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IAEA: 170,000 evacuated near Japan nuclear plant

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-03-13 06:58

TOKYO?- The UN nuclear watchdog says Japan is evacuating 170,000 people from the area near a nuclear power plant damaged in the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

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The International Atomic Energy Agency, based in Vienna, says the people were ordered out of a 12-mile (20-kilometer) radius surrounding the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.

The plant exploded Saturday, destroying the building housing the reactor but not the reactor itself, and complicating relief and rescue efforts by authorities after Friday's twin disasters.

The IAEA says another 30,000 people were moved away from the area around a second nuclear plant.