Workers briefly evacuate stricken nuclear plant—Temporary surge in radiation as Japan struggles to …

Workers briefly evacuate stricken nuclear plant

Temporary surge in radiation as Japan struggles to contain spiraling crisis

msnbc.com staff and news service reports msnbc.com staff and news service reports

FUKUSHIMA, Japan — Workers at a quake-damaged atomic power plant briefly suspended operations and evacuated Wednesday after a surge in radiation made it too dangerous to remain there, dealing a setback to Japan’s frantic efforts to stem a nuclear crisis.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said work on dousing the overheated reactors with water was disrupted by the need to withdraw.

"All the workers there have suspended their operations. We have urged them to evacuate, and they have," Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Edano said, according to a translation by NHK television.

The workers were allowed back into the plant after almost an hour when the radiation levels had fallen.

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Workers pulled from nuclear plant as crisis worsens

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Wed. Mar. 16 2011 12:24 AM ET

The remaining workers desperately seeking to stop a meltdown at a stricken Japanese nuclear plant have been pulled from the site Wednesday because of the radiation risk as the crisis seems to be slipping out of control.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said work on attempting to cool the reactors at the damaged Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant with sea water has been disrupted by the withdrawal.

Radiation levels spiked to 1,000 millisieverts Wednesday before coming down to the 600-800 range.

"So the workers cannot carry out even minimal work at the plant now," Edano said. "Because of the radiation risk, we are on standby."

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