Japan's Nuclear Facilities Suffering Shutdowns--Or Worse

The earthquake and tsunami that devestated Japan a couple days ago is now wrecking havoc with the nation's nuclear power plants.  From Yahoo News:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_earthquake;_ylt=AuNPOtIpJtk8re2PpDXf94Ss0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNqMjhlY20yBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzEyL2FzX2phcGFuX2VhcnRocXVha2UEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwMxBHBvcwMyBHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNmb3JiYXR0ZXJlZGo-

The Seattle Times has a similar story:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2014473724_apasjapanearthquake.html

(Image: From NOAA, illustrating the power of the Japanese tsunami)

On this side of the Pacific, the tsunami caused some damage, especially to coastal regions in Northern California.  But certainly not on the same scale of destruction that hit Japan: 

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014473723_apusjapanearthquakepacific.html 

Now folks are getting concerned about radioactivity reaching these shores.

Photo Gallery from The Seattle Times:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/photogalleries/nationworld2014478823/ 

Slideshow from Yahoo News:

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Huge-Japan-quake-spawns-tsunami/ss/events/wl/031111japanquake