Japan Latest: Explosion at a Third Fukushima Reactor

Earlier LiveBlog: Another Explosion at the Nuclear Plant

2200 GMT: There is another fire tonight at the Fukushima No. 4 reactor complex.

1342 GMT: Reuters has an ominous report: "French nuclear agency says Fukushima nuclear accident is level 6 on INES scale." To put things in perspective, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster was rated a 7 on the same scale. Kyodo news is reporting that the radiation is now too high for normal work in the control room for nuclear reactor number 4.

There was an aftershock, measuring 6.0, just moments ago, though no tsunami warning has been issued.

1030 GMT: The remains of the town of Rikuzentakata, where an estimated 18,000 of the 24,000 population are missing.

0710 GMT: AFP is reporting a fire at the storage unit for spent fuel at the Fukushima nuclear plant. It is unclear at this point how large the fire is and how much radiation is being released.

0545 GMT: A fire at the No. 4 reactor complex at the Fukushima nuclear plant has been extinguished.

0515 GMT: The official death toll is now 2800.

The Japanese stock market is at its lowest level in two years, as the Nikkei fell more than 14%. Japan's Central Bank has injected more than $1 billion into the economy.

0500 GMT: There has been a third explosion at a third reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant in northeast Japan, damaged in Friday's earthquake.

The blast occurred at the No 2 reactor complex at 6:10 a.m. local time (2110 GMT Monday). 

Prime Minister Naoto Kan  has warned people living within 30 kilometres (19 miles) of the plant to stay indoors.

Radiation levels at the gates of the plant are three times the maximum exposure allowed in a year. Slightly elevated levels have been recorded in Tokyo, 240 km (150 miles) south.