Discuss the Fukushima incident in the context of globalisation

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Discuss the Fukushima incident in the context of globalisation

Lucy Price 21014711

On March 11, 2011, the north-east coast of Japan was struck by the fourth largest earthquake since records began. The earthquake reached an 8.9 to 9.0 magnitude tremor, prompting a massive tsunami, as well as dreadful aftershocks with one even reaching 6.3 magnitude. However, the devastation wasn’t over for Japan, another disaster stuck when the Fukushima Dalichi Power Plant declared a nuclear emergency. It was confirmed by Japanese nuclear specialists that pressure, inside 3 of the 6 boiling water reactors, were much higher than normal. This occurred after their emergency cooling generators failed; the proper amount of coolant could not be circulated to reactors, leading them to overheat.

The company, TEPCO, that were running the power plant tried to cool the reactors. They did this by releasing radioactive steam and pumping in sea water. US officials flew in emergency coolant to attempt to cool the reactors, but the Japanese decided to handle the situation themselves, and refused the coolant. The problem seemed to be related to a lack of power at the plants rather than a lack of coolant.

There was a high level of radiation found surrounding the power plant plant, as well as radioactive water due to broken pipes in the reactor. Plutonium was also found in soil nearby the area of the plant. These were all a sign for Japan that one, or even more, of the reactors had suffered meltdown.

Natural disasters do often represent globalisation; presenting the best and the worst prospects. The Fukushima incident which struck Japan in March, for this reason, aids as a perfect example at explaining globalisation, and how it services our society.

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Numerous factors of globalisation are highlighted, consistent with the incident, illustrating just how planet earth, as a whole, will be impacted and therefore affecting some of globalization’s processes. Everybody on earth will be affected by this natural disaster, somehow, even if it’s only minor alterations that will go unnoticed.

Typical natural disaster issues are present, such as searching for survivors in the wreckage and housing those whose homes have been demolished since the tsunami. These problems then continued to worsen after the Nuclear Disaster at the power plant. Other globalisation issues include health and environmental problems, which are highlighted as ...

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