Nuclear situation in Japan goes from bad to worse

[magusronin]

Reports are still somewhat unclear, but the best I've been able to gather is that control operations at the plant have been suspended and all workers have been evacuated due to local high levels of radiation. The high levels of radiation seem to have been caused by a combination of fires at the reactor at spent fuel pond, and breaches possible in the reactor three containment. Hopefully some workers will be able to return to the plant soon, but from the sound of things, no one is currently on site. As it stands, that leaves us with three reactors in partially compromised containment vessels in the process of melting down. And three spent fuel pond's one of which appears to have had its spent rods partially exposed, resulting in a fire, probably from hydrogen gas production, and the spent fuel ponds are unshielded and if they become exposed to air high levels of radiation could result, as well as heating and possible meltdown. I also learned this evening that one of the reactors is a plutonium reactor, which adds an added level of danger because of the extremely high chemical toxicity of plutonium. So yeah the situation is looking extremely grim.

Another update off of CNN's blog: "The death toll in Japan has risen to 3,676, authorities said. The number of dead is expected to go up as rescuers reach more hard-hit areas

At least 7,558 people are missing and 1,990 are injured, according to the National Police Agency Emergency Disaster Headquarters."

Edit: workers have been permitted to return to the plant.