Japanese military helicopters dumped water onto the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant’s damaged reactors Thursday, as the U.S. authorized the first evacuations of Americans out of the country.

Japanese military helicopters dumped water onto the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant’s damaged reactors Thursday, as the U.S. authorized the first evacuations of Americans out of the country.

It wasn’t initially clear whether or not the water drops succeeded in cooling down the reactors, the first line of defense in preventing a full-scale nuclear meltdown. Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates the facility, said radiation levels had remained the same since the operations were completed, Kyodo News reported.

Three twin-rotor CH-47 Chinooks from the Japanese Self-Defense Forces were used in the operation, working to drop seawater on the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors.

A nearly completed new power line could also restore electric cooling systems in the facility that were damaged after last week’s 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. But TEPCO spokesman Naoki Tsunoda did not specify when the project would be finished. The line would allow the company to maintain a steady water supply to troubled reactors and spent fuel storage ponds.

The situation at Fukushima Dai-ichi grows more dire as agencies, officials and TEPCO disagree on whether or not there is any water left in the spent fuel pools at the plant. Without water, there's nothing to stop the fuel rods from getting hotter and ultimately melting down.

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