Japan quake: Helicopters dump water on stricken nuke plant - Japanese military helicopters have started dumping water onto reactors three and four...

Japan quake: Helicopters dump water on stricken nuke plant

TOKYO: Japanese military helicopters have started dumping water onto reactors three and four of the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant to douse exposed fuel rods.

According to NHK, three military helicopters emptied more than seven tonnes of water onto the reactors in a bid to prevent a meltdown.

Friday's earthquake and tsunami have knocked out cooling systems at the Fukushima No.1 nuclear plant 250 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, sending temperatures soaring in the reactors and sparking four explosions and two fires.

The lack of power has sent temperatures soaring in reactors with fuel rods being exposed as the cooling water evaporated and emitting hydrogen gas and possibly radioactive material, triggering fears of a meltdown.

A Japanese army helicopter Wednesday aborted its mission to dump water onto the fuel rods due to the high level of radiation above the reactors.

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