Explosions at a Japanese quake-stricken nuclear plant have led to radiation levels that can affect human health, a senior Japanese official has said.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan has urged those living within 30km (18 miles) of the plant to stay indoors.
Earlier, reactor 2 at the Fukushima Daiichi plant was hit by a blast – the third reactor to explode in four days – leading to fears of a meltdown.
The crisis was sparked by a 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami on Friday. Thousands of people are believed to have died. A fresh explosion rocked reactor 2 at the Fukushima Daiichi plant – 250km (155 miles) north-east of Tokyo – in the early hours of Tuesday.
“Now we are talking about levels that can impact human health,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.
