Flight ban over Fukushima nuclear plant

Tokyo: Japan has banned flights within a 30-km range of the Fukushima nuclear plant amid radiation fears due to a series of explosions at the facility on Tuesday, Xinhua reported.

The ban by the transport ministry excludes aircraft engaged in search and rescue operations. It is not expected to have a major impact on scheduled commercial flights, Xinhua cited Kyodo news agency as saying.

Thousands have died following the magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami that rattled Japan's northeast last week.