Authorities in Japan are investigating a second nuclear scare and other problems discovered at a power plant following yesterday's earthquake.
Fires, leakages of water and oil, misplaced duct pipes and broken equipment have been recorded since the 6.8 magnitude quake hit the area of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility.
Tokyo Electric Power Co. said a total of 50 operating faults had been detected at the sprawling nuclear site in central Japan, thought to be the world's largest.
The company had earlier said that about 100 sealed barrels filled with contaminated clothes and gloves tipped over at the nuclear complex during the quake and some had opened.
The earthquake killed nine people and injured more than 1,000.
Tokyo Electric had admitted late yesterday that water containing a small amount of radioactive material leaked into the Sea of Japan from the plant, located near the epicentre.
A large fire also sent black smoke billowing out of the electricity supplying part of the facility for hours.
Rescue teams, who had spent the night digging through rubble, have turned their attention to the 12,000 people who have sought refuge at shelters in the hard-hit coastal city of Kashiwazaki, many of them elderly.
The Japanese Red Cross Society said it was urging elderly people to drink enough water after finding that some were holding back because of the limited number of toilets at the more than 120 shelters.
The defence ministry dispatched some 450 troops and seven battleships early today to support rescue operations in the region, which has been hit by nearly 100 aftershocks.
Landslides caused by the earthquake have blocked train tracks and covered homes.
Rescuers are still searching through the rubble of homes and buildings for survivors of the quake, while thousands took refuge in evacuation centres overnight.
Forecasts for wet weather had raised fears of mudslides and more landslides are feared as rain is expected to soak the quake-hit area.
Water, gas and electricity supplies were cut by the earthquake in the Niigata region.
