Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, that were rushed to the hospital after being exposed to 10,000 times the normal radiation levels, might have been exposed due to previously unknown damage in reactor 3.

The workers were in the basement of reactor 3’s turbine building, trying to reconnect electricity.  The basement was flooded with radioactive water, that held contamination 10,000 times normal.

TEPCo officials are now worried that there is unseen damage to the reactor, because there was no water in the basement the day before.

Because of the continued problem, after problem, with trying to get the Fukushima Daiichi plant under control, the Japanese government has told people outside the 20km (12.4 miles) evacuation zone, to voluntarily evacuate, and prepare for mandatory evacuations.

Cabinet Secretary, Edano Yukio, has told Japanese living outside the current 20km (12.4 miles) evacuation zone, to prepare for mandatory evacuations.

Edano has also told people, that if they wish, they should voluntarily evacuate now.  The concern is that it looks like efforts to get the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant under control, are not working.

Also, advisers from the United States, have told TEPCo officials that the use of salty sea water is doing more damage than good. A U.S. Navy tanker ship with fresh water, is on its way to the nuclear plant.

Tokyo Electric officials admit they are having trouble controlling temperatures and pressures in the reactors.

The problem is the salty sea water.  While it cools down the reactor, it also increases the pressure in the containment chambers. That’s not good, in fact it’s almost as bad as high temperatures. They are looking into ways to bring large amounts of fresh water to the Fukushima Daiichi facility.

Regarding to the employees sent to the hospital with radiation Beta Burns; the water they were standing in was 10,000 times more radioactive than the normal radioactive water in the reactor containment system.

Nissan announced that it might send engines made in its U.S. factory, to Japan.

Nissan lost one of its engine plants in the Fukushima Prefecture after the 9.0 quake/tsunami.  The factory made V6 engines.

Now Nissan officials are considering sending V6 engines from its Tennessee, United States, plant to factories in Japan.

238km (148 miles) away from the damaged nuclear plant in Fukushima, leafy vegetables in Tokyo have tested positive for cesium contamination.

Radiation is spreading across Japan, even though winds had been blowing out towards the Pacific most of the time. Also, more prefectures nearer to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are turning up signs of radiation contamination, mainly iodine-131.  Water supplies as far south as Tokyo have shown signs of iodine-131 contamination.