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| {{Current disaster|name=Timeline of the Fukushima explosions|event=nuclear incident|date=March 2011}} | {{Current disaster|name=Timeline of the Fukushima explosions|event=nuclear incident|date=March 2011}} | ||
| This is a timeline of events leading up to and after the explosion at the ]. On March 11, a |
This is a timeline of events leading up to and after the explosion at the ]. On March 11 2011, a ]. This earthquake triggered a tsunami warning for over 20 countries, including the States of ], ], and ] in the ]. This earthquake also shut down the Fukushima power plant's nuclear reactor units and is believed to be the blame for the explosion at the same power plant. | ||
| ==Timeline== | ==Timeline== | ||
Revision as of 11:19, 14 March 2011
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This is a timeline of events leading up to and after the explosion at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. On March 11 2011, a [[2011 Sendai earthquake and tsunami|9.0 magnitude earthquake[[ struck the coast of Japan on the island of Honshu. This earthquake triggered a tsunami warning for over 20 countries, including the States of Hawaii, Oregon, and California in the United States. This earthquake also shut down the Fukushima power plant's nuclear reactor units and is believed to be the blame for the explosion at the same power plant.
Timeline
Friday, 11 March
- 1446 local time (0546 GMT) — An 8.9 magnitude earthquake strikes of the coast of Honshu Island at a depth of about 24km. Fukushima Daiichi power plant's nuclear rectors 1,2 and 3 are automatically shut down by the shake. Nuclear reactors 4, 5, and 6, were undergoing routine maintainance and were not operating. The tremble causes the power plant to be cut off from the Japanese electricity grid. Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), the plant's operator, find that units 1 and 2 are not operating correctly and notify the proper officials.
- 1600 — The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency of Japan initiates an emergency headquarters in an attempt to gather information on the 55 nuclear reactors in Japan.
- 1930 — Prime Minister Naoto Kan declares a nuclear emergency status. This is announced by Yukio Edano, Chief Cabinet officer in Japan. Japanese government officials try to comfort the people of Japan by telling them that the proper procedure are being undertaken. They also announce that no radioactive materials have been located.
- 2100 — An evacuation order is issued by the government to persons within a 3km radius of the Fukushima station. Those within a 10km radius are told that they can remain in there homes and carry on with regular activities until told otherwise.
- The emergency generators fail subsequently causing the cooling system to fail before the pressure in the nuclear units build up. This pressure build up is the result of residual decay heat causing the coolant, which is not being circulated, to evaporate. The coolant circuit pressure increase is controlled by pressure release valves which leads to a pressure increase within the containment chamber at the reactor building.
- Tepco announces that pressure inside reactor unit 1 is more than twice normal levels.
Saturday, 12 March
- 0530 local time — In an attempt to release pressure within the reactor unit, a consensus is reached upon to vent steam out of the unit, which contains some traces of radioactive material, into the air.
- 0819 — A special alarm, which alerts that the position of one control rod (used to halt the reactor) is unclear, is sounded. Whether it is fully inserted into the reactor or outside the reactor, allowing it to continue generating heat.
- 1009 — Tepco confirms that a small amount of vapor has been released into the air to release tension in the reactor unit.
- 1043 — The control rod alarm is shut off and all rods are confirmed as being fully inserted.
- 1058 — Tensions are high with pressure still remaining inside the 2nd reactor. In order to alleviate some of this pressure, A consensus is reached to, once more, vent radioactive vapor into the air.
- 1530 — A massive event is caught on cameras. These cameras document an explosion on the outer structure of one of four buildings at the plant. It also documents the structure collapsing. Tepco announces that four persons who are employed at the power plant have been injured.
- 2000 — A cloud of uncertainty surrounds the actual cause of the blast and the damaged caused.
- Yukio Edano announces that the concrete building surrounding the steel reactor container has collapsed as a result of the explosion however no damage has been inflicted on the reactor itself.
Monday, 14 March
- 1115 local time — The building surrounding Reactor 3 of Fukushima 1 exploded, presumably due to the ignition of built up hydrogen gas. No health risk reported, though 600 people have been ordered to stay indoors.
- 1120 (approximate) — It was reported that the outer reactor building was blown apart, but the inner containment vessel was not breached. TEPCO stated that one worker was injured and seven missing.
References
- "URGENT: Hydrogen blast occurs at Fukushima nuke plant's No. 3 reactor: agency". Kyodo News Agency. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
- "180,000 flee as Japan's nuclear crisis intensifies". MSNBC.com. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
- Yuji Okada and Shigeru Sato (March 13, 2011). "Fukushima No.3 Reactor Container Intact After Hydrogen Blast". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved March 14, 2011.