Six killed in Japan quake

Tokyo: Six people were killed and more than 700 injured in a powerful earthquake that rattled Japan on Monday, according to the Kyodo News agency.
 
National broadcaster NHK said two of those who died were women in their 80s and had been buried in rubble. An 83-year-old man, a couple, and another woman in her 70s were among those killed.
 
The 6.8 magnitude earthquake toppled houses and a bridge, triggered mudslides and set off a blaze at a nuclear power plant, Japanese television footage showed.
 
"It was too strong to stand. Some people got under tables, others immediately went outside," said police officer Masao Honma in Kashiwazaki City.
 
There were reports of at least 12 people in collapsed houses in Kashiwazaki. Nearly 100 evacuation centres were being set up, a Niigata Prefecture official said.
 
"It's supposed to rain tomorrow in the area so we have to take every step to save lives, secure lifelines and reassure people," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.
 
Officials said they were hunting for survivors. Most of the injured were taken to hospitals, mostly in worst-hit Niigata.
 
Fire sirens could be heard in hard-hit Kashiwazaki city. Television footage showed flames billowing at a nuclear power plant there.
 
Tokyo Electric Power Co. said it has shut down three major generators at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa No 3 nuclear plant.
 
The company, Asia's biggest utility, said there was no radiation leakage at the facility after a fire hit a transformer at the plant. The fire was quickly extinguished, it said.