Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 fuel core meltdown reported underway

7:39AM EST March 14---We have received a report from our Japanese colleagues that Tokyo Power Electric Company is reporting that Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 has lost all cooling water and the fuel core is completed exposed. The fuel rods are very likely melting. There is no word on efforts to flood Unit 2 to avert an uncontrolled meltdown.

Two hydrogen gas explosions have already rocked Unit 1 and Unit 3. A third explosion is now likely in Unit 2 potentially releasing significant amounts of radiation into the atmosphere if the vessel fails followed by containment failure as the result of a possible full scale meltdown.

Problems at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 irradiated nuclear fuel storage pool

Aileen Mioko Smith has translated Japanese news reports into English indicating that the irradiated nuclear fuel storage pool at the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 atomic reactor (which has suffered a "partial core meltdown" as well as a powerful hydrogen gas explosion) is experiencing problems with keeping cooling water circulation functioning due to lack of electricity, as well as high radiation levels complicating its approach by workers.

AP: U.S. Navy pulls ships, aircraft away from leaking Japanese atomic reactors

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/03/14/pulls-ships-aircraft-japan-nuke-plant/

Update on March 14, 2011 by admin

7:22 AM Naval personnell test positive for radiation exposure. Radiation levels elevated 100 miles outside of the reactors. CNN.

"The Crippled Japanese Nuclear Reactors" -- New York Times

The New York Times has created a helpful graphic representation explaining basic facts and chronological events in the worsening nuclear emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Just click through the succeeding steps to see various angles on the reactors, including three-dimensional/cross-sectional views: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/12/world/asia/the-explosion-at-the-japanese-reactor.html?ref=asia.

Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 has now lost all cooling to its reactor core

Aileen Mioko Smith of Green Action Japan is updating Beyond Nuclear, and many others, with regular updates on the worsening nuclear emergency in Japan, by translating Japanese news stories, government announcements, and grassroots environmental insights from Japanese language into English. Here is the latest bad news from Japan:

[It is now 16:05 Japan time (3:05am EST USA)
Breaking news
15:41
14 March

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20110314/t10014663951000.html
All cooling at Fukushima Daiichi (Unit2) has been lost. According to METI's NISA, all mechanisms to cool the reactor was all completely lost at 13:25 (1:25pm) today. Since the internal pressure continues to be high, ways to secure the safety such as releaseing the air from the containment to the outside is being considered.]

Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2's emergency core coolant system had been working throughout Sunday, March 13 (U.S. East Coast time). But apparently, even that has now been lost. Thus, three reactors at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are now in severe crisis: Unit 1, Unit 2, and Unit 3. "Partial meltdowns" have likely already occurred in Units 1 and 3, as have powerful hydrogen explosions.