Translated material
Disaster in Japan
Japan faced the most serious crisis since the Second World War. Chronicle of events, evidence of eyewitnesses, photos, videos, maps, infographics
March 18 
A week has passed since the earthquake and tsunami that occurred on the northeastern coast of Japan. Evacuated, rescuers and officials in the prefectures of Miyag, Fukushima and Ivate, who were injured from the elements, were honored with a minute of silence of the victims of the disaster.
The number of those killed today has reached 6,911 people, which exceeds the number of victims of the 1995 destructive earthquake, Kyodo reports. The total number of dead and missing people as a result of the largest natural disaster in Japan is 17,227.
About 90,000 rescuers, including police and the forces of the National Army, are conducting search work in the injured regions. The number of rescued over the past 7 days has reached 26,000 people.
The authorities of Japan said that the level of complexity of the accident at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima corresponds to 5 of 7 on the international scale of nuclear events (Ines), the Kyodo agency reports. Reactors No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 are partially melted, the radiation leak continues. The state of the reactor No. 4 corresponds to the 3rd level of complexity on the same scale, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The country's authorities, together with the IAEA, are doing everything to take control of the situation.
During the day, the radiation level from 3484 MKZV/hour to 3339 μSv/hour slightly decreased. According to Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), these are the results of a water attack using fire engines. Natural radiation background 0.05 - 0.2 μSv/hour.
In the vicinity of Tokyo and the city itself, the radiation situation remains within the permissible norms, the Japanese media reports.
March 17 
The multimillion metropolis Tokyo barely avoided turning off the electricity, Kyodo reports. Earlier, the country's authorities decided to reduce the supply of electricity, the consumption level of which has increased in recent days due to sharp cooling.
Summary for all reactors of Fukushima-1 NPP from Kyodo agency
Reactor No. 1 . The work was discontinued after the earthquake, refusal of cooling systems, partial melting of the reactor nucleus, steam was released, the power unit building was damaged during a hydrogen explosion on Saturday, and sea water is pumped up.
Reactor No. 2 . The work was discontinued after the earthquake, the refusal of cooling systems, sea water is pumped up, fuel rods were temporarily exposed, steam was released, the power unit building was damaged during the explosion on the third power unit on Monday, the threat of damage to the reactor, the threat of melting the reactor nucleus.
Reactor No. 3 . The work was discontinued after the earthquake, the refusal of cooling systems, steam was released, sea water is pumped up, the power unit building was damaged during a hydrogen explosion on Monday, a high level of radiation was recorded on Tuesday, smoke was recorded (probably from the storage pool of the spent fuel), serious damage to the concerts are doubtful, on Thursday from military helicopters to the military helicopters. The reactor basin is dropped by sea water, the pool is also poured with water from the earth.
Reactor No. 4 . It was observed during underground shocks, a fire on Thursday (probably caused by an explosion of hydrogen in a compartment with fuel rods, anomalous temperature growth in the storage pool of spent fuel, a fire in the building of the power unit on the environment, the threat of water from the pool, the threat of a new chain nuclear reaction. Reacts No. 5, 6. were observed during underground reaction Tolchkov, on Thursday, the water temperature in pools with spent fuel increased to 64 C
On Thursday, military helicopters attempted to extinguish the fire in the NPP departments in Fukushima, dropping water from the air. The Japanese authorities confirmed that the operation was successful. However, the situation around the nuclear power plant remains still difficult. The level of radiation continues to increase in the area of the accident.
Meanwhile, embassies of different countries recommend that their citizens leave Japan, foreign companies close their representative offices. Several thousands of investors leave the country every day, diplomats evacuate their families. Employees Blackstone Group, Bayerische Motoren Werke and BNP Paribas leave the country with the permission of employers. Infosys Indian company invited 350 employees to return home.
March 16 
At the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, a partial melting of the nucleus on two damaged reactors began, Japanese media reports with reference to representatives of the IAEA and the official authorities of the country. "According to the analysis of the situation at 08:00 in the Central European time, we can judge the partial melting of the reactor nucleus at the first and third power units of the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant with non-working cooling systems. The occurrence of smoke over the fourth power unit causes a separate concern, as its source is unknown," says the representative of the European Commissioner in Energy. 
The situation at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant in Japan is still not able to take control, according to the Japanese news agency Kyodo. The Japanese government recognized possible damage to the reactor No. 3 and the release of radioactive pair. The special operation to cool the third reactor from fire helicopters was canceled due to a high level of radiation in the nuclear power plant.
In addition, a fire is reported on reactor No. 4 and problems on reactors No. 5 and 6. TEPCO serving the Fukushima-1 NPP reports that despite the continuing pumping of sea water, the temperature in the reactors is growing.
The level of radiation at the gate of the nuclear power plant at 10:40 am local time (4:40 in Moscow) increased to 10 millisive devices. The reason for the growth of radiation may have been the release of radioactive substances from the reactor No. 2.
Up to 70% of the fuel rods of the reactor No. 1 and up to 33% of the reactor rods No. 2 can be damaged.
March 15
Two new series of underground shots with a force of 6 points occurred in the central part of Japan, news agencies report. The shocks were felt in 6 prefectures of the country, including in Tokyo and Fukushima, where there is nuclear power plants with damaged reactors. 
The level of radiation in the control hall of the reactor No. 4 at the Fukushima-1 NPP is recognized as so high that the workshops cannot be there anymore, the Kyodo agency reports.
The French Nuclear Safety Agency (ASN) has already assigned the situations at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant the sixth hazard level of seven on the international scale of nuclear events (Ines), the France Press agency reports. Throughout the history of mankind, the seventh level of danger was assigned only a disaster at a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl.
On Tuesday, Japanese exchanges collapsed by 13%, breaking a record of the last 24 years. 
The explosion thundered on the second reactor of nuclear power plants in Fukushima, local media reports. It is also reported about problems with cooling systems on the fifth and sixth nuclear power plants.
The radiation level in the accident zone exceeds the norm for a person by 8 times. The Government of Japan, represented by Yukio Secretary General, Edano was forced to admit that the radiation level around the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, which suffered from the tsunami, was high enough to influence human health. The radiation level around the reactor No. 3 is 400 millisiver per hour (as of 11.22 in Moscow).
An increase in the level of radiation may have been caused by a fire in the storage facilities of a spent nuclear fuel. The fire occurred in the morning on Tuesday, and to date has already been eliminated, Tokyo Electric Power Company reported. It is not known how many radioactive substance was thrown away and what harm to human health can cause this emission, NHK television company reports. 
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In a radius of 20 kilometers from the nuclear power plant, evacuation is carried out. About 70 thousand are already evacuated, another 140 thousand are in the affected area. The police and the country's army also successfully removed more than five hundred patients of local hospitals from a dangerous zone. In a large -scale evacuation operation, ground and air transport was involved. The police patrol the territory between the twentieth and thirtieth kilometer from the nuclear power plant, and also strongly recommends local residents not to go out and not to open the windows. 
This is the third explosion at the nuclear power plant reactors over the past 3 days. The territory where the Fukushima nuclear power plant is located took on a powerful blow of the elements - an earthquake and tsunami, which fell on the northeastern coast of Japan.
March 14
The cooling system of the second reactor at the nuclear power plant in the Fukushima area completely failed. The threat of an explosion in the building of the reactor No. 2.* "The possibility of a massive radioactive ejection" remains "
The new explosion thundered at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima in the reactor No. 3 department, NHK National TV channel reports. The reactor itself is safe, there are wounded. 
New underground shocks with a force of 6.2 points occurred in Japan at 10 am local time. The epicenter of the earthquake is located 140 km from Tokyo. On the coast of the Prefecture of Miyagi, 2 thousand bodies of those killed as a result of the tsunami, which covered the area on March 11.
The site of the British newspaper The Guardian publishes a video of eyewitnesses to the tsunami caused by an earthquake on March 11 on the northeastern coast of Japan.
March 13
The authorities of Japan recognized a triple catastrophe - an earthquake, tsunami and an explosion at nuclear power plants - the most serious crisis over the past 65 years, after the Second World War, Associated Press reports.
More than 100 thousand rescuers eliminate the consequences of the disaster. Russia sends the forces of the Ministry of Emergencies to Japan.
© Reuters
March 12
An explosion occurred at the Fukushima-1 NPP, according to the Japanese news agency Jiji. Local television companies pass the video from the scene: about the nuclear power plant, clubs of white smoke are visible. The explosion was probably caused by the next earthquake in the station area, smoke appeared shortly after the new series of underground shocks. More than 300 thousand people are evacuated from the Fukushima area.
The Secretary General of the Government of Japan Yukio Edano said that the explosion did not occur in the reactor itself, but in the cooling systems of the nuclear power plant, where the work necessary to reduce temperature in the reactor was previously carried out. As a result of the explosion, four specialists who worked at the station were injured. Now they are in the hospital, there is no threat to their life.
According to the head of the Department of Public Relations of the World Nuclear Association, Ian Khor-Lacey, most likely an explosion of hydrogen, which is used in the reactor cooling system. “If hydrogen is ignited, it disappears and does not pose any further threat,” said Hor Lace in an interview with Reuters. He also added that "there is no special threat in connection with the radiation leak."
As a result of the explosion at the nuclear power plant over one of the blocks, the roof collapsed, plaster showered in the building, reports the Japanese NHK television company. There is no serious damage to the reactor case.
The authorities of Japan officially confirmed the leak of radiation at the station. The media reported an increased level of radioactivity: in the area of nuclear power plants, it was 20 times higher than the norm, however, according to the latest data, the radiation level began to decline. The authorities advise local residents to close the windows and turn off the air conditioners. In a radius of 60 km around the "Fukushima-1" ring of numbness and checkpoints. 
In the area of Fukushima, underground shocks continue: at 22.14 local time, another earthquake with a capacity of 5 points occurred. An alarm was announced along the coast in the Fukushim area due to the possible tsunami, the Japanreports microblog said. "The local population began to distribute iodine. The devil knows what is going on!" - says an eyewitness Boris. 
At least 1.7 thousand people are listed as dead or missing after an earthquake and tsunami who fell on the country last Friday, said Yuikio Edano, the Interfax agency reports at a press conference on Saturday on Saturday. 
“It was the largest earthquake since the era of Meji, perhaps more than 1 thousand people were killed,” he said, speaking to the headquarters to eliminate the consequences of a natural disaster. He also said that about 210 thousand people were evacuated on Saturday of five prefectures in the northeast due to new powerful shocks. 
March 11 
Over the past 140 years, the earthquake has occurred today in Japan, Reuters reports. Superior shocks by force 8.9 points emanated from the northeastern coast of the country - the epicenter is located almost 370 km from the capital of Tokyo. 
New strong shocks with a force of 6.6 points occurred on Saturday at 03.59 local time (21.59 Moscow time) in the Japanese Niigat Prefecture.
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) transfers to increase the level of radiation inside the building of the nuclear power plant in the Fukushima Prefecture, Kyodo News reports.
In the Miyagi area, the wave of Tsunami washed a ship with 100 passengers and a railway train. According to the latest data, the Kesennum district has been covered by fires.
The evacuation has been announced within three kilometers from the second nuclear power plant of the Fukushima district. Ducks of radiation has not yet been recorded. At 23.00, a local earthquake of 4 points in the Ibaraki Prefecture, not so far from Tokyo, occurred.
The country's authorities have currently confirmed the death of 88 people. However, according to the latest data, the bodies of 200 to 300 people, presumably killed as a result of the tsunami, were discovered on Friday on the beach near the Japanese city of Sentai (Prefecture Miyagi), Interfax reports with reference to local media. The number of victims is constantly growing, hundreds of missing. 
© Reuters.com 
As one of the eyewitnesses told The New Times, “there are still small shocks in Tokyo” - approximately every half an hour. The traffic system of the metropolis for a long time was paralyzed: the metro, ground transport, suburban trains did not work in any direction did not work.
“Several million people cannot return to the sleeping areas of the city. They buy bicycles to get home on their own. Many buy shoes and walk several tens of kilometers. Those who could not get to their areas, placed in schools and kindergartens. Mobile ties work with serious interruptions. But there are no panic, although we were all very scared,” says an eyewitness. 
After the main blow of the elements, new tremors occurred 67 km from Tokyo and in the area of the island of Honsya each at 6-7 points. In some cities, road highways with cars collapsed into the sea. 
It is reported about those who died in the cities of Ivate, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Totiga, Tiba and the capital. 
Tsunami of 10 meters caused by an earthquake, already boldly dozens of houses from its path; Millions of houses were left without light; Destruction is recorded throughout Japan. According to the geophysicist from the Pacific Center for the warning of the Kanoa Koyanagi tsunami, the tsunami moves at the speed of the reactive liner - 800 kilometers per hour.
The oil storage facilities of energy companies were seriously injured. According to local media reports, nuclear alarm has been announced in the Fukuim area: the reactor cooling system has disconnected, and the station’s specialists are trying to stop the work of the entire system. 
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