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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Nuclear scare after Japan quake | Nuclear scare after Japan quake |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A strong earthquake in central Japan has damaged a large nuclear power plant causing a leak of radioactive material, officials at the plant have said. | A strong earthquake in central Japan has damaged a large nuclear power plant causing a leak of radioactive material, officials at the plant have said. |
| A small amount of water containing radioactive substances leaked into the sea, officials said, and a fire broke out at the plant in Kashiwazaki. | A small amount of water containing radioactive substances leaked into the sea, officials said, and a fire broke out at the plant in Kashiwazaki. |
| At least seven people were killed and hundreds injured in the earthquake. | At least seven people were killed and hundreds injured in the earthquake. |
| Several hours later a second earthquake of magnitude 6.6 struck in the sea off Kyoto in western Japan. | Several hours later a second earthquake of magnitude 6.6 struck in the sea off Kyoto in western Japan. |
| Tokyo Electric Power Company said the small amount of radioactive material that leaked into the sea posed no environmental risk. | Tokyo Electric Power Company said the small amount of radioactive material that leaked into the sea posed no environmental risk. |
| Reactors at the plant automatically shut during the magnitude 6.8 quake. | Reactors at the plant automatically shut during the magnitude 6.8 quake. |
| 'Vertical jolt' | |
| The seven deaths occurred in the city of Kashiwazaki. | |
| Four women and three men - all in their 70s and 80s - died from injuries sustained in the earthquake, officials said. | |
| Several hundred homes and businesses in Niigata prefecture were destroyed, roads were cracked and several landslides buried roads. | Several hundred homes and businesses in Niigata prefecture were destroyed, roads were cracked and several landslides buried roads. |
| class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6900355.stm">In pictures: Japan quake class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3548192.stm">Japan's shaky nuclear record | |
| More than 800 people were reported injured, most with broken bones, cuts and abrasions from collapsing buildings and falling objects. | |
| "First there was a sharp vertical jolt and then it shook sideways for a long time and I couldn't stand up," said Kashiwazaki teacher Harumi Mikami, who was at her school when the earthquake struck at 1013 (0113GMT). | |
| "Tall shelves fell over and things flew around," she told Reuters news agency. | |
| More than 7,000 people were evacuated from their homes as aftershocks of up to magnitude 5.8 shook the area. | |
| No damage from the second earthquake deep under the sea off Kyoto was reported but Tokyo residents said they felt buildings shake. | |
| Safety fears | |
| Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe broke off from election campaigning to visit Kashiwazaki. | |
| He promised to "make every effort towards rescue and also to restore services such as gas and electricity". | He promised to "make every effort towards rescue and also to restore services such as gas and electricity". |
| The safety of Japan's nuclear installations, which supply much of Japan's power, have come under the spotlight in recent years after a string of accidents and mishaps. | |
| Japan lies in one of the world's most earthquake-prone regions and the ability of some reactors to withstand a strong tremor has been questioned. | |
| Three years ago an earthquake in the Niigata area killed 65 people. | |
| In 1995, a magnitude 7.3 tremor hit the city of Kobe, killing more than 6,400 people. |