The Events of the japanese earthquake and tsunami
Friday, March 11
2:46 pm:
Magnitude 9.0 earthquake 231 miles northeast of Tokyo, Japan at a depth of 15.2 miles. This is the fifth largest earthquake in the world (since 1900) and the largest to have ever hit Japan.
Around 4 pm:
A wall of water up to 30 feet high washes over the Japanese coast. Cars, boats and trains are swept away. Buildings collapse. Roads and highways are severed. Fires break out in many locations.
7:39 pm:
Casualty reports begin to come in. Kyodo News Service reports at least 32 dead.
8:15 pm:
Japanese government declares emergency for nuclear power plant near Sendai, 180 miles from Tokyo. Japan has 54 nuclear power plants.
9:35 pm:
4 nuclear power plants closest to the quake are shut down.
10:29 pm:
Cooling system at Fukushima nuclear report is reported not working: Authorities say they are "bracing for the worst. Several thousand people living within a mile-and-a-half of the plant are ordered to evacuate.10:48 pm:
Police find 200-300 bodies in the coastal city of Sendai.
Saturday, March 12
US Navy announces movement of seven ships toward Japan to assist relief efforts. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announces US Air Force planes are headed to Japan carrying coolant for the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The report that the planes carried coolant is later found to be erroneous.
Fires are reported in at least 3 prefectures. 4 million homes in and around Tokyo are without power. Radiation levels at the Fukushima nuclear power plant rising; possibility of a small radioactive leak.
Sunday, March 13
More than 83,000 people living within 3 miles of two power plants begin a government-ordered evacuation.
50,000 Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel, 190 aircraft and 25 ships have been deployed to help with rescue efforts, the Defense Ministry announced.
Broadcaster NHK reports the Defense Ministry had sent a team specializing with radioactive contamination to a command post near the plant where a radiation leak had occurred.
There is news that Japanese authorities have informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi plant occurred outside the primary containment vessel. The Tokyo Power Company says the integrity of the containment vessel has not been compromised. Sea water mixed with Boron is being injected in an effort to cool the system.
A government official says a meltdown may be occurring at the damaged plant, sparking fears of a widespread release of radioactive material . Meanwhile, another reactor at the same facility failed Sunday morning -- bringing to three the number of units there that are experiencing major problems in cooling radioactive material.
Monday, March 14
A second explosion occurs at the stricken Fukushima nuclear power station.
Rescuers say they have found 2,000 bodies in Miyagi prefecture.
Share prices plunge 6.18% on the Tokyo stock exchange.
A United Nations humanitarian agency says 1.4 million Japanese are without running water and more than half a million have been evacuated.
2:46 pm:
Magnitude 9.0 earthquake 231 miles northeast of Tokyo, Japan at a depth of 15.2 miles. This is the fifth largest earthquake in the world (since 1900) and the largest to have ever hit Japan.
Around 4 pm:
A wall of water up to 30 feet high washes over the Japanese coast. Cars, boats and trains are swept away. Buildings collapse. Roads and highways are severed. Fires break out in many locations.
7:39 pm:
Casualty reports begin to come in. Kyodo News Service reports at least 32 dead.
8:15 pm:
Japanese government declares emergency for nuclear power plant near Sendai, 180 miles from Tokyo. Japan has 54 nuclear power plants.
9:35 pm:
4 nuclear power plants closest to the quake are shut down.
10:29 pm:
Cooling system at Fukushima nuclear report is reported not working: Authorities say they are "bracing for the worst. Several thousand people living within a mile-and-a-half of the plant are ordered to evacuate.10:48 pm:
Police find 200-300 bodies in the coastal city of Sendai.
Saturday, March 12
US Navy announces movement of seven ships toward Japan to assist relief efforts. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announces US Air Force planes are headed to Japan carrying coolant for the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The report that the planes carried coolant is later found to be erroneous.
Fires are reported in at least 3 prefectures. 4 million homes in and around Tokyo are without power. Radiation levels at the Fukushima nuclear power plant rising; possibility of a small radioactive leak.
Sunday, March 13
More than 83,000 people living within 3 miles of two power plants begin a government-ordered evacuation.
50,000 Japan Self-Defense Forces personnel, 190 aircraft and 25 ships have been deployed to help with rescue efforts, the Defense Ministry announced.
Broadcaster NHK reports the Defense Ministry had sent a team specializing with radioactive contamination to a command post near the plant where a radiation leak had occurred.
There is news that Japanese authorities have informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi plant occurred outside the primary containment vessel. The Tokyo Power Company says the integrity of the containment vessel has not been compromised. Sea water mixed with Boron is being injected in an effort to cool the system.
A government official says a meltdown may be occurring at the damaged plant, sparking fears of a widespread release of radioactive material . Meanwhile, another reactor at the same facility failed Sunday morning -- bringing to three the number of units there that are experiencing major problems in cooling radioactive material.
Monday, March 14
A second explosion occurs at the stricken Fukushima nuclear power station.
Rescuers say they have found 2,000 bodies in Miyagi prefecture.
Share prices plunge 6.18% on the Tokyo stock exchange.
A United Nations humanitarian agency says 1.4 million Japanese are without running water and more than half a million have been evacuated.