日本官方消息：福岛核事故等级升至7级

Japanese authorities have raised the measure of severity of their nuclear crisis to the highest level, officials say.

日本官方人士透露，日本当局已将福岛第一核电站事故等级提高到最高级7级。

The decision was taken due to radiation measured at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi power plant, NHK reported.

据NHK报道，日本当局在测量了福岛第一核电站周围的核辐射水平后做出了上述决定。

The highest level for nuclear accidents (seven) had previously only applied to the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

7级是国际核事件分级的最高等级，历史上只有1986年的切尔诺贝利事故达到了7级。

"This is a preliminary assessment, and is subject to finalisation by the International Atomic Energy Agency," said an official at the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), the government's nuclear watchdog, which made the announcement with the Nuclear Safety Commission.

日本原子能安全保安院的一位官员说：“这只是初步估计，还要等待国际原子能机构的最终确认。” 日本原子能安全保安院是日本政府的原子能监察机构，当天与日本原子能安全委员会联合发布了上述消息。

The severity level of Japan's nuclear crisis has so far been set at five, the same as that of the accident at Three Mile Island in the US in 1979.

之前此次事故的等级一直被定为5级，这是1979年美国三里岛核事故的等级。

Japan has also said it is extending the evacuation zone around the crippled nuclear plant because of radiation concerns. The zone will be widened to encompass five communities beyond the existing 20-km (12-mile) radius.

日本方面同时表示，将受损核电站周边的撤离范围从现有的半径20公里扩大到包含距离核电站更远的5个社区。

On Monday, a 7.1-magnitude quake hit north-east Japan, leaving three people dead. It also triggered a brief tsunami warning, and forced workers to evacuate the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

本周一，日本东北部再次发生了7.1级地震，造成3人死亡，同时也触发了海啸警报，并迫使工作人员从福岛第一核电站撤离。

On Tuesday a 6.3-magnitude earthquake was reported off eastern Japan. The quake rocked buildings in the capital, Tokyo. There were no immediate reports of fresh damage, though Japan's Narita international airport temporarily closed its runways, and metro and train services were interrupted.

周二在日本东部海域又发生了6.3级的地震，东京地区有震感。目前没有关于损失的最新报道，但是日本成田机场短暂关闭了机场跑道，地铁和火车的运营也被迫中断。

Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) said on Tuesday that a fire had broken out briefly at Reactor 4, before being extinguished.

东京电力公司称，周二福岛第一核电站4号反应堆曾发现火情，不过已经被扑灭。

Officials have warned it will be several months before the situation at the nuclear facility is brought fully under control.

有官员表示，可能还需要几个月才能将福岛核电站的情况完全置于掌控之下。