A series of explosions and fires led to the release of radioactive gases. Radioactive materials were detected in tap water as far away as Tokyo, as well as in agricultural produce like vegetables, tea and beef.
The human and environmental consequences of the nuclear crisis could be dire and long-lasting. While the amount of radioactive materials released from Fukushima Daiichi so far has equaled about 10 percent of that released at Chernobyl, officials said that the radiation release from Fukushima could, in time, surpass levels seen in 1986.