Japan Earthquake: Water Levels Rose At Shika Nuclear Plant After Monday’s Tsunami, Says Report

The broadcaster NHK quoting the operator of the nuclear power plant in quake-hit Ishikawa Prefecture said water levels rose by about three meters at the site following tsunami triggered by the magnitude 7.6 earthquake in central Japan.

The plant is located in the prefecture's Noto region, the report mentioned.

A major tsunami warning was temporarily issued for the area following the quake, which struck around 4:10 p.m. on Monday, the report mentioned.

It also stated the waves later reached multiple locations along the Sea of Japan coast.

“Staff at Hokuriku Electric Power Company checked a water level gauge near a seawater intake. They found out the level had been three meters higher than usual between 5:45 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday,” it said.

Earlier, it was said that there was no significant change in water levels while monitoring the gauge at the plant.

It was also said a four-meter high seawall installed to protect the No.1 reactor was tilting by several centimeters when its workers took a second look at the plant premises, the report mentioned.

The report mentioned some systems at the plant are not functioning after pipes of transformers used to supply outside electricity to the reactors sustained damage in the earthquake. The rupture led to oil leaks, it said.

The operator says the plant is using other means to supply power to critical equipment, the report said.

The report said the recovery work started on Tuesday and is proceeding quickly. That work includes retrieving the leaked oil, it said.

Both the No.1 and No.2 reactors at the plant were taken offline long before the earthquake, the report said.
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