by Calculated Risk on 3/16/2011 11:42:00 AM

By request ...

From Reuters: EU energy chief says Japan reactor "out of control"

Europe's energy chief warned on Wednesday of a further catastrophe at Japan's nuclear site in the coming hours but his spokeswoman said he had no specific or privileged information on the situation.

"In the coming hours there could be further catastrophic events, which could pose a threat to the lives of people on the island," Guenther Oettinger told the European Parliament. ... "The cooling systems did not work, and as a result we are somewhere between a disaster and a major disaster,"

From Reuters: Japan earthquake LIVE (an excellent site to follow events)

From the NY Times: Japan Says 2nd Reactor May Have Ruptured With Radioactive Release

NHK English

IAEA Update on Japan Earthquake

Japanese authorities have reported concerns about the condition of the spent nuclear fuel pool at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 and Unit 4. Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa announced Wednesday that Special Defence Forces helicopters planned to drop water onto Unit 3, and officials are also preparing to spray water into Unit 4 from ground positions, and possibly later into Unit 3. Some debris on the ground from the 14 March explosion at Unit 3 may need to be removed before the spraying can begin.

Best wishes to all.