Monday Morning: Fukushima Specs

My notes from below about the current reactor states at Fukushima Dai-ichi:
1: power cable attached, testing Monday prior to try the pumps
2: electricity restored
3: Most critical! Some stabilization achieved, may take several days for power to be restored
4: may take several days for power to be restored
5: power cable attached, testing Monday prior to try the pumps, using diesel generators now (doesn't this mean the pumps have been tested?), Temperature in spent fuel pools  are returning to normal.
6: power cable attached, testing Monday prior to try the pumps, using diesel generators now (doesn't this mean the pumps have been tested?), Temperature in spent fuel pools  are returning to normal.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/20/japan-quake-snapshot-idUSL3E7EF28320110320

- Official death toll from earthquake and tsunami 8,450 with 12,931 missing. Police say more than 15,000 feared dead in Miyagi prefecture alone.

* IAEA says some some positive developments but overall situation remains very serious.

- Reactors at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are showing some improvement but the situation remains uncertain, Tetsuro Fukuyama, Japan's deputy chief cabinet secretary, says .

- The operator of the crippled nuclear power plant said it may take several days for power to be restored at the No.3 and No.4 reactors.

- Engineers have attached a power cable to the Nos. 1, 5 and 6 reactors, and hope to restore electricity on Monday prior to an attempt to switch the pumps on. Electricity restored at No. 2 reactor.

- Japan government spokesman says there is some stabilisation at the most critical No.3 reactor.

- Engineers meanwhile are using diesel generators for less critical reactors No.5 and No.6 reactors. Temperature in spent fuel pools at reactors No. 5 and 6 are returning to normal.

- If engineers are unable to cool the reactor, the last option would be entombing the plant with concrete and sand to prevent a catastrophic radiation leak, the method used at Chernobyl in Ukraine in 1986.

- Tests detect radiation above the national safety level in spinach and milk produced near the Fukushima plant. A sample of tap water from Tokyo shows a tiny level of radioactive.

- The health ministry said that radiation levels exceeded safety standards in Fukushima and nearby Ibaraki prefecture. It said it had prohibited the sale of raw milk from Fukushima prefecture.

* IAEA says food contamination is "a very localised phenomenon at the moment as far as we know" and that food produced in other countries had not been affected.

* Light northwesterly winds and rains are forecast for the area around quake-stricken nuclear reactors on the northeast coast of Japan, the weather agency said on Monday. Wind expected to change to change to light southeasterlies towards Tuesday.