84. Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima

Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima. Deidre Langeland. 2021. 208 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence from the preface: Fukushima. To people all around the world, the name has come to mean one thing: nuclear disaster. They remember several long weeks in March 2011 when they turned on the news every day and saw thick smoke billowing from nuclear reactors, carrying potentially deadly radiation into the environment.

First sentence from chapter one: Standing on Earth, it's difficult to appreciate its movement.

Premise/plot: I rarely rely on the jacket copy for summary, but the jacket copy is so precise that I just can't resist--this once--quoting liberally: "On March 11, 2011, the largest earthquake ever measured in Japan occurred off the northeast coast. It triggered a tsunami with a wall of water 128 feet high. The tsunami damaged the nuclear power plant in Fukushima triggering the nightmare scenario--a nuclear meltdown.

For six days, employees at the plant worked to contain the meltdown and disaster workers scoured the surrounding flooded area for survivors.

This book examines the science behind such a massive disaster and looks back at the people who experienced an unprecedented trifecta of destruction."

It focuses on the earthquake, the tsunami, and the nuclear meltdown. Through all three, the book quotes from survivors and eyewitnesses. All three subjects--earthquakes, tsunamis, and nuclear fission--are complex. Complex in a technical science-y way. The explanations are straightforward. The author seems to want to reach as wide an audience as possible. It is very science-y yet maintains a strong human interest perspective.

My thoughts: Science isn't my best subject. It would be a close call between science and maths as to which is my weakest. Yet for most of my life I've been drawn to documentaries that combine science and human interest. I find myself easily captivated by a diverse range of topics because of the way they are able to connect the technical science-y bits with true human interest. Such is the case with Meltdown. I found it an absorbing, compelling, intense read. I didn't want to put it down. I found it a suspenseful read.

One thing I found effective in keeping me turning the pages was how each chapter began with the status of the six reactors. From day 1 (March 11):

Reactor 1: Fully operational
Reactor 2: Fully operational
Reactor 3: Fully operational
Reactor 4: Shut down for inspection
Reactor 5: Shut down for inspection
Reactor 6: Shut down for inspection

 The book also has generous back matter! The timeline is extensive. The glossary is HUGE. The bibliography and resources listed is large as well.

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews