Over the last week or so an internet storm started about an alleged new melt down of Reactor 3 has started. Now I don’t think that we should be complacent about what is happening there but here is something Fukushima Diary, one of the most consistently correct Fukushima bloggers has to say about it. I believe him.
Since the end of 2013, the hoax has been going around on the internet to say reactor3 is having meltdown. (It’s molten already.)
I immediately denied the rumor on Facebook but haven’t made an official statement on Fukushima Diary itself.
From my observation, the mess started from the article of Enenews to say reactor3 was still steaming multiple times in December, which is correct. (It’s not the fault of Enenews.)
The “steam” has been observed at least since this July. Since then, it has been observed almost everyday. From the frequency of the “steam”, I assume it is the evaporated coolant water leaking out of primary containment vessel (I don’t think it’s evaporated rainwater retained on the top of PCV because it was observed even if it doesn’t rain for a long time.). We got to see it because Tepco removed the major debris from the top of reactor3. Probably it has been coming up since just after 311. Sure it’s extremely radioactive. Nobody can stand on the top of reactor3, and it’s harmful for west coast. However, it’s been so for these 3 years.
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