Global Reaction

Embassy rescues Brazilians stranded in Fukushima

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-03-17 10:49

RIO DE JANEIRO - The Brazilian embassy managed on Wednesday to rescue a group of Brazilian nationals who were stranded in Fukushima, Japan.

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According to the embassy, 26 Brazilian citizens were removed from the region affected by the accident in the Fukushima nuclear power plant, as well as one Nepalese, four Japanese, and six Bengalese citizens. The group was taken to Kamisato, Tokyo.

Some 15 Brazilians who reportedly lived in the region have not been located. The embassy is expected to return to the Sendai and Fukushima regions to search for them, but there is no date for the return so far.

Despite the large size of the Brazilian community in Japan, few Brazilians lived in the areas most affected by the earthquake and tsunami last Friday, which killed over 3,000 people, left other 6,000 missing and led to the accident in the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

So far, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry has not announced plans for any sort of mass removal of the Brazilian citizens from Japan, even in the face of a nuclear disaster. The ministry, however, warned Brazilians against traveling to Japan until the situation in the country is resolved.