Radiation Emergency at Japan Nuclear Plant

A devastated Japanese nuclear plant recorded radiation 1,000 times the normal level Friday, causing the plant and thousands of neighboring residents to be evacuated. Fukushima 1 is one of at least 11 of Japan’s 52 nuclear power reactors that have been shut down. Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates Fukushima 1, said an equipment failure had made it “impossible to cool two reactors” at the plant. “It’s a dicey situation,” said an American nuclear specialist—one that could ultimately cause radioactive gases to leak in an area surrounded by residents. The Japanese military is supposed to be ferrying in batteries. Meanwhile, American authorities are monitoring plants in California, where tsunami waves have also hit.