Rods in reactors at Japan plant 'mostly melted'

The operator of Japan's damaged nuclear power plant says it is highly likely that fuel rods at two more reactors at the facility had mostly melted.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. spokeswoman Aya Omura said Tuesday that the company believed the fuel rods at the reactors mostly melted a few days after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami hit the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, crippling its cooling systems.

The company said last week that fuel rods at one reactor at the Fukushima plant had mostly melted. Tuesday's announcement means fuel rods at three reactors at the crippled plant are likely to have mostly melted.

The company said the meltdowns are unlikely to worsen the crisis because the rods have since been covered in water to be cooled.

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