CRISISBOOM

Nuke plant blasts raise radiation threat

(AFP)

The Japanese government says radiation levels near a quake-stricken nuclear power plant are now harmful to human health, after a further two explosions and a fires at the facility.

“There is no doubt that unlike in the past, the figures are the level at which human health can be affected,” said chief government spokesman Yukio Edano.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it has been informed by Japanese authorities the spent-fuel storage pond at the No. 4 reactor is on fire and radioactivity is being released directly into the atmosphere.

It is unclear whether this is a new fire, or a report of the fire which started earlier today but was Read more…