Earthquake Closes World's Biggest Reactor

The world's largest nuclear reactor in Japan has been closed due to fears of a nuclear leak following an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale on Monday (June 16).

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, operated by Tokyo electric Power Co, generates 8.2 million kilowatts of electricity and services more than 93,500 people in the town of Kashiwazaki, where the quake's epicentre was measured.

Tokyo Electric Power originally raised concerns on Monday, following the breakout of a fire and 50 cases of malfunctioning, which followed the shutdown of all of the plant's seven reactors that were running at the time of the quake.

Low levels of radiation were also leaked into the sea following a series of burst pipes caused by the fire.

But now officials are concerned about drums containing nuclear waste that pried open during the quake.

Exact quantities of radioactive activity around the site due to the leaks have not been released.

In a report by Associated Press, Tokyo Electric Power said it the radioactive levels were much bigger than first reported, but were still below danger level to nearby communities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency pressed Japan to investigate the cause of the leaks with the aim of providing lessons that could be learnt in other nations using nuclear power.