Steam rises from stricken Japan nuclear plant
March 23, 2011 00:00:00
FUKUSHIMA, Mar 23 (agencies): Smoke and steam rose from two of the most threatening reactors at Japan's quake-crippled nuclear plant Tuesday, suggesting the battle to avert a disastrous meltdown and stop the spread of radiation was far from won.
The world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years was triggered by a huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11 that left at least 21,000 people dead or missing.
Technicians working inside an evacuation zone around the stricken plant on Japan's northeast Pacific coast have attached power cables to all six reactors and started a pump at one of them to cool overheating nuclear fuel rods.
Kyodo news agency said steam appeared to rise from reactor No. 2 and white haze was detected above reactor No. 3. There have been several blasts of steam from the reactors during the crisis, which experts say probably released a small amount of radioactive particles.
Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said later the smoke had turned to steam and it was deemed safe to continue work in bringing the plant under control. Japan's nuclear safety agency said steam was believed to be coming off a spent nuclear fuel pool at reactor No.2.
Japanese authorities began testing for radiation in sea-water off a badly damaged nuclear plant Tuesday although officials stressed that elevated levels already detected were no cause for worry.
Another report adds: Fuel shortages, icy rain and power outages are hampering Japan's worst humanitarian crisis since World War Two, but relief workers are reporting some progress as mangled roads are reopened and new homes built.
The sheer numbers in the world's costliest natural disaster-estimated at $250 billion-remain staggering. There are about 21,000 dead or missing, 319,000 people evacuated, 2,131 makeshift shelters, 2.4 million people without access to water and 221,000 households without power.
"There is some improvement in terms of logistics and in getting food and other supplies," said Francis Markus of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation in Tokyo.
