Japan nuclear plant doused in water as death toll rises

Japanese military dropped water on the Fukushima nuclear plant on Thursday in the latest bid to cool reactors and prevent a dangerous release of radiation. Four helicopters emptied buckets carrying more than seven tonnes of water each on the plant, which was damaged by last week’s massive earthquake and tsunami.

Reuters

Police water cannon were also set to support the effort on Thursday, some 250 kilometres northeast of the Japanese capital Tokyo.

The operation aims to keep the fuel rods inside reactors and containment pools submerged under water. This would stop them degrading when they are exposed to air and emitting radioactive material.

The government's nuclear safety agency said the priority should be pouring water into the fuel-rod pools at reactors three and four, which may be boiling and are not fully covered by roofs that would reduce radiation leaks.

The procedure got underway as the Japanese government warned that there could be major power blackouts unless electricity use is reduced. 

Meanwhile, the official number of dead and missing following the earthquake and tsunami continues to rise.

The toll now stands at 14,650 people, with 5,321 confirmed deaths.