North Korea: Nuclear Site Accident, 200 Feared Dead

[Breccia]

For those of you who joined the "How will the NK nuclear crisis end?" pool, it's looking like "rocks fall, everyone dies" might be the winner.

200 feared dead after tunnel collapses at North Korean nuclear test site, Japanese TV claims

About 200 people are feared dead in North Korea after underground tunnels at a nuclear test site that was feared to be unstable reportedly collapsed, crushing 100 people in the initial cave-in and 100 others when the tunnels again gave way on top of rescuers.

The collapse at the Punggye-ri test site on Oct. 10 occurred while people were doing construction on the underground tunnel, Japan’s Asahi TV reported, citing a source in North Korea. The television station also said North Korea’s sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3 most likely caused the tunnel to crumble and created serious damage in the region.

No officials have confirmed the Japanese TV station’s claims, but experts have feared for more than a month that the test site was on the verge of crumbling since the nuclear blast. North Korea said it detonated a hydrogen bomb, calling it a “perfect success.” It was the country’s most powerful bomb tested to date and the blast was reportedly 10 times more powerful than the nuclear bomb that was dropped over Hiroshima at the end of World War II.

The test triggered a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that day and multiple tremors have been detected from the area since then. Satellite images obtained by 38 North, which specializes in North Korea issues, showed several landslides occurred after the Sept. 3 test. Also a possible “collapse chimney crater” was seen on Mount Mantap, possibly caused by the underground tests.

It’s unclear if the mountain will collapse in the near future, but the report said there was “significant cracking” and “irreversible strain” on the land because of the nuclear test.

Some experts also said Mantap was suffering from “tired mountain syndrome” due to the stress on the ground, the Washington Post reported. Chinese scientists have also warned the mountain could collapse and release radiation. Radioactive xenon-133 was detected in South Korea after the test.

I'll be honest, I wondered if something like this would happen. Rapid development with minimal expertise and a schedule enforced by a madman doesn't bode well for safety precautions. Perhaps this enforced slowdown will chill international tensions on the matter for a while.

[Vankrys]

is 200 death really stopping the north korea nuclear program?

[Grapemask]

Sounds more like they're just going to stop testing underground. NK recently threatened as much - but I think it turns out it's not a threat so much as a requirement now that they've fucked up their hole.

[Mafic]

Chinese Geologists called this months ago and warned NK about this.

Quite sad actually as this will end up a tragedy that the world community will have to move in and clean up.

And based on how crazy NK is they will probably try to test again but another few tests will bring the entire mountain down (which is hard to do if you think about it).

[Breccia]

is 200 death really stopping the north korea nuclear program?

The loss of the site might. There's no telling what manpower, experts, equipment and actual munitions were down there. NK sure isn't going to tell us.

- - - Updated - - -

Chinese Geologists called this months ago and warned NK about this.

I mean...would it have mattered if they didn't? Good on the Chinese, glad they stepped up, but Glorious Leader wanted his bombs bigger and better on a rapidly increasing timetable. It was literally divine will that this happen.

[Kujako]

How soon before lil'kim blames us?

[Mafic]

If 38north.org is correct there is overlying tuff and pumice which means if it is kicked up into the atmosphere in anyway due to a collapse it would cause massive respiratory problems in the region. And that is assuming radioactive fall out is contained.

[Breccia]

If 38north.org is correct there is overlying tuff and pumice which means if it is kicked up into the atmosphere in anyway due to a collapse it would cause massive respiratory problems in the region. And that is assuming radioactive fall out is contained.

Pumice? Jesus. That stuff is nature's fiberglass, the last thing anyone needs to breathe.

Near as I can tell, the prevailing winds over NK mostly blow east, and from the Punggye-ri test site, that'd lead to these cities:



Ch'ongjin is the country's third largest city, population six hundred thousand.

[CostinR]

That explains why North Korea hasn't done any new tests recently as it was widely expected.

[Deleted]

I have a feeling more people starve to death daily in NK. They'll just dig a new tunnel and get another 200 people to go in there to do whatever needs doing. I mean, it's just a prison camp the size of a country.

[Breccia]

I have a feeling more people starve to death daily in NK.

Well, the death rate is about nine per thousand. That is about six hundred people per day, give or take an execution. I don't know about "starve to death" but you've gotta be in the right ballpark.

However, the spirit is still the same. NK decided to accellerate their nuclear timeline, forgot about safety protocols, and while they almost certainly crushed an extra 200 people before they could starve to death, there's the option now of anything from shards of glass to fallout drifting into a city the size of Las Vegas.

The only good news is

That explains why North Korea hasn't done any new tests recently as it was widely expected.

and everything about this was a fully foreseen, fully preventable tragedy in a place that's already weaponized hopelessness.

[CostinR]

and everything about this was a fully foreseen, fully preventable tragedy in a place that's already weaponized hopelessness.

There's no backing down now. Not with Kim Jong-Un in power and in a precarious position given that he's greatly angered many of the elite class in North Korea as a result. If he backs down HE will be the one being executed by an anti-air gun.

One can perhaps hope that he wouldn't go so far as to actually test an ICBM with a Hydrogen Bomb in the Pacific, meaning firing a fully loaded and functional nuke over Japan, but it's a fool's hope.

[Breccia]

There's no backing down now. Not with Kim Jong-Un in power and in a precarious position given that he's greatly angered many of the elite class in North Korea as a result. If he backs down HE will be the one being executed by an anti-air gun.

I honestly hadn't considered that angle. Hmm. Any chance he'll round up some dissidents or contrary opinions and make an example out of them, to block this?

[Enjoiskate]

I honestly hadn't considered that angle. Hmm. Any chance he'll round up some dissidents or contrary opinions and make an example out of them, to block this?

I assume that anyone with an opinion on what happened would be executed swiftly.

[Deleted]

That rotten regime has to go, but only without US moving in n putting up forward bases against China n Russia.

US needs to back off, they only add to tensions. The East Asians don't need 'murica, just like Pakistan n India don't need the US to have a cold war remain cold. Japan n South Korea could easily get nukes n things would cool down n North Korea would have no 'murica to rave about n would rely on its neighbors for attention since only silly westerners like the US let themselves be threatened by NK for food. NK would be forced to trade n open up the country more, creating a new class in NK which eventually would become something similar to China once the Kims klan is removed.

US presence just keeps the status quo, what has US accomplished by going after ex-communists in eastern europe post-cold war? going after non-WMD countries libya n iraq that couldn't defend themselves? Not convinced NK that it's a safe option to let their guard down...
Are we going to keep this sad show going for the rest of this century just because US got a boner for another country to have bases in n point them against China n Russia?

[Verdugo]

I guess 3/4 of those are executions after the accident.

[Mormolyce]

I can't imagine a worse fate than dying in a nuclear site accident because your incompetent tyrannical regime decided to skimp on safety regulations.

Poor fucking bastards.

[Shkar]

I can't imagine a worse fate than dying in a nuclear site accident because your incompetent tyrannical regime decided to skimp on safety regulations.

Poor fucking bastards.

I think a tyrannical regime can make something worse, but I get the sentiment.

[Mormolyce]

I think a tyrannical regime can make something worse, but I get the sentiment.

I suppose death might be welcome for some of his subjects.

Sigh.