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.

Japan was overwhelmed today by the vast numbers of tsunami victims.

Rescue workers used chain saws and pickaxes today to dig out bodies in Japan’s devastated coastal towns, as Asia’s richest nation faced a mounting humanitarian, nuclear and economic crisis in the aftermath of a massive earthquake and tsunami that likely killed thousands.

Japanese electronics company Aiwa is to halve its worldwide work force to about 5,000 within the year and a factory in Wales could close, according to a report in Tokyo today.