VIENNA - FOUR nuclear power plants closest to a massive 8.9
magnitude earthquake in Japan have been safely shut down, the
United Nations atomic watchdog said on Friday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency's Incident and Emergency
Centre 'received information from the International Seismic Safety
Centre (ISSC) at around 3.15pm Singapore time this morning about
the earthquake of magnitude 8.9 near the east coast of Honshu,
Japan,' the watchdog said in a statement.
'The agency is liaising with the Japanese Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry (METI) to confirm further details of the
situation.
The four Japanese nuclear power plants closest to the quake have
been safely shut down,' it said, without specifying the exact names
or locations of the plants.
The IAEA had sent a so-called 'offer of good offices' or
assistance to Japan, 'should the country request support,' the
statement continued.
And it added: 'Current media reports say a tsumani alert has
been issued for 50 countries, reaching as far as Central America.
The agency is seeking further information on which countries and
nuclear facilities may be affected.'
Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan had said that no
radiation leaks have been detected from Japan's nuclear power
stations following the quake.
-- AFP
