Japan struggling to cool down nuclear reactor, minister says

[FourScore]

Japan struggling to cool down nuclear reactor, minister says
By the CNN Wire Staff
March 11, 2011 2:15 p.m. EST

Tokyo (CNN) -- Japanese authorities rushed Friday to cool down fears as well as radioactive temperatures inside a nuclear power plant rattled by Friday's mammoth earthquake, with the nation's prime minister planning a trip to personally inspect the atomic facility.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor, located about 160 miles north of Tokyo, "remains at a high temperature" because it "cannot cool down," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters.

Trade Minister Banri Kaieda said that a small radiation leak could occur at the plant, Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported early Saturday morning.

These and other issues caused by the 8.9-magnitude tremor prompted authorities to order an evacuation of people within 2 to 3 kilometers (1.2 to 1.8 miles) of the plant, a move Edano called "precautionary." Those farther away -- within 3 to 10 kilometers -- were asked to stay in their homes. The Kyodo news agency estimated the evacuation order directly affected about 3,000 people...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/11/japan.nuclear/index.html?npt=NP1#