An essential list of links to follow the Japanese Tsunami and Earthquake—both to see what has happened and to keep up with what is happening now. I’ll be adding to this list as I find new ones.

A set of amazing photos—lots and lots of them. I got the photo at the top from there.

A map of Japan with an updating overlay of earthquakes and uploaded videos etc. as they become available.

An incredibly easy to understand explanation of how Nuclear Power plants work and how this relates to Fukushima. Here’s a decent video, too.

Twitter.com search —put in specific terms like volcano (there has been at least two eruptions) or Fukushima which is where I got the following press release.

Press release from TEPCO (owner of Fukushima’s Nuclear Power Plant)

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Added 8:33pm Saturday

More press releases from TEPCO

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Added 9:12pm Saturday

Newseum’s front pages of today’s newspapers.  Fascinating.

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UPDATED SUNDAY 8:33 VOLCANO ERUPTION IN JAPAN

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Added 9:05 am

More Video footage of tsunami hitting here.

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Added 9:15

Excellent and reassuring post about the nuclear situation in Fukushima

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Added 10:05

Over 50 Photos of Japan’s crisis

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Added 10:10

Horrifying before and after photos of various cities in Japan.  You can’t believe the absolute total destruction of entire cities.

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Added 10:25

Video of Sendai as the water pours in.

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Added 10:45

photo and story of 65 year old survivor of tsunami found 10 miles out at sea!

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For keeping up with events The Japan Times has great coverage. Specifically, this story about Japan’s Prime Minister looking at “sunnyside up” version of life is ….interesting.

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Added 11:20

More amazing before and after photos—the last two are particularly compelling.  I’d call them “It’s Good to Live on a Mountain.”

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Added 12:00

More reassuring words about the reactor situation in Fukushima

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More Video from BBC the reporter says that a local official is estimating that his area alone lost 10,000 people.

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Added 1:10

Groups are working to rescue animals in Japan.  Here is a sample of one reunion that I found on Facebook.

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Added1:25

Moving Video of the Aftermath in Japan

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Added 2:30

Detailed story about the volcano which erupted today in Japan.

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Added 3:03

Nuclear Energy Institute answers questions

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Added 5:48 This is from the International Atomic Energy Agency:

Based on information provided by Japanese authorities, the IAEA can confirm the following information about the status of Units 1, 2 and 3 at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Unit 1 is being powered by mobile power generators on site, and work continues to restore power to the plant. There is currently no power via off-site power supply or backup diesel generators being provided to the plant. Seawater and boron are being injected into the reactor vessel to cool the reactor. Due to the explosion on 12 March, the containment building has been lost.

Unit 2 is being powered by mobile power generators on site, and work continues to restore power to the plant. There is currently neither off-site power supply nor backup diesel generators providing power to the plant. The reactor core is being cooled through reactor core isolation cooling, a procedure used to remove heat from the core. The current reactor water level is lower than normal but remains steady. The containment building is intact at Unit 2.

Unit 3 does not have off-site power supply nor backup diesel generators providing power to the plant. As the high pressure injection system and other attempts to cool the reactor core have failed, injection of water and boron into the reactor vessel has commenced. Water levels inside the reactor vessel increased steadily for a certain amount of time but readings indicating the water level inside the pressure vessel are no longer showing an increase. The reason behind this is unknown at this point in time. To relieve pressure, venting of the containment started on 13 March at 9:20AM local Japan time. Planning is underway to reduce the concentration of hydrogen inside the containment building. The containment building is intact at Unit 3.

The IAEA is seeking information about the status of spent fuel at the Daiichi plant.