Radiation in Japan Already Bad for Human Health - Official

Higher radiation levels were recorded on Tuesday south of Fukushima, Kyodo news agency reported. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Explosions at a Japanese quake-stricken nuclear plant have led to radiation levels that can affect human health, a senior Japanese official has said.

"Now we are talking about levels that can impact human health," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano.

He stressed that such levels were recorded at the plant and that the "further away you get from the power plant or reactor, the value should go down".

The statement came shortly after a fresh explosion rocked reactor 2 at the Fukushima Daiichi plant - 250km (155 miles) north-east of Tokyo - in the early hours of Tuesday.

The incident is thought to be more serious than the previous explosions since the blast may have damaged the vessel that holds reactor 2.

In his televised address, Prime Minister Kan said: "There is still a very high risk of more radiation coming out."

He added that the last remaining people within a 20km (12 mile) exclusion zone around the plant had to leave, and that those living between 20km and 30km from the site should remain indoors.

Radiation levels around Fukushima for one hour's exposure rose to eight times the legal limit for exposure in one year, said the plant's operator, the Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco).

The radiation reading at 0831 local time (2331 GMT) climbed to 8,217 microsieverts an hour from 1,941 about 40 minutes earlier, Tepco said. The annual legal limit is 1,000 microsieverts.

A fire which briefly broke out at the plant's reactor 4 on Tuesday is also believed to have led to radioactive leaks.

Higher radiation levels were recorded on Tuesday south of Fukushima, Kyodo news agency reported.

Levels in Tokyo were higher than normal, but officials said there were no health dangers.

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