Friday, March 11
The earthquake led to the shutdown of the four nuclear power plants closest to the epicenter.
Saturday, March 12
Japanese authorities ordered residents around the Daiichiplant, and later the Daini plant, to evacuate and declared a state of emergency for the two plants as military and utility officials scrambled to tame rising pressure and radioactivity levels inside the units and stabilize the systems used to cool the plants' hot reactor cores. On Saturday afternoon, an explosion rocked the number 1 reactor at the Daiichi plant, causing a portion of a building to crumble and sending white smoke billowing into the air.
Sunday, March 13
A state of emergency was also declared at the Onagawaplant after elevated levels of radiation were detected, but levels later returned to normal.
Monday, March 14
A second explosion occured at the Daiichi plant, this time in its number 3 reactor. A fire began at the number 4 reactor, but was extinguised Tuesday.
Tuesday, March 15
An explosion was reported Tuesday morning inside the building of Daiichi reactor number 2 near the suppression pool, a critical component for cooling the fuel core.
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