Theoperator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said that explosion was heard at 3:36p.m of March 12 (local time), following large tremors and white smokewere seen at the facility in Fukushima prefecture, 250 km to thenortheast of Tokyo .
Fukushima No. 1 is one of the nuclearpower plants being seriously affected by the 8.9 magnitude quake thathit northeastern Japan on March 11. The explosion took place afterthe Japanese Nuclear Energy Safety Organisation had ordered the plant todischarge radioactive waste to protect the reactor.
Theauthorities issued an emergency situation to all the five reactors, twoin Fukushima No. 1 and three in the Fukushima No. 2 nuclear powerplants. The five reactors stopped working after the quake.
All the people living in the nuclear plant area were asked to evacuate./.

Thailand revises tourism strategy after earthquake
Minister of Tourism and Sports Sorawong Thienthong said that a tourism risk and crisis management team will be established to support the industry, with representatives from organisations in the tourism supply chain, such as the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Roads Authority.