HTH -- Haiti Earthquake

March 16, 2011. Two reactor units ruptured at Fukushima Daiichi, evacuations in Tokyo

SOURCE: Altegrity Risk International

Officials announced on March 16th that a second reactor unit at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the northeastern prefecture of Fukushima's Futaba district ruptured and appeared to release radioactive steam. The break in the No. 3 reactor unit worsened an already perilous situation at the plant on a day after officials said the containment vessel in the No. 2 reactor also cracked. Officials believe a crack in the suppression chamber of reactor No. 2 would allow steam containing radioactive substances to escape continuously. The radiation levels above the plant on March 16th forced officials to postpone a water dump using helicopters. Overall falling levels of radiation, however, allowed officials to increase the number of workers at the plant to 100 from the 50-strong skeleton crew that remained after an earlier spike in radioactivity on March 15th forced officials to evacuate some 750 workers. A fire broke out on March 16th that the No.4 reactor, a few hours after officials put out a fire in another reactor. Levels of radiation outside the plant as of March 16th fell to the equivalent of two chest x-rays an hour.

The damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant sent low levels of radiation wafting into Tokyo on March 15th, sparking alarm in the Japanese capital as residents sought to purchase supplies; radiation levels at the plant and in the capital soon fell, reports indicated on March 16th. Winds were blowing northwest out into the Pacific Ocean on March 16th. The government said on March 16th it would not extend a 20km (12-mile) evacuation zone from around the plant. A 30-km (19-mile) no-fly zone was also imposed around the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. Residents living 10km (six miles) outside the 20km evacuation zone are advised to evacuate or stay indoors.

Rescue and recovery efforts continued on March 16th, although heavy snowfall hampered operations in tsunami-affected areas. The snowfall also affected the 450,000 survivors huddled in temporary shelters.

On March 16th, Emperor Akihito made a rare live television appearance to say he was "deeply worried" about the earthquake and tsunami crisis facing his country. Akihito said he would pray for the estimated 10,000 people feared dead in the quake and the millions affected.

France and Turkey announced on March 16th they were calling on their citizens to leave Japan or move further to the southwest. Paris dispatched two planes to begin evacuations. Australia, meanwhile, called on its nationals to consider leaving Tokyo and the most affected provinces. The United Kingdom and the United States, for their part, advised their citizens to limit all non-essential travel to Japan. Austria moved its embassy from Tokyo to Osaka.

Leading international companies, including a luxury German car maker and a U.S. airline, ordered their employees out of Japan, while others moved their personnel to southwestern cities. The employees of a number of international banks also left the capital city. Most airlines operating through Tokyo were affected by the spike in radiation, with a number of airlines canceling or diverting flights.