Japan Latest: Trying to Cool the Nuclear Plant

0615 GMT: The official toll is now 5718 dead, 8913 missing, and 2285 injured.

On the nuclear front, helicopters made four passes in 20 minutes to drop 30 tons of seawater on the damaged No. 3 reactor complex at the Fukushima plant, trying to cool the overheated pool for spent fuel. Today, 11 special water cannon trucks will douse the complex.

Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, after talks with Prime Minister Naoto Kan, said he decided to take the steps despite concerns about exposing workers to radiation. "We could not delay the mission any further, therefore we decided to execute it," Kitazawa said.

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