Partial meltdown causing radiation in water at Japan N-plant

TOKYO: A partial meltdown has caused the high levels of radioactive materials detected in water at one of the six reactors at an earthquake- and tsunami-damaged nuclear power plant in north-eastern Japan, the government said Monday.

The partial meltdown of spent fuel rods at reactor 2 at the plant in Fukushima, 250 km north-east of Tokyo, was believed to be temporary, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said.

The radiation-contaminated water has been found in an adjacent turbine building of reactor 2 since the March 11 disaster.

The contamination hampered the plant operator's work to restore power and cooling functions at the reactors to avert a potential disaster.