with patriotism and patience, who overcame hurt of atomic bomb event in the past will recovery strongly and rapidly.
23-03-2011Irene(China)I'm praying for Japanese.
23-03-2011Kimlyda(Cambodia)It was really bad time for Japan. I hope this such of disaster never happen on earth again. I wish Japan and also Japanese will get recovery soon too.
23-03-2011Christian(China)God bless Japan
23-03-2011tony(china)Everything will be better
23-03-2011Nightingale(Canada)Finally some humor - VOA Newsroom's photo accompanying article 'Workers Continue Efforts to Prevent a Nuclear Disaster/World/Learning English" is a bright light amist devestation. A tiny tot, while being searched for radiation turns to her mother, sticks out her toung and points to the scanning technician. No words are spoken - body language tells it all. Thank you for the opportunity to find a grin.Signed: Nightingale, from Canada
23-03-2011Kitty(Vietnam)Pray for all citizens of Japan. Hope for the best!
24-03-2011Sun(china)japan is not alon， world shall help them.
24-03-2011Seddari(Mongolian University of Science and Technology)it will be okay
24-03-2011herrick(china)everything will be ok!come on !japan!
24-03-2011Thanh Nhan(Vietnam)I believe Japan will get back on their feet!
25-03-2011Sammy(China)Everything will be better ! The world will help them!
25-03-2011Susumu(Japan)I found the the US is the best ally of Japan. I'm sad there are a lot of people are waiting for sullies. I wish I could be a superman.
25-03-2011do dat(vietnam)i'm very sorry about the nature disaster of japan in recent days,I believe that japan will overcome this difficul-ties and rebuild your country.i pray for you.
25-03-2011Kachi(Japan)I really appreciate that people all over the world are praying for us. The comments make me cry. Thank you for your kindness.
25-03-2011Filipe(Brazil)Hey, japanese are very strong peoples... They've recovered from several major disasters, i can believe they'll be alright! God Bless Japan!
25-03-2011Sergey(Russia)We are understand your pain and suffering.Japan be strong.World love you
26-03-2011hifumi(japan)i can' t believe japanese government and the powerful people in tokyo electric power campany . this problem helped me to think of today in japan seriously. we thank the worker in fukushima daiichi nuclear power and the people praying for japan in the world.
26-03-2011M .Niazi(Afghanistan)That is a bad earthquake that i see but i adorable Japanese patents I first time of this tragedy incidents like doomsday thanks God Ms Maki all right .
26-03-2011morimori(japan)each of these message makes us energetic.
27-03-2011burak(turkey)Your friends in Turkey praying for you...
28-03-2011DIN(Ukraine)Friends! We are with you!!!
29-03-2011A GHAFOOR(PAKISTAN)I am really sorry GOD bless you all
30-03-2011Gustavo(Brazil)Everybody shoud help right now, let's do our part.... God bess all o you!!
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