Japan Uses Helicopters, Water Cannons to Quell Meltdown

Japan’s nuclear crisis escalated as helicopters and riot-control water cannons were enlisted in an effort to prevent radioactive pollution spreading from the nuclear industry’s worst catastrophe since Chernobyl.

Helicopters doused 30 metric tons of water on pools used to cool spent fuel rods. No change in radiation was reported after four bombing runs by the aircraft, Kyodo News said citing plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. A plan to have police shoot a high-pressure stream of water at the reactor structure was called off tonight. Tokyo Electric may connect a power cable to the plant later today, a company official said.