The earthquake in Japan has been upgraded to 9 on the richter scale. Over here we have regular quakes called Suðurlandsskjálfti (Southlandquakes), the last one was actually, in 2008, two quakes at the same time was 6,3 ricther and in June 2000 there was 6,5 and 6,9 on richter. I can't even begin to think about what 9 on richter feels like, I got a little nervous when we got couple of quakes at 4 richter jus couple of weeks ago.

Anyone know the status of that reactor? Last I heard they were saying the riskfrom radiation is worse than previously believed..... eek

The earthquake in Japan has been upgraded to 9 on the richter scale. Over here we have regular quakes called Suðurlandsskjálfti (Southlandquakes), the last one was actually, in 2008, two quakes at the same time was 6,3 ricther and in June 2000 there was 6,5 and 6,9 on richter. I can't even begin to think about what 9 on richter feels like, I got a little nervous when we got couple of quakes at 4 richter jus couple of weeks ago.

Yeah, I just heard today that they had changed from saiying it was an 8.9 up to 9 That is unbelievable. We had a small quake in the bay area a few days ago, nothing that got more than 10 seconds on the local newscast. I have been wondering who is next on the list for an earthquake. After NZ and now Japan, it seems like the tectonic plates may not be settled yet, we're about due for another one here in the Bay Area. I guess we'll eventually see if the billions spent in earthquake retrofits was worth it.

Do you think that the media are trying to stop hysteria around the nuclear reactor problems? what do you think?

9.37am (6.37pm JST): It's time now for a summary:

• The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant remains extremely perilous and seemingly beyond the control of authorities. Staff at the plant were moved to safer areas for a period this morning after radiation levels rose.
A fire broke out at the No 3 reactor, sending a plume of light grey smoke – possibly radioactive steam – above the plant. Helicopters carried containers of water above the complex but were unable to dump them, reportedly due to the high radiation levels.

• The country faces an increasingly desperate humanitarian crisis caused by the direct effects of Friday's huge earthquake a resultant tsunami, one made worse by freezing weather.
The official death toll has now hit 3,676, with 7,845 people registered as unaccounted for. Survivors, many of them homeless, are struggling with a wave of cold weather forecast to last well into this week, with night time temperatures dipping to -5C in some places.

• Japan's emperor, Akihito, has made a rare TV appearance to express his condolences to his people and his worry at the nuclear situation.

• Following its precipitous plunge yesterday, Tokyo's stock market bounced back nearly 6%. Japan's central bank has injected a further $40bn into the financial markets.

10.08am (7.08pm JST): To reinforce my earlier points about the freezing weather, below is an AP picture from today showing firefighters searching for survivors beneath a collapsed road flyover in Otsuchi, on Japan's north-east coast. More or less the entire town was destroyed on Friday; thousands of people are existing in the snow with no home or possessions.