Disaster

Five years after the Fukushima disaster, things are getting worse.

As we reported last week, "the fuel rods melted through their containment vessels in the reactors, and no one knows exactly where they are now. Tepco has been developing robots, which can swim under water and negotiate obstacles in damaged tunnels and piping to search for the melted fuel rods.  But as soon as they get close to the reactors, the radiation destroys their wiring and renders them useless, causing long delays, Masuda said."

Robots sent into detect radioactive fuel at Fukushima’s nuclear reactors have “died” – as the Japanese robots failed to survive the harsh climate around the reactors.  Authorities sent in the robots in order to figure out how to build a subterranean “ice wall” around the plant in order to stop groundwater from being contaminated by the radiation leak. Newsweek.com reports: Five years ago, one of the worst earthquakes in history triggered a 10-meter high tsunami that crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station causing multiple meltdowns.

Today, Japan marks the fifth anniversary of the tragic and catastrophic meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear plant. On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami hit the northeast coast of Japan, killing 20,000 people. Another 160,000 then fled the radiation in Fukushima. It was the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, and according to some it would be far worse, if the Japanese government did not cover up the true severity of the devastation.

Nasdaq risk is dramatically higher than S&P risk at current levels. Despite the exuberant ramp of the last few weeks, the ratio of Nasdaq VIX to S&P VIX is at its highest in over 6 months.

This is worrisome since the last time Nasdaq traders were this much more concerned about future risk than S&P traders, was right before the August flash-crash collapse...

And if that wasn't enough, look where we are...

h/t @NorthmanTrader

An RAF Tornado jet was badly damaged after it collided with a stray dog while landing at a British airbase in Cyprus. The £9.4 million Tornado GR4 was returning to its base after reportedly fighting ISIS targets in Syria on Tuesday when the incident occurred. RT reports: The 14 ton jet needed “hundreds of thousands” of pounds worth of repairs, a source told the Sun, and was taken out of action. The plane was approaching the coastal base at around 200mph when a stray dog ran across the airstrip.