TOKYO (Reuters) - Following are main developments after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated northeast Japan and crippled a nuclear power station, raising the risk of uncontrolled radiation.
- Engineers have attached a power cable to the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors, and hope to restore electricity on Sunday prior to an attempt to switch the pumps on. Additionally, they aim to reach No. 3 and 4 later in the day.
- IAEA says unclear whether water pumps will work.
- Japan government spokesman says some stabilisation at the most critical No.3 reactor. Engineers meanwhile are using diesel generators for less critical reactors No. 5 and No.6 reactors.
- Tests detect radiation above the national safety level in spinach and milk produced near the Fukushima plant. A sample of tap water from Tokyo shows a tiny level of radioactive.
- IAEA says Japan considering whether to halt sale of food products from Fukushima prefecture and radioactive iodine in food can pose short-term risk to human health.
- The U.N.'s atomic agency says conditions at the plant are grave but not deteriorating badly.
- If engineers are unable to cool the reactor, the last option would be entombing the plant with concrete and sand to prevent a catastrophic radiation leak, the method used at Chernobyl in Ukraine in 1986.
- Over 7,500 people have been confirmed killed in the quake and tsunami. Another 11,700 people are missing with many feared dead.
* Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gives some international recognition to Japan's progress during a trip to reassure residents of eastern regions that there is no immediate danger from the nuclear accident.
- Japanese PM Kan tried, and failed, to form a crisis cabinet following the earthquake and tsunami. The opposition, including the Liberal Democratic Party, told Kan it rejected his idea of increasing the number of cabinet ministers to create new posts to handle reconstruction policy.
(Tokyo bureau; Compiled by World Desk Asia)
