Japanese officials say fear a breach in the core at the Fukushima nuclear power plant's number three reactor. That's the one reactor at the facility that uses the more-dangerous Mixed Oxide, which is higher in plutonium. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan called the situation very serious:
“The siuation at the Fukushim Daiichi power plant is still very serious. We must remain vigilant, and prevent a deterioration of the situation. We are still not in a situation to be optimistic, and will treat every development with importance."
Engineers halted work at the complex, where they've been trying to stop several reactors from proceeding to full meltdowns. The began suspecting a breach at reactor 3 when two workers suffered skin burns after wading into water 10,000 times more radioactive than levels normally found in water in or around a reactor. David Lochbaum with the Union of Concerned Scientists told reporters it's not clear whether there was a breach in the reactor core. But if there was, he says
“Most likely the reason for that would be that the core was damaged to the point of melting, some of the molten mass fell down to the bottom of the reactor vessel, and burned a hole through that became the breach."
Today marks the two week anniversary of the devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck Japan. The death toll now stands at more than 10,000, with over 17,000 missing – though there may be some overlap on the two lists.
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