Explosion at Nuclear Plant in Japan

Local television broadcast pictures of an explosion at a nuclear plant in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture.

Smoke billows from the 40-year-old Daichi 1 nuclear plant.

The explosion blew off the roof of the unstable reactor, raising fears of a disastrous meltdown.

NHK television said the outer structure of the building which houses the reactor appeared to have blown off, suggesting the containment building might have been breached.

Initial reports said some people had been injured in the explosion.

Speaking on Friday, Global Security Senior Scientist, Edwin Lyman said a Chernobyl-type disaster could happen if a leak was not contained.

[Edwin Lyman, Senior Scientist, Global Security]:
„In the worst case, the entire core could melt and it can melt through the steel reactor vessel and escape into the containment building and then the containment is the only thing that is standing between the radiation in the reactor and the atmosphere. Then it is a dice roll about whether or not the containment will maintain its integrity and prevent a large radiological release. There is a chance if that does occur, that there will be over pressure, the containment can fail and you might have a release on the order of the Chernobyl accident.“

Authorities have evacuated tens of thousands of residents from the area near the two nuclear plants.

Foto: NTD