Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: Nuclear Disaster Looms

01. A girl who has been isolated at a makeshift facility to screen, cleanse and isolate people with high radiation levels, looks at her dog through a window in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan, March 14, 2011, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

Are Japan and the World on the brink of a nuclear disaster the likes we have not seen since Chernobyl? The likelihood of one of the 3 reactors the Fukushima nuclear facility going into mneltdown mode are increasing by the hour. Several explosions have been heard and seen and increased levels of radiation have also been measured in the area. And to make matters worse, Fukushima is only one of 3 nuclear plants in trouble after the massive earthquake and tsnumai which hit Japan on March 11th.

02. A combination photo made of still images from video footage March 14, 2011, shows the explosion at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex. A hydrogen explosion rocked a crippled nuclear power plant in Japan on Monday where authorities have been scrambling to avert a meltdown following Friday's massive earthquake and tsunami. REUTERS/NTV via Reuters TV

04. A technician of the SERTIT, Regional Service of Image Treatment and Remote Sensing, points at a screen in his office in Illkirch Graffenstaden near Strasbourg, March 14, 2011 showing a satellite image of the region of the two Fukushima nuclear plants in Japan. The satellite image was taken on March 12, 2011, a day after the major earthquake and tsunami hit the region. The red squares on the map indicate the impacted areas in the region. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

05. Instruments for the measurement of nuclear radiation to send to Swiss Rescue workers in Japan, are pictured at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (DEZA) logistic - centre in Wabern March 14, 2011. A magnitude 8.9 earthquake and tsunami which struck northern Japan on Friday. REUTERS/Pascal Lauener

06. Earthquake and tsunami damage is shown at the Fukushima-Daini Nuclear Power plant in this handout satellite image obtained March 13, 2011. According to news reports, this is the largest earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history. Analysts believe the powerful earthquake moved Japan's main island eight feet (2.4 meters), shifted the Earth on its axis four inches (10 centimeters), and unleashed a devastating tsunami. REUTERS/Digital Globe/Handout

07. Police officers wearing respirators guide people to evacuate away from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant following an evacuation order for residents who live in within a 10 km (6.3 miles) radius from the plant after an explosion in Tomioka Town in Fukushima Prefecture March 12, 2011. Japanese authorities battling to contain rising pressure in nuclear reactors damaged by a massive earthquake were forced to release radioactive steam from one plant on March 12, 2011 after evacuating tens of thousands of residents from the area. Tokyo Electric Power Co also said fuel may have been damaged by falling water levels at the Daiichi facility, one of its two nuclear power plants in Fukushima, some 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo. REUTERS/Asahi Shimbun

08. Police officers wearing respirators patrol around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after an explosion in Fukushima Prefecture March 12, 2011. Japanese authorities battling to contain rising pressure in nuclear reactors damaged by a massive earthquake were forced to release radioactive steam from one plant on March 12, 2011 after evacuating tens of thousands of residents from the area. Tokyo Electric Power Co also said fuel may have been damaged by falling water levels at the Daiichi facility, one of its two nuclear power plants in Fukushima, some 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo. REUTERS/YOMIURI

09. Police wearing protective clothing and respirators head towards the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant in trucks in Minamisouma City, Fukushima Prefecture March 12, 2011. Authorities moved tens of thousands of residents from area near two nuclear plants in Fukushima prefecture, some 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, as they try to reduce pressure in the reactors. REUTERS/Yomiuri

10. Officials in protective gear check for signs of radiation on children who are from the evacuation area near the Fukushima Daini nuclear plant in Koriyama, March 13, 2011. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano confirmed on Saturday there has been an explosion and radiation leakage at Tokyo Electric Power Co's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan on record struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings on fire. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

11. Officials in protective gear stand next to people from the evacuation area near the Fukushima Daini nuclear plant, in Koriyama, March 13, 2011. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano confirmed on Saturday there has been an explosion and radiation leakage at Tokyo Electric Power Co's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan on record struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings on fire. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

12. Officials in protective gear scan for signs of radiation on a woman who is from the evacuation area near the Fukushima Daini nuclear plant in Koriyama, March 13, 2011. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano confirmed on Saturday there has been an explosion and radiation leakage at Tokyo Electric Power Co's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The biggest earthquake to hit Japan on record struck the northeast coast on Friday, triggering a 10-metre tsunami that swept away everything in its path, including houses, ships, cars and farm buildings on fire. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

13. Officials in protective gear stand next to people from the evacuation area near the Fukushima Daini nuclear plant, in Koriyama, March 13, 2011. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano confirmed on Saturday there has been an explosion and radiation leakage at Tokyo Electric Power Co's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

14. Official in protective gear talks to a woman who is from the evacuation area near the Fukushima Daini nuclear plant in Koriyama March 13, 2011. Japan battled to contain a radiation leak at an earthquake-crippled nuclear plant on Sunday, but faced a fresh threat with the failure of the cooling system in a second reactor. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

15. The inside of reactor No. 4 is seen at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, in this September 24, 2002 file photo. A quake-hit nuclear plant where a reactor exploded has also lost the emergency cooling system at a second reactor, Japan's nuclear power safety agency said on March 13, 2011. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, said on Sunday morning it had started releasing air from a reactor container vessel at the No. 3 reactor at its Fukushima Daiichi plant to lower pressure inside it and avoid any serious damage to the containment vessel. Picture taken September 9, 2002. REUTERS/Yomiuri Shimbun

16. Japan Self-Defense Forces officers carry a victim who is suspected of being exposed to radiation in Nihonmatsu City in Fukushima Prefecture March 13, 2011 after radiation leaked from an earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daini nuclear reactor. Japan battled to contain a radiation leak at an earthquake-crippled nuclear plant on Sunday, but faced a fresh threat with the failure of the cooling system in a second reactor. REUTERS/Yomiuri Shimbun

17. An official scans for signs of radiation on a woman in Nihonmatsu City in Fukushima Prefecture March 13, 2011 after radiation leaked from an earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daini nuclear reactor. Japan battled to contain a radiation leak at an earthquake-crippled nuclear plant on Sunday, but faced a fresh threat with the failure of the cooling system in a second reactor. REUTERS/Yomiuri Shimbun

18. An official scans for signs of radiation on a woman in Nihonmatsu City in Fukushima Prefecture March 13, 2011 after radiation leaked from an earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daini nuclear reactor. Japan battled to contain a radiation leak at an earthquake-crippled nuclear plant on Sunday, but faced a fresh threat with the failure of the cooling system in a second reactor. REUTERS/Yomiuri Shimbun

20. A technician in protective gear scans for signs of radiation on a child at a makeshift facility that screens, cleanses and isolates people with high radiation levels in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan March 14, 2011. Japan battled on Monday to prevent a nuclear catastrophe and to care for millions of people without power or water in its worst crisis since World War Two, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people.
REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

21. A man who was evacuated from the vicinity of Fukushima's nuclear power plants is screened for radiation levels at a makeshift facility to screen, cleanse and isolate people with high radiation levels in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan, March 14, 2011, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao )

22. A mother tries to talk to her daughter who has been isolated for signs of radiation after evacuating from the vicinity of Fukushima's nuclear plants, at a makeshift facility to screen, cleanse and isolate people with high radiation levels in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan, March 14, 2011, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

23. A family member evacuated from the vicinity of Fukushima nuclear power plant, tries to talk to a girl who was isolated for signs of radiation outside a makeshift isolation facility in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan, March 14, 2011, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

24. A member of Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces (JGSDF) passes by bags filled with materials that could be contaminated with radioactive particles in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan, March 14, 2011, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Monday that the situation at a quake-damaged nuclear plant remained worrisome and that authorities were doing their utmost to prevent damage from spreading. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

25. A man who was evacuated from the vicinity of Fukushima's nuclear power plant washes his head at Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces (JGSDF)'s makeshift facility to cleanse people who might have been exposed to radiation in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan, March 14, 2011, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Monday that the situation at a quake-damaged nuclear plant remained worrisome and that authorities were doing their utmost to prevent damage from spreading. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

26. A man who was evacuated from the vicinity of Fukushima nuclear power plant cleanses his face at Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces' (JGSDF) makeshift facility to cleanse people who might be exposed to radiation, in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan March 14, 2011. Japan battled on Monday to prevent a nuclear catastrophe and to care for millions of people without power or water in its worst crisis since World War Two, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

27. A man who was evacuated from the vicinity of Fukushima nuclear power plant washes his spectacles at Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces' (JGSDF) makeshift facility to cleanse people who might have been exposed to radiation, in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan, March 14, 2011, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Monday that the situation at a quake-damaged nuclear plant remained worrisome and that authorities were doing their utmost to prevent damage from spreading. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

28. A mother tries to talk to her daughter who has been isolated for signs of radiation after evacuating from the vicinity of Fukushima's nuclear plants, at a makeshift facility to screen, cleanse and isolate people with high radiation levels in Nihonmatsu, northern Japan, March 14, 2011, after a massive earthquake and tsunami that are feared to have killed more than 10,000 people. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao