2nd explosion at Japanese nuclear plant

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2nd explosion at Japanese nuclear plant

CBC News Posted: Mar 14, 2011 12:43 AM ET Last Updated: Mar 14, 2011 1:10 AM ET

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Officials said a second hydrogen explosion has occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi

nuclear power plant in Japan, the Japanese broadcaster NHK reported Monday

morning.

But the inner reactor container was intact after the explosion, said Yukio

Edano, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, and little radioactivity was dispersed.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said three people were injured and seven were missing

in the explosion.

Residents within 20 kilometres of the plant had been advised to stay indoors,

NHK said.

The explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 had been feared earlier Sunday.

On Saturday, Unit 1 at the plant blew up, but little radiation leaked because

the reactor container didn't break.

With the the cooling systems disrupted by the tsunami Friday, the heat had been

building up.

Operators lost the ability to cool three reactors at Daiichi and three more at

the nearby Fukushima Daini complex

They had been dumping seawater into Units 1 and 3, even though that will destroy

the reactors.

On Monday morning officials had issued another tsunami warning for the same

region that was devasted Friday, but quickly called it off.

With files from The Associated Press