Video Third Huge Explosion at nuclear reactor 2 and Fire at nuclear reactor 4 of Fukushima Nuclear Plant

There has been a disturbing new development in Japan as the threat of nuclear catastrophe rises.

In a brief address to the nation at 11 am Tokyo time, Prime Minister Naoto Kan pleaded for calm, but warned that radiation had already spread from the crippled reactors and there was "a very high risk" of further leakage. Fortunately, the prevailing winds were sweeping most of the plume of radioactivity out into the Pacific Ocean, rather than over populated areas.



Japan's nuclear emergency prompts panic buying in Tokyo. Weather forecasters said winds near the atomic plant, which experienced a third explosion on Tuesday morning, were blowing in a south-westerly direction – towards Tokyo – but would move in a westerly direction later in the day.

People in the capital, home to 12 million, snapped up radios, torches, candles, fuel containers and sleeping bags, while for the fourth day there was a run on bread, canned goods, instant noodles, bottled water and other foodstuffs at supermarkets.

There has been a slight rise in temperature of two more reactors at a quake-hit Japanese nuclear plant, where engineers are battling to avert meltdown, the chief government spokesman said Tuesday.

There have already been explosions at four of the reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 plant 250 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, after Friday's earthquake and tsunami knocked out cooling systems.

Spokesman Yukio Edano said the slight temperature rise was at the number-five and number-six reactors, where problems had not previously been reported.