Exclusion zone widened as another quake hits Japan

JAPAN has widened the evacuation zone around a stricken nuclear plant a month on from a huge natural disaster as another 7.1 magnitude quake and tsunami alert strained nerves anew.

The latest aftershock caused buildings to sway in the capital Tokyo, shortly after the nation had observed a minute’s silence to remember the 13,000 people killed in the March 11 disaster and the 15,000 officially still missing.

The US Geological Survey said the 7.1 onshore quake hit at 5:16pm (08.16 GMT) at a depth of just 13km. Its epicentre was 81km south of Fukushima city, near the troubled nuclear plant.