Japanese crews braved radiation to fly helicopters over the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant Thursday, dumping sea water on the critically damaged Unit 3 reactor.
The crews, using CH-47 Chinook helicopters, worked in 40-minute shifts to limit their exposure. However, strong winds appeared to blow much of the water from the target, limiting the dangerous operation's effectiveness.
Dozens of people have remained at the scene, working against the clock to prevent harmful levels of radioactive material from spewing into the air.
Officials had initially ruled out using helicopters, saying the radiation would be too dangerous.
Meanwhile, at the Unit 4 reactor, there are concerns that water has completely evaporated from a pool for spent fuel rods. If confirmed, it means there is nothing that is preventing the rods from reaching dangerous temperatures.
"There is no water in the spent fuel pool and we believe that radiation levels are extremely high, which could possibly impact the ability to take corrective measures," chief of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Gregory Jaczko said at a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing Wednesday.
If Jaczko is correct, the outer shell of the rods could explode with enough force to propel radioactive fuel over a wide area.
The U.S. is calling on Americans in Japan to stay at least 80 kilometres away from the plant, while Japan's official evacuation zone is only about 20 km. The Obama administration has also authorized plans to transport Americans out of the country as radiation fears grow.
Power line
Thursday brought one potential piece of good news: Tokyo Electric Power Co. said they were close to completing a new power line that could power cooling systems to end the crisis at the nuclear plant.
When completed, it will restore power to pumps that will send a steady supply of water to the six reactors, cooling down any fuel cells.
TEP spokesperson Naoki Tsunoda said officials will test the power line "as soon as possible," but could not say exactly when it would be completed.
The crisis in Japan, sparked by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake that created a monstrous tsunami, prompted a rare address to the nation by 77-year-old Emperor Akihito.
In the televised speech, the emperor urged the Japanese people to give each other hope, despite a horrific death toll expected to exceed 10,000.
"I think it is important for all of us, in various ways and however small, to share the burden of the difficult period that the victims now face," he said.
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