30km no-fly zone over Fukushima

Japanese officials confirm radioactive materials have leaked into the atmosphere following an explosion and fire at reactor number four at the Fukushima power plant. The fire is said to have damaged an area used to store spent nuclear fuel, with reports that staff are struggling to cool it down.

The situation at all six reactors is said to be critical after the only two remaining cooling systems failed following the devastating quake and tsunami. The blast at facility number two, which occured this morning, has reportedly damaged the vessel of the reactor. Engineers have been using sea water to cool the reactors in an attempt to avert a nuclear disaster.