Injection of water into reactor No. 2 at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in northeastern Japan has restarted, the plant’s operator said on Monday, after water levels fell far enough to fully expose the fuel rods.
Operations to cool the plant’s three reactors with seawater are continuing in fears that the cores might begin a meltdown.
Tokyo Electric Power Co. earlier said the cooling system at reactor No. 2 had failed.
An explosion hit reactor No. 3 on Monday morning, injuring 11 people. Officials said the reactor resisted the blast and played down any health risk.
A similar blast occurred in reactor No. 1 on Saturday.
At least 5,000 people were killed or went missing after Friday’s 8.9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, but police warn the death toll in the Miyagi prefecture alone could exceed 10,000.
MOSCOW, March 14 (RIA Novosti)