Japan Disaster Worries Locals
By: Jamie Kuras
Updated: March 22, 2011
ODESSA -- After the destruction and devastation left behind by the earthquake that triggered an equally destructive tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan, people are worried of the same thing happening in the U.S.
The good news locally is that Texas doesn't have to worry about anything like that happening here. But the Pacific Northwest is going to be a prime candidate.
"If you go north to the northern Pacific, Oregon, Washington and into southern Canada, we've got another case of subduction," said U.T.P.B. Director of the Center for Energy and Economic Diversification Bob Trentham. "So there is potential long term for an earthquake to occur -- similar to the one we had in Japan with an associated tsunami."
Another concern among those in the Permian Basin is the potential health risks associated with the radiation released from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant. People are rushing to health stores and purchasing potassium iodide pills as a precaution.
Scientists have stated that any radiation that reaches America will be a billion times below what's considered dangerous. In fact, taking that iodine could actually do more damage.
"The body can only absorb so much iodine at a time", said Wanda's Health Food Store Associate Christine Leckbee. "They're trying to supplement to protect their thyroid. So they need to take into consideration all the iodine that they are already getting. It could be from literally sea salt that they use on their food everyday."
Using too much iodine can cause the opposite affect of what people are trying to accomplish and actually damage the thyroid -- similar to the damage caused by radiation.
The good news locally is that Texas doesn't have to worry about anything like that happening here. But the Pacific Northwest is going to be a prime candidate.
"If you go north to the northern Pacific, Oregon, Washington and into southern Canada, we've got another case of subduction," said U.T.P.B. Director of the Center for Energy and Economic Diversification Bob Trentham. "So there is potential long term for an earthquake to occur -- similar to the one we had in Japan with an associated tsunami."
Another concern among those in the Permian Basin is the potential health risks associated with the radiation released from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant. People are rushing to health stores and purchasing potassium iodide pills as a precaution.
Scientists have stated that any radiation that reaches America will be a billion times below what's considered dangerous. In fact, taking that iodine could actually do more damage.
"The body can only absorb so much iodine at a time", said Wanda's Health Food Store Associate Christine Leckbee. "They're trying to supplement to protect their thyroid. So they need to take into consideration all the iodine that they are already getting. It could be from literally sea salt that they use on their food everyday."
Using too much iodine can cause the opposite affect of what people are trying to accomplish and actually damage the thyroid -- similar to the damage caused by radiation.
