Tuesday 15th March, 2011
Another blast in a Japanese nuclear plant has again raised the threat of nuclear fallout.
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from around the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant.
For the past couple of days, people have been asking whether there will be a meltdown.
The likelihood has become more real with radiation levels near the plant now harmful to human health.
Radiation levels at the nuclear plant have been read at 400 milisieverts an hour, which are thousands of times higher than readings taken before the latest blasts.
Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan has warned the risk of leakage is rising and has urged people living within 30 kilometres of the plant to remain indoors at home or at work.
Very small readings of radiation have even been made in Tokyo.
Radiation levels just outside Tokyo have been quoted by officials at 40 times normal levels.
A single dose of 1,000 millisieverts can cause temporary radiation sickness.
A dose of 5,000 millisieverts would kill some people.
There are now very few people remaining within a 20 kilometre radius around the Fukushima No. 1 plant, 250 kilometres north-east of Tokyo.