Fukushima nuclear power plant emergency – in pictures

Friday 18 March Photograph: Guardian

This handout image, released by the Japanese Ministry of Defence, shows a fire engine dousing reactor No3 of the Fukushima nuclear power station Photograph: -/AFP/Getty Images

Debris litters the compounds of the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex Photograph: AP

Damage to the unit three reactor from explosions at the Fukushima nuclear complex. Military fire trucks sprayed the reactor units for a second day on Friday, with tonnes of water arching over the facility in attempts to prevent the fuel from overheating and emitting dangerous levels of radiation Photograph: AP

Workers connect transmission lines to restore electric power supply to units three and four Photograph: Tokyo Electric Power Co./AP

A satellite image of the Fukushima power plant shows damage to reactors one-four (right-left) Photograph: DigitalGlobe/Reuters

Thursday 17 March Photograph: Guardian

Thursday 17 March: The Fukushima plant pictured before helicopters dumped water on the stricken reactor Photograph: AP

Thursday 17 March: A military helicopter drops water on reactors at the Fukushima plant in this image taken from video footage Photograph: Staff/Reuters

Thursday 17 March: Damage to the plant's fourth reactor building
Photograph: TEPCO/AFP/Getty Images

Thursday 17 March: An official hands a certificate to a woman who was found not to have been exposed to unsafe levels of radiation in Koriyama.
Photograph: Ken Shimizu/AFP/Getty Images

Wednesday 16 March Photograph: Guardian

Wednesday 16 March: An aerial view taken from a military helicopter shows damage to number four reactor at the Fukushima plant. Photograph: TEPCO/Reuters

An aerial view taken from a helicopter from Japan's Self-Defence Force shows damage sustained to the No. 3 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex. Photograph: HO/Reuters

Wednesday 16 March: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general, Yukiya Amano, briefs journalists Photograph: Herbert Pfarrhofer/EPA

Wednesday 16 March: Teams of government specialists analyse data from the Fukushima nuclear plant Photograph: Wally Santana/AP

Wednesday 16 March: Medical staff screen a woman for possible radiation exposure at a public welfare centre in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Photograph: Asahi Shimbun/Reuters

Wednesday 16 March: White smoke is seen rising from the third reactor at the nuclear plant in Fukushima Photograph: TEPCO/EPA

Wednesday 16 March: A satellite photo shows damage at Fukushima Photograph: DigitalGlobe/AP

Wednesday 16 March: People in Tokyo watch a televised speech by Japan's Emperor Akihito, who said problems at Japan's Fukushima power plant were unpredictable Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters

Wednesday 16 March: White smoke or vapour rises from the Fukushima nuclear plant Photograph: Tokyo Electric Power Co. via Kyodo News/AP

Wednesday 16 March: Tokyo Electric Power Company public relations staff explain the situation at Fukushima nuclear power plant Photograph: Eugene Hoshiko/AP

Wednesday 16 March: The US energy secretary, Steven Chu, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the sub-committee on energy and water. Chu said Americans should have full confidence in US nuclear power plants Photograph: Byline Withheld/AP

Tuesday 15 March Photograph: Guardian

Tuesday 15 March: The damaged buildings of reactors three and four at Fukushima Photograph: HO/Reuters

Tuesday 15 March: A still from video footage of an explosion at the Fukushima plant Photograph: ABC TV/EPA

Tuesday 15 March: Japanese families watch the prime minister, Naoto Kan, on television as he urges people within 19 miles of the Fukushima plant to stay indoors Photograph: AP

Tuesday 15 March: Tokyo Electric Power Company officials hold an illustration of a nuclear plant at a press conference Photograph: Yuriko Nakao/Reuters

Monday 14 March Photograph: Guardian

Monday 14 March: A second hydrogen explosion is seen at the reactor number three at the Fukushima plant
Photograph: -/AFP/Getty Images

Monday 14 March: Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan addresses a crisis meeting in Tokyo
Photograph: Jiji Press/AFP/Getty Images

Sunday 13 March Photograph: Guardian

Sunday 13 March: Residents evacuated from areas surrounding Fukushima are checked for radiation exposure Photograph: Wally Santana/AP

Saturday 12 March Photograph: Guardian

Saturday 12 March: Smoke rises following an explosion at the number one reactor at Fukushima Photograph: Reuters TV/Reuters

Saturday 12 March: The damaged roof of reactor number one is seen next to an intact reactor at the Fukushima plant Photograph: HO/Reuters

Friday 11 March Photograph: Guardian

Friday 11 March: Reporters at Associated Press offices in Tokyo take shelter under a table when the earthquake hits Photograph: Itsuo Inouye/AP

Friday 11 March: Tsunami waves swirl near a port in Oarai Photograph: AP

This handout picture, released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism, shows the tsunami rushing towards the Fukushima No1 nuclear power plant Photograph: HO/AFP/Getty Images

Damage caused by the tsunami at the Fukishima plant Photograph: HO/AFP/Getty Images

This photo, taken at around 4:57pm, shows pipes and other seafront facilities shortly after the complex was hit by the earthquake and tsunami Photograph: AP