New blast hits Japanese nuclear plant

Fears of a nuclear disaster in Japan were heightened today after a second explosion at a quake-hit nuclear power plant — as officials warned the disaster's death toll would rise above 10,000.

A hydrogen explosion rocked Fukushima Daiichi's number three unit this morning, sending a plume of smoke into the air.

Just hours later another reactor at the plant lost its cooling capacity, raising the risk of another explosion.

The nation is in the grip of its worst crisis since the Second World War, with officials predicting the death toll from the earthquake and tsunami will top 10,000.

Today police revealed two thousand bodies have been found on the shores of Miyagi prefecture.

In the town of Minamisanrikucho, 10,000 people, nearly two-thirds of the population, have not been heard of since the tsunami all but wiped it out.

Rescuers are in a race to prevent a humanitarian disaster as they struggle to reach tens of thousands of people left homeless by the disaster. Millions of people spent a third night without water, food or heating in near-freezing temperatures along the devastated north eastern coast.

In many areas there is no running water, no power and a four to five-hour wait for petrol.

Today several aftershocks were felt as scientists warned of another major earthquakewithin the next three days.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government announced it was pumping £113 billion into the economy to prop up the stock markets which slumped on opening amid fears of huge losses by Japanese industries including big names such as Toyota and Honda.

A British search and rescue team, including firefighters from the West Midlands, was due to start searching ruins of a coastal city today, as concerns grow over the "inevitable reality" of UK casualties. The Foreign Office's emergency helpline has been contacted by more than 4,000 calls from the worried loved-ones of those caught up in the disaster.

Foreign Secretary William Hague today said a number of British nationals were still unaccounted for in Japan, although there have so far been no confirmed reports of casualties.

He urged any UK nationals who are in Japan, or who have left the country recently, to contact the Foreign Office or the Embassy in Tokyo to confirm that they are safe. English teacher

Jenny Tamura Spragg, aged 33, who lives in Saitama, described how people were queueing for miles for petrol, shops were selling out of basic food and power saving cuts were being introduced.

She said: "Supermarkets have sold out of rice, bread, milk, bottled water and other daily necessities as people stock up out of precaution or fear that another big one will hit.

"As far as British expats' safety is concerned, I would say that British casualties are an inevitable reality."