Desperate efforts continue to contain the damage at at least six nuclear reactor units at Fukushima Stations I (Daiichi) and II (Daini), following the explosion early this a.m. (US Eastern) at Daiichi Unit 1.

There are confusing/conflicting reports of a “meltdown,” at Unit 1. CNN reported a Japanese nuclear official seeming to confirm that a “meltdown” was probably underway, but there has been no other official confirmation.

In a time of accident like we are seeing at the Daiichi Nuclear Power Stations facts are a very good thing. So let me provide you with some facts, then we can talk about what is known at this point about the accident there.

Overnight there was an explosion at one unit of one of the two Fukushima nuclear stations that have been slowly failing since the earthquake and tsunami. Earlier reports had said that in one unit, the still hot fuel rods had been exposed by falling cooling water while problems continued at Unit 2 and three other units at a nuclear station about 15 km away. There have also been reports of releases of cesium with seriously high radioactivity being reported in the vicinity.

After a devastating 8.9 earthquake, damage to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant led to some sort of explosion.