Workers at the crippled, radiation spewing Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are preparing for the arrival of Tropical Storm Man-yi, expected on the coast on Monday.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) workers have been strategically placing weights on large cranes to keep them from being toppled by strong winds.  They had been used to move debris around the reactor building.  Outdoor piping and cooling water pumps are being lashed down.

Keeping Fukushima Daiichi’s wastewater system intact is also a paramount concern.  With billions of gallons of radioactive water already leaked into the ocean, TEPCO crews are watching the integrity of the underground tunnel where highly contaminated water has accumulated.

The storm is already creeping through the Tokyo area, damaging at least 18 houses in Kumagaya and Gyoda cities, and putting six people in hospital.