Black smoke has been seen emerging from Unit 3 of the crippled nuclear plant in north-eastern Japan, prompting a new evacuation of the complex, according to officials.
The Tokyo Electric Power company said workers from the entire Fukushima Dai-ichi plant have been temporarily evacuated.
Operators of the power station have been desperately trying to cool the reactors and spent fuel pools at the plant after it was damaged by this month’s tsunami, which knocked out power to the cooling systems.