2011 Sendai Earthquake News Round-Up:

Nuclear Plant Explosion: Several injuries reported after an explosion at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant (see video below) caused by a pumping system failure damaged the building housing nuclear reactor No. 1, but did not not damage the reactor itself; French Nuclear Safety Authority: Favorable winds will blow radioactive pollution from explosion out over Pacific; Japanese PM Naoto Kan: I will take all necessary measures to keep residents safe from harm; evacuation area around plant expanded to 12 miles, 45,000 evacuated so far; seawater is being used in “last-ditch effort” to avoid a meltdown; STRATFOR: Meltdown already taking place; AP: “[M]eltdown may not pose a widespread danger”; FEMA: What to do during a nuclear power plant emergency; additional tips at SLOG; Reddit AMA: “I live in Fukushima city.”

Latest Figures: 686 confirmed deaths; Kyodo: Death toll could exceed 1,700; 9,500 reportedly missing in Miyagi tourist town; 4.4million households without power.

Relief Response: Japan sends 50,000 rescuers to hardest hit areas; US sends Navy ships, aircraft, relief teams to aid in rescue efforts; reminder: How you can help.

Around The Internet: Twitter gangs up on CNN reporter for allegedly making Godzilla joke; Family Guy writer tweets insensitive Pearl Harbor joke, retracts it; Pearl Harbor meme sweeps Facebook; contrary to Internet rumors, Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri is alive and well.

Photos: Boston Globe’s The Big Picture; The Atlantic’s In Focus.

Videos:

Incredible footage of reclaimed ground rupturing in Chiba City. (via.)

Tsunami washes away cars outside Sendai Airport. (via.)

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The earthquake as experienced from the 22nd floor of Tokyo office building. (via.)

Further Viewing: Interactive map of videos from CNN iReporters.

[image: signalnoise.]