- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Second blast at Japan nuclear reactor injures 11 (Update 1)

Subscribe
At least eleven people were injured in a second explosion at the Fukushima nuclear plant in north-eastern Japan on Monday, NHK TV said.

At least eleven people were injured in a second explosion at the Fukushima nuclear plant in north-eastern Japan on Monday, NHK TV said.

The build-up of hydrogen caused reactor no. 3 to explode at around 02:00 GMT but the government's top spokesman, Yukio Edano, said its core was still intact. He said there was a "low possibility" of a rise in radiation levels near the damaged plant.

A blast occurred in the plant's reactor no. 1 on Saturday.

The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., told the TV station that the cooling system at reactor no. 2 has failed.

Seawater is still being pumped into the reactors in an attempt to cool them, officials say.

The plant's cooling system was knocked out by a powerful earthquake and tsunami on Friday that is believed to have left at least 10,000 people dead in north-east Japan.

Officials in Russia's Far East say the new blast has not caused a significant rise in radiation levels in the region.

 

MOSCOW, March 14 (RIA Novosti)

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала