Japan Nuclear Alert and Earthquake and Tsunami

Japan nuclear alert and earthquake and Tsunami

Japan nuclear alert and earthquake - live coverage


• Explosion reported at Fukushima nuclear plant
• Death toll said to be more than 1,300
• Tsunami engulfs northern port of Sendai and islands
• 215,000 people are in emergency shelters
• Around 50,000 rescuers have been deployed


•There are growing fears about damage to two nuclear power stations following Friday's 8.9 magnitute earthquake. There has been an explosion at a building at one of the plants, Fukushima No 1 in Futuba, 150 miles (240km) north of Tokyo. Japanese authorities have extended the evacuation area at the Fukushima No 2 plant to 10km, the same distance as for Fukushima No 1 plant.
•The death toll from the disaster is expected to exceed 1,300, with most deaths due to drowning. The official death toll currently stands at 413, with 784 people missing and 1,128 injured. Police said between 200 and 300 bodies were found along the coast in Sendai, the biggest city in the area near the quake's epicentre.
•Police estimate that more than 215,000 people are taking refuge in emergency shelters in the east and north of the country. Many survivors have been trapped overnight on rooftops, surrounded by a sea of mud and water. Around 50,000 rescuers have deployed to the region.
•Tsunami warnings for most of Japan have been lowered, although there is still a risk of large waves along the north-eastern coast.
•The tsunami rolled across the Pacific at jet speed but had weakened before it hit Hawaii and the West Coast of the US. Initial reports suggest limited tsunami damage to Pacific island nations.