Officials at the world's biggest nuclear power plant, Kashiwazaki in central Japan, said the powerful earthquake that hit the area earlier in the day has caused a radioactive leak, BBC reported.

Water containing radioactive material has seeped out into the sea after the 6.8 degrees earthquake hit the Niigata province, 250 kilometres north of capital Tokyo, on Monday morning.

It also caused a fire at the power plant, which was extinguished. Three of its reactors automatically went offline, while a fourth reactor, which was not fully operational, was also halted.

The seismic activity killed at least seven people and injured hundreds. It destroyed scores of buildings, cutting communication lines, power and natural gas supply to tens of thousands of households in the province.

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