The Japanese NHK reports. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency is trying to confirm a report that an explosion occurred at a nuclear power station in quake-hit Fukushima Prefecture.
The agency said on Saturday that a person at the Fukushima Number One nuclear station reported that an explosion was heard and smoke was seen near one of the reactors at around 4PM.
The power station operator Tokyo Electric Power Company told the agency that 4 people were injured.
Video of the reactor in question shows the outer wall of the building that houses the reactor has disappeared.
Prefectural authorities say the power company informed them that the ceiling of the building collapsed after an explosion.
Tokyo Electric Power had been releasing air from the container of the reactor to lower pressure.
Pressure inside the container had been rising after the reactor's cooling system broke down due to power failure.
Radioactive substances have been detected near the reactor.
Saturday, March 12, 2011 18:08 +0900 (JST)
