09/08/2004

Four die at Japanese nuclear plant

At least four people have been killed and seven others injured following an accident at nuclear power plant in Japan.

The deaths occurred at Kansai Electric Power Company's Mihama plant when a jet of steam, topping 200C, leaked out from its No3 reactor. There has been no radiation leakage and there is no danger to the inhabitants of Mihama, it has been reported.

The plant was taken off-line at 3.28pm (6.28am GMT) while investigators examined the cause of the incident. It is unclear when the 826,000 kilowatt facility will be operational again.

This is the second safety problem at the Mihama plant. In February 1991, 55 tonnes of radioactive water leaked after a system failure in the No2 reactor.

The public's confidence in nuclear power, which provides around 30% of the country's electricity, was hit again in 1999 when two workers died in an incident in Tokaimura, north-east of Tokyo.

(gmcg)

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