Japan to evacuate residents near nuclear plant

Tokyo: Japan is issuing an evacuation order to thousands of residents near a nuclear power plant.

Japan's nuclear safety agency says the evacuation order to more than 2,800 people followed the government's declaration at a nuclear power plant after its cooling system failed following a massive earthquake on Friday.

The agency says plant workers are currently scrambling to restore cooling water supply at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant. There was no prospect for an immediate success.

The plant experienced a mechanical failure in the backup power generation system to supply water needed to cool the reactor. The reactor core remains hot even after a shutdown.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said that the plant was not in immediate danger of radiation leak.