| http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42542906/ns/world_news-asiapacific/ TOKYO - The Japanese government's nuclear safety agency raised the crisis level of the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant accident from 5 to 7, the worst on the international scale and on par with the Chernobyl accident 25 years ago. 1. Japan earthquake 1. One month on, Japan rattled by big aftershock 2. Somber ceremonies mark a month since tsunami 3. Japan to stop pumping radioactive water into sea 4. NYT: Nuclear disaster reveals Japan temps' plight 5. Millions of yen turned in, Japanese police say 6. Aftershock in Japan unnerves traumatized nation 7. Time-lapse of aftershocks 8. Image: Images of chaos, destruction Kyodo news agency said the government agency estimated the amount of radioactive material released from the reactors in Fukushima, northern Japan, reached a maximum of 10,000 terabequerels per hour at one point for several hours, which would classify the incident as a major accident according to the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). The rating reflects the initial severity of the crisis not the current situation which has seen radiation levels drop dramatically. "This is a preliminary assessment, and is subject to finalization by the International Atomic Energy Agency," said an official at the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), the government's nuclear watchdog, which made the announcement with the Nuclear Safety Commission. Japan is struggling to regain control of the plant after a massive earthquake and tsunami devastated its northeast on March 11, and is facing a major humanitarian and economic crisis. |