New update from NIRS:

"UPDATE 7:30 pm, Monday, March 14, 2011. Tokyo Electric Power is holding a press
conference at this hour. Video stream is at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-gtv2. NHK
TV reports that there has been an explosion at Unit 2 at Fukushima Daiichi. There is
speculation that this explosion has damaged the primary containment (inside the concrete
containment building, which is the secondary containment. Tepco is evacuating some non-
essential personnel from the reactor site. 2.5 meters of the core are currently uncovered by
water—which means it is almost certainly melting. Winds from the site are currently blowing
toward the North. "

The accident is now being characterized by MNBC nuclear spokespeople as worse than Three Mile Island, which was a partial meltdown of the core without a major release of radiation to the environment. Japanese plant workers are still onsite attempting to cool all three reactors with sea water. Non-essential utility staff have been evacuated.

Charley Noble