Unfortunately not good news for Japan, the country is now in a state of “Maximum Alert” after Plutonium was detected in soil around the plant caused by Highly Radioactive  water that has leaked from  the No. 2 reactor .

Plutonium was detected in soil at the facility and highly radioactive water had leaked from a reactor building. Officials in China, South Korea and the United States have recorded traces of radioactive material in the air. Earlier, Japan’s government strongly criticised the plant’s operator, Tepco, over mistaken radiation readings.

Mr Kan told parliament the situation “continues to be unpredictable”.

Source

US Nuclear expert Joseph Cirincione  claims that Japan will be unable to prevent a nuclear meltdown.

Hope he is wrong.

The Post below are posted by a Japanese student who goes by the Name “iAnjo” on the ATS Forums.

iAnjo lives in a town called Ayase (South of Tokyo)

He started the post 15/03/2011 at 15:39 EST stating that now Radiation levels have reach the equivalent of an X-Ray and there is a chance that he may be evacuated.

Well right now the radiation is equivalent to an X-ray body scan but it’s getting worse. What’s bad is, my school knows this yet they still won’t let us out. Teachers are panicking as well as students. We might get evacuated soon, but it’s still 50/50. 3 are now in meltdown while the fourth one is on fire. May god help us all…

On the 17/03/2011 – 17:52 EST

They’re evacuating us…wish us luck..

Why has it taken 7 days after the event to evacuate? What has changed?

17/03/2011 20:05 EST

Finally, I’m on a laptop with internet.

Here’s the story. First I get home, it was a mess. We had to clean the house, and transfer stuff from the house to the mini-hotel. Once we got to the mini-hotel (on a Naval Base), my father was checking in, and the person at the counter turned the TV on.
I have to go, I’ll continue this later
But for now, everyone’s getting evacuated, we’re just not sure if we are because of Saturday’s plans.
BRB

17/03/2011 21:06 EST

Sorry, I had to go.
Ok, I’ll continue. When the person at the counter turned on the television, it was the captain of the base making an announcement. Everyone had to evacuate, but it was voluntary. Now it’s mandatory. Now this evacuation is taking place, however only 10k people will be flown out of Japan each day, with a total of 86k people in all Bases from the USA. According to the Captain, Obama assigned this to happen.
AHH BRB again. My friends keep interrupting, they think they’ll never see me again..

17/03/2011 21:30 EST

Alright. Time to finish. They’re planning to send us all to different places in South Korea (the Dependents), and then send us to different places from there if things get extended (which will probably happen if things stay like this) My prediction is school will be canceled for a while. Everyone is getting separated, half of my friends cried because most likely we won’t be seeing each other again. Zama American high will never be the same, half of the people will have moved by then, because of this disaster. As for me, my parents want to stay here until Saturday morning, when we go to Narita Airport and leave. Maybe we won’t even end up moving to Yokosuka. Who knows. But for now, I have internet, and I’m just waiting for new news to come. I’ll update you guys on this.

17/03/2011 22:00

Thank you! From the looks of it now, the only bad thing happening is another Nuclear meltdown, and my friends getting separated from other friends and me. I can’t believe today was the last day I’ll ever see them. Everyone will most likely be sent to other places, and some won’t come back. I’m not even sure if I’ll end up coming back here for Yokosuka. (For now, that’s a good thing) Schools are shut down until further notice, according to their websites because of this.

17/03/2011 22:17

Evacuation Plan:

Japan to Korea
Stay in Korea 3-5 Days
Most likely Korea to Somewhere in States
Stay in states until Japan is safe

No school for awhile..

If things stay like this, no one will probably end up coming back except those who really want to stay.

Thats is the last post for now from iAnjo.

As iAnjo said “the only bad thing happening is another Nuclear meltdown”

Could this be the reason why the government is now evacuating ?

All the best iAnjo, Stay Safe!!

Not very often you hear about an Earthquake in Australia and when you do they are usually quite small, and so was this one ( it seems) because i cant find any data on how big it actually was, but it did make the news. I thought it was worth mentioning as it may have come off the back of the 9.0 quake in Japan.

Geoscience Australia seismologist Jonathan Bathgate told The Courier-Mail the quake was very shallow and struck off the north Queensland coast just after 4pm (AEST). He said there was no risk of a tsunami or above average tides as a result of the quake. He said it was roughly 30km offshore from Innisfail, 70km southeast of Cairns and 50km from Gordonvale.

The earthquake lasted about four or five seconds, sounded like distant thunder, and had very slight tremors, according to a caller from Russell Heads.

Innisfail experienced magnitude four quakes in 1989, 1990 and 1974.

No damage was reported in the northern region as a result of the quake.

An Innisfail police spokesman said the quake wasn’t felt in the town itself.

Australia’s most powerful known onshore earthquake was a 7.2 magnitude in Meeberrie, Western Australia in 1941.

The country’s prime minister Naoto Kan has said radiation levels on the east coast have “risen considerably”. People living less than 20km from the complex, which is 250km (155 miles) north of Tokyo, have been told to leave the area. Tens of thousands of residents have already been evacuated from the zone. Chief cabinet secretary Yukio Edano told the press conference that the levels are high enough to damage people’s health. Those living within a 20 to 30km radius of the plant are being urged to stay indoors.

Tokyo radiation Updates: Current: levels 23 times normal 15/03/2011 06:38 GMT

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) — Radiation levels in Tokyo surged to 23 times normal on Tuesday, according to reports that cited readings released by the Tokyo metropolitan government. Radiation levels of .809 micro severts were recorded in central Tokyo at 10.00 a.m. local time (9.00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time), reports said. Southerly winds are believed to be pushing a radioactive plume from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which lies about 150 miles north of Tokyo.

Source

Japan’s Nikkei slumps 10.6% on radiation fears

Japanese shares plunged Tuesday on panic-selling over worries that radiation from a damaged nuclear reactor would further complicate and endanger the nation’s recovery from its worst-ever earthquake on record Friday. The benchmark Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NI225 8,605, -1,015.34, -10.55%), which fell more than 14% at one point during the session, ended 10.6% to 8,605.15 for its biggest percentage fall since late 2008;

Source

Skynews Tweet:

International Atomic Energy Agency says radioactivity released into atmosphere following explosion at Fukushima one nuclear plant

(No Source Yet)

US nuclear experts warned Saturday that pumping sea water to cool a quake-hit Japanese nuclear reactor was an “act of desperation” that may foreshadow a Chernobyl-like disaster.

Several experts, in a conference call with reporters, also predicted that regardless of the outcome at the Fukushima No. 1 atomic plant crisis, the accident will seriously damage the nuclear power renaissance.

“The situation has become desperate enough that they apparently don’t have the capability to deliver fresh water or plain water to cool the reactor and stabilize it, and now, in an act of desperation, are having to resort to diverting and using sea water,” said Robert Alvarez, who works on nuclear disarmament at the Institute for Policy Studies.

“I would describe this measure as a ‘Hail Mary’ pass,” added Alvarez, using American football slang for a final effort to win the game as time expires.

Full Story

Is The Japanese Government trying to cover up the story? or are some news sources over exaggerating??

Japan’s nuclear safety agency has said there is “absolutely no possibility of a Chernobyl” style accident at the Fukushima No.1 plant, according to the national strategy minister.

Source

The Japanese people can’t catch a break!

A volcano in southwestern Japan erupted on Sunday 13/03/2011

The 4,689-foot Shinmoedake volcano, in the Kirishima range, had its first major eruption for 52 years in January, but there had not been any major activity at the site since March 1.

Source, Source

Rock and ash was thrown 1,800m (6,000ft) into the air and experts say a lava dome is growing inside its crater.

The eruption was on the southern Kyushu island, 1,500km (950 miles) from the epicentre of the quake.

Read more:

This info was only posted seconds ago by The Guardian.

A second reactor building at Fukushima Daiichi plant explodes and another core loses cooling, prompting fears of a third explosion following Friday’s earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan

Source

[11:22 p.m. ET Monday, 12:24 p.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The death toll in Japan from Friday’s 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami has risen to 2,475, authorities said Tuesday. At least 3,118 people were missing and 1,889 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters.

[10:18 p.m. ET Monday, 11:18 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] Radiation levels at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have increased to “levels that can impact human health,” and anyone within a 30-kilometer radius of the plant should remain indoors, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Tuesday.Read more on the radiation concerns.

[10:12 p.m. ET Monday, 11:12 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] A fire has erupted in a fourth reactor at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, a top adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced Tuesday.

[10:07 p.m. ET Monday, 11:07 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The risk of further releases of radioactive material from a damaged nuclear power plant remains “very high,” Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Tuesday.

WATCH: Prime minister warns of radiation risk

[9:43 p.m. ET Monday, 10:57 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] Tokyo Electric Power Co. officials say pressure readings indicate some damage to the Fukushima Daiichi plant No. 2 reactor’s suppression pool, a doughnut-shaped reservoir at the base of the reactor containment vessel, A blast was reported there Tuesday morning. Water continues to be injected into “pressure vessels”  to cool down radioactive material, even though workers have been evacuated to “safer locations.”

[8:57 p.m. ET Monday, 9:57 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] CNNMoney.com reports thatJapanese stocks continued to plummet Tuesday, falling nearly 6% in the first hour of trading, as the nation continues to cope with the aftermath of last week’s earthquake. The Nikkei-225 index, the most prominent measure of Tokyo market stocks, dropped 566 points, or 5.9%, within the first 60 minutes of the session. That was on top of a 6.2% drop Monday, the first full trading day after the quake.

[8:13 p.m. ET Monday, 9:13 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The death toll in Japan from Friday’s 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami has risen to 2,414, authorities said Tuesday.  At least 3,118 people were missing and 1,885 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters. The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.

WATCH: Anderson Cooper on debris that’s 10 feet thick

[7:47 p.m. ET Monday, 8:47 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] Yukio Edano, Japan’s chief Cabinet secretary, said he could not rule out the possibility of a meltdown at all three troubled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan.

While sea water was being pumped into the reactors in an effort to prevent further damage, “It cannot necessarily be called a stable situation,” Edano said early Tuesday.

WATCH: News conference confirming blast

Kenneth Bergeron, a physicist who used to work at the U.S. Energy Department’s Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, said that “the release of hydrogen and the fission products (suggests) these reactors have probably had fuel rods exposed for significant periods of time.”

Edano’s comments come amid news about an “explosive impact” that happened Tuesday morning at the No. 2 reactor.

Cooling has been a problem for days at reactors No. 1 and 3, because the earthquake and the tsunami damaged those reactors’ cooling systems. But cooling problems at No. 2 began Monday, when a blast at the building that contains No. 3 – said to be caused by a buildup of hydrogen – damaged No. 2′s cooling system.

[7:17 p.m. ET Monday, 8:17 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] More information about the new blast at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan: An “explosive impact” occurred Tuesday morning at the No. 2 reactor, a day after a hydrogen explosion rocked reactor No. 3, the plant’s owner announced.

[7:09 p.m. ET Monday, 8:09 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] A blast has been heard at the site of the No. 2 reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

[6:44 p.m. ET Monday, 7:44 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The situation with Fukushima Daiichi’s No. 2 nuclear reactor is not yet stable, though authorities have had some success in pumping in water in order to cool radioactive material inside, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said early Tuesday. He said the cooling functions at the facility’s Nos. 1 and 3 nuclear reactors are serving their purpose.

Cooling problems at the No. 2 reactor on Monday allowed nuclear fuel rods to overheat and generate radioactive steam that officials will have to vent into the atmosphere. Crews thought they had the situation under control, but water levels dropped dangerously again Monday night when a buildup of steam prevented fresh seawater from entering the reactor chamber, Tokyo Electric Power Co. reported.

Workers have had trouble keeping reactors No. 1 and No. 3 cool because the earthquake and the tsunami damaged those reactors’ cooling systems. But the cooling problems at No. 2 began Monday, when a blast at the building that contains No. 3 – said to be caused by a buildup of hydrogen – damaged No. 2′s cooling system.

[6:39 p.m. ET Monday, 7:39 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The U.S. Geological Survey has revised the magnitude of Friday’s earthquake in Japan upward to 9.0 on Monday. It had previously put the magnitude at 8.9.

The new reading means the quake is tied for fourth on the U.S. survey’s list of strongest earthquakes since 1900.

[6:07 p.m. ET Monday, 7:07 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] CNN journalists on the sense of urgency rescuers are feeling to find survivors because of unfavorable weather forecasts, which called for continued temperatures barely above freezing, as well as rain and freezing precipitation that could trigger mudslides.

Continued subnormal cold also will probably strain power generation in a country already employing rolling blackouts as a conservation measure.

[5:18 p.m. ET Monday, 6:18 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] Donations to help Japan have been relatively slow to come, reaching about $12 million so far, according to an early tally by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, a newspaper covering nonprofit organizations.

That number is far below the first four-day totals of other recent natural disasters,CNNMoney reports. More than $150 million was raised toward relief within four days of the crisis in Haiti, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. In the case of Hurricane Katrina, donations exceeded $108 million during the crucial first four days.

“Japan is not Haiti and it’s not Indonesia, it’s a developed country with a GDP somewhat similar to our country. It’s not what people typically think of as a country in need of wide-scale international aid,” said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy.

[4:34 p.m. p.m. ET Monday, 5:34 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] In the first full trading day following last week’s quake, Japan’s Nikkei 225 plunged 6.2% Monday. While other world markets were mostly lower, the decline was generally more muted.

In Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100 ended down less than 1%, while Germany’s DAX fell 1.7% and France’s CAC 40 lost 1.3%. And there were even gains in Asia – Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.4% Monday, while China’s Shanghai Composite edged up 0.1%.

This news came as leading investors said that they expect, over the long term, the massive human disaster in Japan is unlikely to have a major impact on economic markets outside that Asian nation.

[2:14 p.m. p.m. ET Monday, 3:14 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The United States has sent a team of experts to assist Japan at the nuclear site, including two cooling experts.

U.S. officials are also “assembling a team of experts that would be dispatched in the near future,” Greg Jaczko, chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said.

Japan has asked for additional types of equipment that will help provide water and keep the reactors cool, Jaczko said.

The nuclear chief added that, based on the reactor design and nature of the accident, there is low probability of harmful radiation reaching the United Sates, including Hawaii and the U.S. territories.

[1:48 p.m. p.m. ET Monday, 2:48 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The Japanese government has formally requested the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Agency’s assistance in responding to the situation at its nuclear power plants.

[1:25 p.m. p.m. ET Monday, 2:25 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The death toll has risen to 1,897, which doesn’t account for thousands of bodies that Japan’s Kyodo News reports have been found in the hard-hit Miyagi Prefecture on the northeast coast. The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.

At least 3,002 people were missing Monday, the National Police Agency said. Public broadcaster NHK reported that 450,000 people were living in shelters.

[12:41 p.m. p.m. ET Monday, 1:41 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] For your reference, a microsievert is an international unit measuring radiation dosage. People are typically exposed to about 1,000 microsieverts over the course of a year.

[12:05 p.m. ET Monday, 1:05 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] When Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant released steam Monday as part of the effort to solve problems at reactors, radiation levels were found to be twice the maximum levels previously detected, but the levels dropped dramatically as the material dissipated, Tokyo Electric Power Company said.

The radiation levels at the front gate of the power plant were found to be 760 microsieverts at 9:35 p.m.; 3,130 microsieverts two minutes later; and 400 microsieverts by 10:15 p.m., TEPCO said.

CNN

[11:52 a.m. ET Monday, 12:52 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] Fuel rods at Fukushima Daiichi’s No. 2 nuclear reactor became fully exposed again Monday night, Tokyo Electric Power Company said.  When exposed, the fuel rods emit a great deal of heat, creating the possibility of the core melting. The company said the problem occurred when a valve to release the steam was closed.  The heat caused water surrounding the fuel rods to evaporate.  The company said it was able to open the valve to fix the problem.

[11:42 a.m. ET Monday, 12:42 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] The official death toll, rising every few hours, reached 1,886 on Monday. But that didn’t account for thousands of bodies Japan’s Kyodo News said had been found in the hard-hit Miyagi prefecture on Japan’s northeast coast. At least 2,369 people were missing Monday, the National Police Agency said, and the number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.

[11:08 a.m. ET Monday, 12:08 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo] Fuel rods in reactor No. 2 at Tokyo Electric Power’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant were fully exposed when a cooling pump ran out of fuel on Monday, the power company said, according to Kyodo News service. Water levels were later restored to cover 30 centimeters of the lower rods, the report said.

[10:57 a.m. ET Monday, 11:57 p.m. in Tokyo] Russia’s state-owned energy giant will deliver two shipments of liquefied natural gas to Japan, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin announced Monday. Gazprom will send 100,000 tons of gas in April and the same amount again in May, he said.

[10:51 a.m. ET Monday, 11:51 p.m. in Tokyo] Japanese officials have said they are operating under the presumption that there may already be partial meltdowns at reactors No. 1 and No. 3 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.  Authorities have not been able to confirm a meltdown because it is too hot inside the affected reactors to check. With word Monday of a new explosion and possible meltdown in reactor No. 2 at the plant, half of its six reactors may now be seriously damaged.

[10:41 a.m. ET Monday, 11:41 p.m. in Tokyo] President Obama reiterated U.S. support for the people of Japan, whom he called “some of our closest friends and allies.”

“The United States will offer any assistance we can as Japan recovers from multiple disasters,” the president said.

[10:16 a.m. ET Monday, 11:16 p.m. in Tokyo] Cold weather has increased the hardship for disaster victims and rescuers. Rescuers report some victims have been exposed to cold weather and water, in some cases for days. Conditions are expected to worsen with temperatures forecast to drop below freezing by Wednesday across portions of the earthquake zone.

[8:58 a.m. ET Monday, 9:58 p.m. in Tokyo] More than 550,000 quake and tsunami evacuees were in 2,500 evacuation shelters in six prefectures on Monday, Kyodo News service reported.

[8:35 a.m. ET Monday, 9:35 p.m. in Tokyo] Tokyo Electric Power Company says a core meltdown might have occurred in the No. 2 nuclear reactor of its Fukushima No. 1 power plant. The company said a pump sending water into the reactor ran low on fuel causing the level of cooling water to drop and exposing fuel rods. Sea water has been pumped into the reactor to stabilize the situation, but the company says a release of radioactive steam my be necessary.

[8:28 a.m. ET Monday, 9:28 p.m. in Tokyo] Oil prices fell Monday as the earthquake in Japan raised concerns about the worldwide economy. The price of light crude for April delivery fell $1.53 per barrel to $99.63.

“I think it’s a reaction to Japan,” said Ken Wattret, economist with BNP Paribas in London. “Developments in Japan might have a disruptive affect on economic activity through out the Asia and the world.”

[7:22 a.m. ET Monday, 8:22 p.m. in Tokyo] Tohoku Electric Company says there is a fire at its Haramachi thermal plant in quake-damaged Minamisoma, Japan. The utility tells broadcaster NHK that heavy oil leaked from a tank at the facility and ignited. Smoke and flames were visible, NHK reported.

[7:04 a.m. ET Monday, 8:04 p.m. in Tokyo] Honda Motor Co. will halt output at all its Japanese factories until Sunday, Kyodo News agency reports. Honda said the move was made necessary by the need for suppliers to resume production and to comply with electricity rationing.

Toyota has halted production through Wednesday. The shutdown will affect 40,000 units, the company said. “We are placing priority on making sure that we are supporting the relief efforts in the region affected and ensuring the safety of all our employees,” an official, Dion Corbett, said.

[6:14 a.m. ET Monday, 7:14 p.m. in Tokyo] Two search-and-rescue teams from the United States arrived in the coastal city of Ofunato, Japan, which was severely damaged in the quake.  It took their convoy six hours to travel from Misawa Air Base on Monday.

[5:49 a.m. ET Monday, 6:49 p.m. in Tokyo] Rolling blackouts in Japan that began on Monday are expected to last through April, Kyodo News Agency reports. The blackouts will affect 45 million people in Tokyo Electric Power’s service area, according to the report.

[5:40 a.m. ET Monday, 6:40 p.m. in Tokyo] Accuweather.com reports that rain and snow are in the forecast for Senadai, Japan, and quake-hit regions on Tuesday and Wednesday. High temperatures are expected to be only 36 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday and 38 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) on Wednesday.

[5:21 a.m. ET Monday, 6:21 p.m. in Tokyo] The death toll from the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan late last week has risen to 1,833, authorities said Monday. At least 2,369 people were missing and 1,898 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters. The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.

[5:20 a.m. ET Monday, 6:20 p.m. in Tokyo] Tests detected low levels of radioactivity on 17 U.S. Navy helicopter crew members when they returned to the USS Ronald Reagan after conducting disaster relief missions in Japan, the military said Monday. No further contamination was detected after the crew members washed with soap and water, the Navy said.

[5:18 a.m. ET Monday, 6:18 p.m. in Tokyo] New Zealand has sent a rescue team of 10 from Christchurch to the hard-hit Japanese coastal city of Sendai. Christchurch is cleaning up from its own earthquake on February 21 that killed 123 people.

[4:45 a.m. ET Monday, 5:45 p.m. in Tokyo] The International Skating Union has announced that the World Figure Skating Championships scheduled for Tokyo later this month will be postponed or canceled.

The event was scheduled for March 21 to 27.

The ISU World Team Trophy scheduled for Yokohama April 14 to 17 also will not take place during that time, the ISU said.

[4:37 a.m. ET Monday, 5:37 p.m. in Tokyo] Tokyo Electric Power Company said electricity rationing was beginning in some areas as of 5 p.m. Tokyo time Monday, Kyodo News Agency reported.

[4:15 a.m. ET Monday, 5:15 p.m. in Tokyo] Japanese stocks were hammered Monday, with the leading Japanese stock index finishing more than 6% lower in investor reaction to last week’s massive earthquake, CNNMoney reports.

The Nikkei-225 index ended down 634 points, or 6.2%, to 9,620. The index finished near its lows for the day, having dropped more than 675 points before a small recovery.

[3:43 a.m. ET Monday, 4:43 p.m. Monday in Tokyo] The U.S. 7th Fleet has temporarily repositioned its ships and planes away from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after detecting low level contamination in the air and on its planes in the area, the U.S. Navy said.

The ship was operating about 100 miles northeast of the power plant when the “airborne radioactivity” was detected, the Navy said.

[3:34 a.m. ET Monday, 4:34 p.m. Monday in Tokyo] Another nuclear reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan has lost its cooling capabilities, the country’s chief Cabinet secretary said Monday.

The problem was detected in the plant’s No. 2 reactor Monday afternoon, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters.

Water levels were falling and pressure was building up inside, he said, and officials were working on a plan to release pressure and also inject seawater into that reactor.

Workers have been scrambling to cool down fuel rods at two other reactors at the plant – No. 1 and No. 3 – after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami Friday knocked out the reactors’ cooling systems.

There are six reactors at Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi plant, located about 65 km (40 miles) south of Sendai.

[3:25 a.m. ET Monday, 4:25 p.m. Monday in Tokyo] Another nuclear reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan has lost its cooling capabilities, Kyodo News reported Monday.

The problem was detected in the plant’s No. 2 reactor Monday, Kyodo said. Public broadcaster NHK said pressure was building up inside.

[2:35 a.m. ET Monday, 3:35 p.m. Monday in Tokyo] Japan’s central bank announced plans Monday to inject a record 15 trillion yen ($183 billion) into the economy to reassure global investors in the stability of Japanese financial markets and banks.

[2:13 a.m. ET Monday, 3:13 p.m. Monday in Tokyo] A massive emergency response operation is underway in northern Japan, with world governments and international aid groups coming together to bring relief to the beleaguered island nation.

Sixty-nine governments have offered to help with search and rescue, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

The Japanese government has received 11 Urban Search and Rescue teams (USAR), the group said in a situation report, including teams from the United States, South Korea, Australia, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, China, Hungary, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

[1:36 a.m. ET Monday, 3:36 p.m. Monday in Tokyo] Despite lingering tension between the two countries, a 15-member Chinese rescue team was working Monday at an elementary school in Oofunato, a city in Japan severely damaged by the 8.9-magnitude earthquake.  The gesture comes just six months after the two countries sparred in a territorial dispute over the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake felt in Tokyo hit Japan’s mountainous Niigata prefecture and caused landslides and avalanches at 4:00 am Saturday (1900 GMT Friday). Source

Volcano erupts in South West Japan WyckyNews

Japan agency says 70 percent chance new major #quake in next three days.news.blogs.cnn.com…

[11:43 p.m. ET Sunday, 12:43 p.m. Monday in Tokyo] Six people were injured after Monday morning’s explosion at the building housing the No. 3 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeastern Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Co. says. Seven people earlier reported as missing have been accounted for, a company official told reporters.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed images of white smoke rising above the facility. Citing the nation’s nuclear and industrial agency, NHK said that a wall of one of the reactor’s buildings had collapsed.

Japan’s chief cabinet secretary said a day earlier that accumulating hydrogen gas “may potentially cause an explosion” in the building housing the No. 3 reactor at the Daiichi plant. A similar scenario played out Saturday, when a blast caused by hydrogen buildup blew the roof off a concrete building housing the plant’s No. 1 reactor.

[11:33 p.m. ET Sunday, 12:33 p.m. Monday in Tokyo] The official death toll from the earthquake and the tsunami has risen to 1,627, authorities said Monday. This doesn’t count the 2,000 bodies that the Kyodo news agency reported were found Monday in Miyagi Prefecture on Japan’s east coast.

As of 10 a.m., at least 1,720 people were missing and 1,962 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters. The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.

[10:59 p.m. ET, 11:59 a.m. Tokyo] An explosion happened late Monday morning at the Fukushima Daiichi’s No. 3 nuclear reactor building, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano confirmed to reporters.

The container vessel surrounding the reactor remains intact, Edano said, citing the head of the nuclear plant report.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed images of white smoke rising above the facility, which is in northeastern Japan. Citing the nation’s nuclear and industrial agency, NHK said that a wall of one of the reactor’s buildings had collapsed.

Residents remaining within 20 kilometers of the plant, despite an earlier evacuation order, have been ordered to stay indoors, according to Edano.  The secretary added that initial reports suggested that radiation levels had increased after the blast, but Edano said he did not believe there was a massive leak, given that water continues to be injected into the reactors and that the pressure inside the reactor is “within a certain range.”

Edano said a day earlier that accumulating hydrogen gas “may potentially cause an explosion” in the building housing the No. 3 reactor at the Daiichi plant. A similar scenario played out Saturday, when a blast caused by hydrogen buildup blew the roof off a concrete building housing the plant’s No. 1 reactor.

[10:38 p.m. ET, 11:38 a.m. Tokyo] Approximately 2,000 bodies were found Monday in Miyagi Prefecture on Japan’s east coast, the Kyodo news agency reported.

[10:31 p.m. ET, 11:31 a.m. Tokyo] Japan’s nuclear safety and industrial agency reported sounds of an explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s No. 3 reactor, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

White smoke could be seen rising from the facility at 11 a.m. Monday.

Workers have been flooding this reactor and the plant’s No. 1 reactor with seawater to cool them after the earthquake and tsunami damaged the reactors’ cooling systems.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said a day earlier that accumulating hydrogen gas “may potentially cause an explosion” in the building housing the No. 3 reactor at the Daiichi plant. A similar scenario played out Saturday, when a blast caused by hydrogen buildup blew the roof off a concrete building housing the plant’s No. 1 reactor. The reactor and its containment system were not damaged in the explosion at the No. 1 reactor.

[9:39 p.m. ET, 10:39 a.m. Tokyo] The death toll from the earthquake and tsunami has risen to 1,598, with hundreds more missing, authorities say. At least 1,720 people were missing and 1,923 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters. The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.

[9:29 p.m. ET, 10:29 a.m. Tokyo] An aftershock with a magnitude of 5.8 was recorded 27 minutes ago off Japan’s east coast, about 140 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

[9:09 p.m. ET, 10:09 a.m. Tokyo] Japan’s NHK television network shows the rescue of three senior citizens who had been trapped in a tsunami-swept car for 20 hours.

[8:57 p.m. ET, 9:57 a.m. Tokyo] More information about the 60-year-old Japanese man who was rescued at sea Sunday after he was spotted clinging to the swept-away remains of his house: “I thought today was the last day of my life,” Hiromitsu Shinkawa told his rescuers, according to Kyodo News Agency.

[8:51 p.m. ET, 9:51 a.m. Tokyo] The leading Japanese stock index skidded nearly 5% in the opening minutes Monday, the first full day of trading in Tokyo following last week’s earthquake.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange opened as usual at 9 a.m. Japan time. The Nikkei-225 index tumbled 493 points, or 4.8%, to just above 9,700, according to the Nikkei website. It was down even further, almost 600 points, in the first few minutes before rebounding.

[8:32 p.m. ET, 9:32 a.m. Tokyo] In the following video, a victim of the tsunami – rescued by the Japanese military – says water swept her out of her home, and that she clung to a tree and then a mat before she was helped.

[7:50 p.m. ET, 8:50 a.m. Tokyo] About 2.5 million households – just over 4% of the total in Japan – were without electricity Sunday, said Ichiro Fujisaki, the nation’s ambassador to the United States. Rolling blackouts are expected in some areas to preserve electricity.

[6:35 p.m. ET, 7:35 a.m. Tokyo] The International Atomic Energy Agency says that – based on information the agency received from officials in Japan – investigators determined that radiation levels have returned to “normal” at one of the power plants previously flagged for concern.

The agency said that authorities have concluded that there were “no emissions of radioactivity” from the three reactors at the Onagawa nuclear plant.

“The current assumption of the Japanese authorities is that the increased level may have been due to a release of radioactive material from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant” located 135 kilometers (about 85 miles) north of Onagawa, the IAEA said.

Japanese officials still are concerned about the Fukushima Daiichi plant, where workers are flooding two reactors with seawater to keep them cool.

[5:34 p.m. ET, 6:34 a.m. Tokyo] While the full extent of the disaster’s aftermath is not yet clear, the earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan could be the most expensive quake in history, CNNMoney reports. Losses from the quake, tsunami and fires will total at least $100 billion, including $20 billion in damage to residences and $40 billion in damage to infrastructure such as roads, rail and port facilities, catastrophe modeling firm Eqecat estimated.

[4:56 p.m. ET, 5:56 a.m. Tokyo] Japanese officials said Sunday they will backstop the country’s financial system when markets reopen after Friday’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, CNNMoney’s Chris Isidore reports.

The Bank of Japan, in a statement, said it would monitor financial markets and the operation of banks and “stand ready to respond and act as necessary.” The aim is to make sure the banks have enough cash on hand to meet demands of panicky investors and cover withdrawal demands of bank customers.

Friday afternoon’s earthquake hit just before the close of trading in Japanese markets. The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index dropped just over 100 points, or 1%, in the final minutes of trading and ended the day 1.7% lower.

[3:58 p.m. ET, 4:58 a.m. Tokyo] Japan’s Kyodo News Agency has reported a dramatic rescue took place off Japan’s coast Sunday, when a Japanese destroyer rescued a 60-year-old man at sea, some 15 kilometers (9 miles) off Fukushima prefecture.

The man, identified as Hiromitsu Shinkawa of Minami Soma, was swept away with his house during Friday’s tsunami, Kyodo reported. He was spotted floating in the sea, waving a self-made red flag while standing on a piece of his house’s roof. Shinkawa was quoted as telling rescuers he had left his home because of the quake, but returned home to grab some belongings with his wife when the tsunami hit. “I was saved by holding onto the roof,” he said, “but my wife was swept away.”

[3:13 p.m. ET, 4:13 a.m. Tokyo] Japanese media report 42 people were rescued Sunday in Minami Sanriku, a northeastern Japanese town where an estimated 9,500 people – more than half the town’s 18,000 population – are unaccounted for.

[2:16 p.m. ET, 3:16 a.m. Tokyo] Delta Airlines resumed its full flight schedule to Japan on Sunday.

[1:54 p.m. ET, 2:54 a.m. Tokyo] Numerous U.S. rescue and assistance teams arrived Sunday in Japan and are helping lead a broad international effort to bring relief to areas ravaged by Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.

The United States, the United Kingdom, China, and South Korea are among 69 governments that have offered to help, Kyodo News Agency reported, citing the Japanese foreign ministry.

Aid groups such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have sent teams to some of the worst-hit areas, including Sendai, Narita, Asahi and Tokyo. Mercy Corps International teamed with Peace Winds Japan to rush aid to affected regions.

[12:36 p.m. ET, 1:36 a.m. Tokyo] The death toll from the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan late last week rose to 1,597, with hundreds more missing, authorities said early Monday.

As of 12:01 a.m. (11:01 a.m. ET), at least 1,481 people were missing and 1,923 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters.

The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.

[11:00 a.m. ET, 12:00 a.m. Tokyo] The death toll from the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on Friday rose to 1,353, with hundreds more missing, authorities said Sunday.

As of 9:30 p.m. (8:30 a.m. ET), at least 1,085 people were missing and 1,743 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters.

[10:39 a.m. ET, 11:39 p.m. Tokyo] A state of emergency has been declared at a nuclear power plant in Onagawa, Japan, where excessive radiation levels have been recorded following Friday’s massive earthquake, the United Nations’ atomic watchdog agency said Sunday.

Authorities have told the agency that the three reactor units at the Onagawa plant “are under control.”

[10:21 a.m. ET, 11:21 p.m. Tokyo] As international aid began to flow into Japan on Sunday, China’s Red Cross said it would donate around $152,000 dollars in emergency aid to its Japanese counterpart, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

[9:48 a.m. ET, 10:48 p.m. Tokyo] South Korea planned to send a 102-member rescue team to Japan on Sunday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.

South Korea has also arranged for shipments of liquified natural gas to be sent to Japan, the agency said.

[9:10 a.m. ET, 10:10 p.m. Tokyo] Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan called on his country Sunday to prepare for sacrifice and to work together in overcoming the effects of the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

“We Japanese had a lot of difficulties in the past, but we were able to overcome those difficulties to reach this peaceful and prosperous society we have been able to build. So with regard to the earthquake and tsunami, I am confident that the Japanese people can be united to work together. …  I ask each one of you, please have such determination, and deepen your bond with your family members, your neighbors, and the people in your community to overcome this crisis so that Japan can be a better place. We can do it together.”

[8:07 a.m. ET, 9:07 p.m. Tokyo] The death toll from the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on Friday rose to 1,217, with hundreds more missing, authorities said Sunday.

As of 7:30 p.m. (6:30 a.m. ET), at least 1,086 people were missing and 1,741 injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters.

The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas.

[7:57 a.m. ET, 8:57 p.m. Tokyo] Some 12,000 people have been rescued from the ruins of Friday’s massive earthquake in Japan, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said late Sunday.

[7:30 a.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. Tokyo] The USS Ronald Reagan has started delivering aid in the coastal regions of Japan’s Miyagi prefecture. Crew members, in conjunction with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces, have conducted 20 sorties delivering aid pallets using eight U.S. and Japanese helicopters, according to Sgt. Maj. Stephen Valley of U.S. Forces Japan.

The Kyodo news agency reported that the team hopes to deliver 30,000 portions of emergency food rations in this initial operation.

[7:08 a.m. ET, 8:08 p.m. Tokyo] Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has ordered a Tokyo power company to conduct a widespread power outage in an effort to preserve energy as workers try to repair power plants damaged in Friday’s devastating earthquake.

[6:45a.m. ET, 7:45 p.m. Tokyo]

Takashi Yokota, director the Earthquake Prediction Information Division of the agency said he based his prediction on increased tectonic activity.

CNN

This article was posted 30th March 2010 so “as soon as tomorrow” has passed unless you want to make it tomorrow, tomorrow 26/05/2010??  …..up to you =)

The Marsili volcano, which is bursting with magma, has “fragile walls” that could collapse, Enzo Boschi told the leading daily Corriere della Sera.

“It could even happen tomorrow,” Prof Boschi, president of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said ”Our latest research shows that the volcano is not structurally solid, its walls are fragile, the magma chamber is of sizeable dimensions,” he said. ”All that tells us that the volcano is active and could begin erupting at any time.”  The event would result in “a strong tsunami that could strike the coasts of Campania, Calabria and Sicily,” Prof Boschi said.

Full story

I thought i would post this article up due to all the activity of  Eyjafjallajökull and now Costa Rica’s Arenal volcano has erupted today 25/05/2010. Then take into consideration that that we are only in the 5th month of the year and we have already had 7 major Earthquakes (7.0 and greater)  which currently is 1.4  -  7.0+ earthquakes per month.

There is a lot of underground activity this year and it has increased over the past few years, given the fragile nature of this volcano a small earthquake could set it off and southern Italy would be in a lot of trouble.

I think the next few years will be a wild ride… lets see if we make it to 2012!

Marsili

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