Same as in the 90th in the Iraqi deserts, where nuclear weapons facilities were being blown up, or years later on the French atolls Mururroa and Fangataufa, where a radiological study after the last nuclear test was performed by the IAEA, I felt honoured to be the only one from all the news camera crowds to film in the earthquake and tsunami destroyed nuclear power plant, which is still not under control and still releases a lot of radioation.
The preparations started in Tokyo, in a nice hotel with a view over the city, dominated by Tokyo Tower, a smaller replica of the Eiffel Tower, but still offering a viewing platform in 250 meters. In a few days in Tokyo, we adjusted to the 7 hours time shift, and the team went through many meetings to get all the necessary information.
Upper platform of the Tokyo Tower is on 250 meters, quite comparable with the Eiffel Tower
Early morning on 26 May, we boarded a bus which brought us 200 km northeast, to the first plant out of three to be visited. Tokai NPP was the least damaged, because the tsunami waves reached only 5,5 meters here.
Next stop was the Fukushima Daini – number two – which suffered more damage, but though being not far away from Daiichi – number one – the tsunami stopped more or less at the outer perimeter of the plant, destroying some parts, but not the vital ones.
27 May started in the so called J Village, a place where all the workers involved in the rescue and recovery work get their training and equipment. Extremely busy place, resembling an anthill, where crowds of people are constantly pouring through the corridors, stopping at stands to pick up protective clothing or gas masks, to get the instructions.
We changed into white overalls and put “tyveks” over, then two pairs of socks under gumboots, and three pairs of gloves. With a gas mask and a hood the whole body was completely covered. For he camera I brought a scuba housing, 700 Euro worth, which lets the camera dive to 10 meters. My idea was, if it gets contaminated, I would wash it clean.
Securing the camera in the bus, where there was dry air-condicioned air
Another bus drive to Fukushima Daiichi, where we did not lose time with entry procedures, because of the high contamination. The team, divided into two groups, boarded two smaller buses and was taken to the first “stop”, a platform with an overal view at he destroyed reactors. It took maybe 5 min, then the Japanese guides got nervous and started chasing us back into the bus.
The scuba housing was designed for underwater filming, but in daylight, the viewfinder monitor, covered by plastic, showed just reflexes and almost no picture. The release button was so badly accessible, that the camera was often not running when it should, and vice versa. Without shouder support, soon the backbone muscles got cramped, so that at one moment I was leaning forward and my colleague Greg, who is responsible for many the pictures in this blog, was banging his fists against my muscles. This was for sure the most difficult filming I have ever experienced.
Reactor Nr. 3
Inside the spent fuel building, it was relatively relaxing. In the dark, the viewfinder was visible, and our guides were calm, because the fuel was safely shielded under water. But then we were outside again, in the water pumps area. This was at the shore, and despite the fact that most of the debrie was already cleaned, as our radiation officer Ed, who had been here a month ago, realized, the traces of tsunami damage were pretty much visible.
One of the most spectacular places was the dry cask storage, a place which used to store massive metal casks (dry = empty) for irradiated fuel, which had been completely flooded by tsunami. We were still walking through about 15 cm of water on the ground, and with flash lights we saw the traces of tsunami level high above.
Two hours passed like an action movie, and suddenly we were released at the so called “seismic building”, a place where workers were cueing for radiation check to get inside into a clean area.
A big relief, when not only my surface, but also the camera housing, 700 Euro worth, passed the radiation check.
My IAEA dosimeter showed about five times more accummulated dose during those 2 hours, than I got during 2 weeks spent around (and very close to) Chernobyl power plant last October. But still a minor dose, which will safely dilute in the bakground radiation. This was to be expected, because the Japanese, who had carefully designed our guided tour, could not afford any exposure to an international team, which was observed by the whole media world.
Inside the seismic building, again, an impression of an anthill, with people changing their clothes, a group sitting on the ground and planning next action, further up a big room with office desks and computers, where a huge video-conference with Daini and Tokai was taking place. Everything well organized, everywhere lot of working enthusiasm to be seen. The overall impression was, that these people were on their best way to get the situation under control.
