The Union of Concerned Scientists held a press briefing with David Lochbaum and Edwin Lyman to help reporters understand the details of the NRC report on reactor conditions at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Station. The details explain how dire the conditions are at Units 1-4.

Saturday’s news focused on TEPCO finding contaminated water leaking into the ocean from a staging “pit” near Unit 2. The concrete pit has a large crack in it. Pumping out of contaminated flooded areas continue. Also, I provide comments on the AREVA Presentation of the accident sequence.

Sandbags. That’s right, we’re literally down to sandbags to keep a trench filled with highly radiative water from spilling its content into the sea.

I’m struggling to understand why Obama Administration officials appear to be trying to lecture the Japanese government and particularly its nuclear emergency workers on the seriousness of the situation at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Generation Station. How is this helpful?