Japan-nuke:Japan Steps up Cooling Operation

Japan is stepping up efforts to cool reactors at the tsunami-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Army helicopters have dumped tons of water to try to prevent a meltdown of fuel rods and water cannon have also joined the operation.

The US government has expressed increasing alarm at the crisis.

US nationals have been warned to stay at least 80 kilometers away from the nuclear plant, a much wider exclusion zone than the 20 kilometers recommended by the Japanese government.

It prompts some local residents to question the assessment criteria.

"It is worrying that Japanese and the US criteria are different and I feel bit doubtful about our judgment."

Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano is also cautioning that the worst may not be over.

"The situation at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant is very serious. The damage to the core of the three units, unit 1, 2, 3 has been confirmed and there has been no significant change since yesterday."

China's Foreign Ministry says Japan should be forthcoming with information on failing nuclear power plant.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu.

"China and Japan have maintained communications on the situation, and we hope that Japan swiftly and accurately informs the outside world of the situation on the ground, as well as their evaluation of developments and forecasts."

There are six reactors at the plant. Units 1, 2 and 3 shut down automatically when the quake hit. Since then, all three have been rocked by explosions.

Earlier this week, a fire broke out in Unit Number-4's fuel storage pond, an area where spent nuclear fuel is kept cool, causing radioactivity to be released into the atmosphere.