Japan nuclear plant sees rise in water level after massive earthquake

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – The water-level around the Shika nuclear power plant rose by around three meters following a massive earthquake that hit Japan on Monday, authorities said on Wednesday.

According to the Hokuriku Electric Power Company, which operates the plant, the seawater level at the intake spot “had been three meters (9.8 feet) higher than usual between 5.45 p.m. (0845GMT) and 6 p.m. (0900GMT) on Monday,” Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

The plant uses seawater for cooling purposes.

However, the two reactors of the facility were already taken off long before the magnitude 7.6 tremor hit Japan at around 4.10 p.m. (0710GMT) on Monday in Ishikawa province.

The epicenter of the earthquake was the Noto region, where the plant is located, in the province facing the Sea of Japan.

A four-meter-high (13-feet-high) seawall “installed to protect the No.1 reactor was tilting by several centimeters,” the operator found.

Electricity supplies to the plant also suffered breakdown, which led to non-functioning of some systems.

The pipes of transformers supplying electricity from outside the facility were damaged due to the earthquake which led to oil leaks.

The operator is working to restore the systems, retrieve the leaked oil, and is using other means to supply electricity to the critical equipment.

At least 64 people have been declared dead due to earthquakes which hit Japan since Monday.

Many people are still stuck inside collapsed buildings while several areas are still cut off. Tens of hundreds of people have been left without electricity.