THE race to prevent total meltdown of reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan could take weeks, the chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission warned yesterday.

EMERGENCY workers frantic to regain control of Japan’s dangerously overheated nuclear complex turned to increasingly elaborate methods yesterday to cool nuclear fuel rods at risk of spraying out more radiation.

Military helicopters dumped loads of seawater onto Japan’s stricken nuclear complex today, turning to combat-style tactics while trying to cool overheated uranium fuel that may be on the verge of spewing out more radiation.

A NEARLY completed new power line could restore cooling systems in Japan’s tsunami-crippled nuclear power plant, its operator said, raising some hope of easing the crisis that has threatened a meltdown and already spawned dangerous radiation surges.

ENGINEERS in Japan are battling to prevent a meltdown at a stricken nuclear plant, after a third explosion occurred at a fresh reactor late last night.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the small amount of radiation detected at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant is not significant.

SECURITY officials at America’s largest nuclear power plant detained a contract worker with a small explosive device in the back of his pickup truck yesterday, authorities said.