March 11 Earthquake hits at 2.46pm followed by tsunami, causing extensive damage to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
March 12 Although unknown at the time, core of Reactor 1 suffers meltdown. The first of a series of explosions takes place at the plant. Evacuation zone extended to 12miles.
March 14 Six workers are injured in an explosion in the Reactor 3 building.
March 15 A significant surge and then fall in radiation levels released by the plant are recorded.
March 19 Radioactivity exceeding legal limits detected in milk produced in Fukushima area and vegetables in Ibaraki
March 23 Officials warn tap water in Tokyo is not safe for babies to drink following radiation contamination. Levels return to normal the following day.
March 24 Two workers are taken to hospital after radioactive waters seeps through their protective clothing.
March 26 Radiation levels in seawater near the nuclear power plant increases to 1,850 the limit.
April 1 Along with leafy vegetables and parsley, beef with radiation levels above regulatory limit also reported
April 22 Residents of Iitate and four other villages asked to evacuate due to radiation levels
May 11 Caesium levels in tea leaves cultivated south of Tokyo exceed government limits
June 30 Radiation contamination found in urine of ten children tested by a citizen's group
July 19 All transport of beef raised in Fukushima prohibited, with an ensuing national crisis after cattle fed on contaminated hay distributed around the country
July 26 Children in Fukushima are guaranteed lifelong testing for internal radiation levels
September 8 Calculations by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency find that a total of 15,000 terabecquerels of radiation were released into the sea from the damaged plant
September 29 The core temperatures for all three damaged reactors is now below 100C for the first time.
October 28 The damaged Fukushima plant was found to have released twice as much radioactivity into the atmosphere as the authorities initially estimated, according to a report by the Norwegian Institute for Air Research study.