it’s the most expensive to build/operate and much safer than typically perceived. Accidents are spectacular and rare.

  • thonofpy@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Didn’t know that, but you are right, nobody actually died directly from radiation related causes at Fukushima. However, deaths from circumstances relating to the evacuation of the area are estimated to be in the thousands (source: wikipedia). I find that that somewhat illustrates the extent to which human lives have been impacted. While a plane crash is a personal tragedy for a number of people and relatives, a nuclear accident feels more like a collective catastrophe.

    • lntl@lemmy.mlOP
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      1 year ago

      It’s not clear to me that these deaths from evacuation are from the explosion at the plant and resulting leak or the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan (mag 9.0) and resulting tsunami. it’s really hard to pin a definitive reason onto these fatalities.

      • thonofpy@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Fair point. Nuclear plants are fairly safe and historically have a low death toll, I agree. Leaves the radioactive waste to deal with.