Second explosion at Japan nuclear plant!

Things seem to be pretty serious and dangerous!

A second explosion has hit the nuclear plant in Japan that was damaged in Friday's earthquake, but officials said the reactor core was still intact.

The latest blast, said to have been caused by a hydrogen build-up, injured 11 people, one of them seriously. Soon afterwards, the government announced a third reactor at the plant had lost its cooling system

 

Technicians battle to stabilise a third overheating reactor at a quake-stricken Japanese nuclear plant, after its cooling system failed.

Japanese officials have ordered anyone living within 20km (12 miles) of the Fukushima nuclear power plant to evacuate the area.

A large explosion has occurred in one of its buildings and some radiation leakage has been detected. If the Japanese authorities act swiftly, they should be able to minimise the cost to human health.

What are the immediate health effects of exposure to radiation?

Exposure to moderate levels can result in radiation sickness, which produces a range of symptoms.
Nausea and vomiting often begin within hours of exposure, followed by diarrhoea, headaches and fever.
After the first round of symptoms, there may be a brief period with no apparent illness, but this may be followed within weeks by new, more serious symptoms.
At higher levels of radiation, all of these symptoms may be immediately apparent, along with widespread - and potentially fatal - damage to internal organs.
Exposure to a radiation dose of four grays will typically kill about half of all healthy adults.