The crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant has suffered another leak after four tonnes of radioactive water escaped while being transferred between tanks.
Operator Tepco said heavy rain from a recent typhoon had flooded one of the tank holding areas where excess water used to cool the damaged reactors is stored.
But while transferring the water to another tank, four tonnes leaked into the ground – with more heavy rain set to hit the region over the next few days.
The water was contaminated to around 160 becquerels per litre, almost three times the safe limit set by nuclear operators, and 16 times the limit set by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority.
The company was also forced to shut down one of the nitrogen injectors used to prevent explosions from the reactors after a worker mishandled the equipment.