Explosion heard at No.2 reactor of Fukushima No.1 nuke plant: agency

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said Tuesday that an explosion was heard at the No. 2 reactor of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant at 6:10 a.m. Tuesday (2110 GMT).

This Oct. 2008 file photo released by Kyodo News Agency on March 15, 2011 shows the No. 2 nuclear reactor (L) of Japan's Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power station. Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said Tuesday that an explosion was heard at the No. 2 reactor of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant at 6:10 a.m. Tuesday (2110 GMT). (Xinhua/Kyodo)

The suppression pool of the reactor might have been damaged at No. 2 reactor, said the safety agency.

A rise in radiation was monitored near the nuclear plant shortly after the blast, said the agency. The radiation fell to 882 micro sievert after briefly rising as high as 965.5 micro sievert, topping the legal limit of 500.

But the agency said that the radiation will not immediately affect people's health at the levels of above figures.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), owner and operator of the Fukushima nuclear plants, said it is evacuating some workers from the plant, but those who is working to cool the reactor will remain there.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said earlier Tuesday that the government and TEPCO will set up an integrated headquarters, headed by the premier, to address issues at the Fukushima No. 1 plant.

* Container of Fukushima No.2 reactor damaged, radiation leak feared: TEPCO

Radiation is feared to have leaked after the containment vessel was damaged at the No. 2 reactor of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant early Tuesday, said Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), owner and operator of the Fukushima nuclear plants.

Hourly radiation was measured at 8,217 micro sievert at the front door of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant, said an TEPCO earlier at a press conference.

The figure was three times higher than the amount of radiation a person receives in his natural state within a year, he said.

The rise in radiation was detected after an explosion was heard at the No. 2 reactor of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant at 6:10 a.m. Tuesday (2110 GMT Monday).

* Radiation near Fukushima nuke plant high enough to harm health: Japan gov't

Radiation released by the damaged reactors at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has been high enough to threat human health, said the Japanese government on Tuesday.

An explosion was heard early Tuesday morning at the No. 2 reactor of the crippled plant and a fire has just been reported at the No. 4 reactor, causing more radiation near the complex.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan warned that further leaks are possible and told people living within a radius of 30 kilometers of the troubled plant to stay indoors.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet