Smoke, steam rises from two of most threatening reactors in Japan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Smoke and steam rose from two of the most threatening reactors at Japan's quake-crippled nuclear plant on Tuesday, March 22, suggesting the battle to avert a disastrous meltdown and stop the spread of radiation was far from won.

The world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years playing out 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo was triggered by a huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11 that left at least 21,000 people dead or missing.

Technicians working inside an evacuation zone around the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant on Japan's northeast Pacific coast have attached power cables to all six reactors and started a pump at one of them to cool overheating nuclear fuel rods.

But Kyodo news agency said steam appeared to be rising from reactor No. 2 and white haze was detected above reactor No. 3. There have been several blasts of steam from the reactors during the crisis, which experts say probably released a small amount of radioactive particles.

Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said later the smoke had turned to steam and it was deemed safe to continue work in bringing the plant under control.

Away from the plant, mounting evidence of radiation in vegetables, water and milk stirred concerns among Japanese and abroad despite officials' assurances that the levels were not dangerous, Reuters reports.