<p>A blast ripped through Number One reactor of the plant Saturday, destroying the building, but leaving the nuclear reactor itself undamaged, according to official Japanese reports.<br /><br />The blast occurred after the massive earthquake of magnitude-9 rattled the country's northeast Friday, killing more than 1,000 people. The authorities Sunday increased the magnitude of the quake to 9 on the the richter scale from earlier measurement of 8.9.<br /><br />A steel container covering the reactor protected it from the blast, the authorities said.<br />Following the explosion, however, the authorities expanded the evacuation area around the plant from 10-km radius to 20 km and began distributing iodine, which helps protect the body from radioactive exposure, to the residents of the locality.<br /><br />The Fukushima prefecture authorities urged the people to close windows, turn off air conditioners and stay at home.<br /><br />The emergency cooling system has failed at another reactor at the Fukushima plant, raising fears of a possible blast due to overheating, the Kyodo news agency reported Sunday, quoting Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano. <br /><br />The Number Three reactor is in process of releasing radioactive steam, Edano said.<br />It was the sixth reactor at the Fukushima plant to undergo cooling failure since the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan Friday.</p>
<p>A blast ripped through Number One reactor of the plant Saturday, destroying the building, but leaving the nuclear reactor itself undamaged, according to official Japanese reports.<br /><br />The blast occurred after the massive earthquake of magnitude-9 rattled the country's northeast Friday, killing more than 1,000 people. The authorities Sunday increased the magnitude of the quake to 9 on the the richter scale from earlier measurement of 8.9.<br /><br />A steel container covering the reactor protected it from the blast, the authorities said.<br />Following the explosion, however, the authorities expanded the evacuation area around the plant from 10-km radius to 20 km and began distributing iodine, which helps protect the body from radioactive exposure, to the residents of the locality.<br /><br />The Fukushima prefecture authorities urged the people to close windows, turn off air conditioners and stay at home.<br /><br />The emergency cooling system has failed at another reactor at the Fukushima plant, raising fears of a possible blast due to overheating, the Kyodo news agency reported Sunday, quoting Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano. <br /><br />The Number Three reactor is in process of releasing radioactive steam, Edano said.<br />It was the sixth reactor at the Fukushima plant to undergo cooling failure since the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan Friday.</p>