Japan Faces Potential Nuclear Catastrophe

TOKYO - The international nuclear agency, said a fire at a Japanese plant was affected by the tsunami in a pool of spent nuclear fuel storage.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, says that the Japanese authorities reported that the fire was the storage pond - swimming pool, where spent nuclear fuel is kept cool -. "Radioactivity is released directly into the atmosphere" and that

The Japanese authorities later said the fire at Unit 4 of Fukushima Dai-ichi plant had been extinguished.

This update NEWS. Check back soon for more information. AP story earlier is below.

SOMA, Japan (AP) - The dangerous levels of radiation escaping from a crippled nuclear plant forced Japan to 140,000 people joined in on Tuesday after an explosion and fire dramatically escalating crisis triggered update 4-1 by a deadly tsunami.

In a statement on national television, Prime Minister Naoto Kan, said radiation has been extended from four reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Fukushima nuclear state, one of the most affected by Friday's 9.0 earthquake magnitude and tsunami that killed more than 10,000 people, has plunged millions into poverty and beaten the third largest economy in the world.

Even Will and other officials on Tuesday urged calm trends fueled a growing panic in Japan and worldwide uncertainty spread middle of what would happen.

In the worst cases, the reactor core would melt completely, a disaster that shed large amounts of radioactity in the atmosphere.

Tokyo reported low levels of radiation, but officials said the increase was too small to threaten the 39 million people in and around the capital, about 170 miles (270 km). Closer to Building Nuclear devastated in the streets of the coastal town of Soma was empty, the few people who resided there listened government warnings to stay indoors.

Officials just south of Fukushima reported up to 100 times the normal levels of radiation Tuesday morning, Kyodo news agency. Although these figures are worrying if there is prolonged exposure, they are far from dead.

Khan and other officials have warned of the risk of major bleeding and told the residents of 19 miles (30 km) and the complex Fukushima Dai-ichi to stay indoors to avoid exposure, which can make people sick.

"Do not go out. Good to stay at home. Close the windows and make your home airtight," Chief Cabinet Secretary said Yukio Edan residents in the danger zone.

"These are numbers that could affect health. No doubt about it," he said.

Fukushima has the forecast for snow and wind from the north, on the evening of Tuesday, blowing from the southwest to Tokyo, then transfer and blowing west toward the sea. This is important because it shows the direction in which the potential of nuclear power can blow a cloud.

The nuclear crisis is the worst thing Japan has faced since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War. It is also the first time such a serious nuclear threat arises in the world from a nuclear plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine exploded in 1986.

Some 70,000 people were evacuated from a 12 miles (20 kilometers) from Dai-ichi complex. About 140,000 remain in the area of the new warning.

The workers were trying desperately to stabilize the three reactors at the power plant that exploded in the wake of Friday's earthquake and tsunami, having lost their ability to cool and get some radiation. Since the earthquake, engineers have been injecting sea water into the reactor coolant as the last chance.

A fourth reactor had been stopped before the earthquake caught fire on Tuesday and more radiation was released, said Edan.

The fire was extinguished. Although the fourth reactor was closed, the fire was believed to be the source of high radiation.

"It is likely that the radiation level has greatly increased due to a fire in the unit 4" Edano said. "Now we're talking about levels that can harm human health. These readings taken near the area where we believe that the release occurs. In the distance, the levels should be lower. "

He said the second reactor with a containment building exploded Monday had not contributed significantly to increased radiation.