Update: Fukushima/Daichi nuclear incident climbing the International Nuclear Event Scale

The International Nuclear Event Scale

CNN reports that the Fukushima and Daichi nuclear incident is climbing the International Nuclear Event Scale, now onto a level 6 event, up from a level 4. The Chernobyl Disaster is listed as a level 7 incident, which shows how serious the events in Japan are becoming.

UPDATE: Fires reported in Fukushima-Daichi Nuclear Power Plant. More fires reported later in reactor No. 4. All workers were evacuated, except for 50 who are risking their lives to try and fix the reactors and prevent radiation leakages. Over 200,000 citizens evacuated. There just seems to be nothing but heart-wrenching news coming out of Japan.

Update: Death toll, number of missing persons rise

National Police in Japan report that 3,373 people are dead, and 7,558 people are missing.

Death toll rises, stocks plunge, foreigners flee as nuclear crisis escalates

Japan battles to prevent a nuclear catastrophe and to care for millions of people without power or water in its worst crisis since World War II.

Source: Washington Post

By Chico Harlan

TOKYO — Torn up and terrified by a disaster that keeps on getting worse, Japan has transformed in just four days from one of the world’s most comfortable countries into one of its most distressed.

Thousands of people along the northeastern coast of Asia’s richest country are dead, and tens of thousands have gone days with little food, little water and almost no heat. Their towns have been demolished into soggy fields.

Video: CNN iReport, 'Shopping lineups'

Video: Timeline of events