IAEA: Fukushima Plant Situation Not Worsened, Stable

VIENNA -(Dow Jones)- The situation at Japan's earthquake-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant hasn't worsened in the past 24 hours, but it remains very serious, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Thursday.
Graham Andrew, special advisor to the IAEA director general, said at a press briefing in Vienna that the agency believes three of the Fukushima Daiichi plant's six reactors have now suffered damage to the nuclear cores, and that the state of the spent fuel ponds at four of the reactors where water has been dropped to cool overheating fuel rods remains a major concern.
"The situation remains very serious, but there has been no significant worsening since yesterday. It hasn't gotten worse, which is positive, but it's still possible that it could get worse," Andrew said. "You could say the situation is reasonable stable compared to yesterday."
Andrew said the IAEA considers as adequate Japan's security measures and assessments ahead of the earthquake and nuclear accident at Fukushima.
"I'm sure Japan made its best assessment possible," Andrew said, adding that the combination of a severe earthquake and the resultant tsunami couldn't have been foreseen.
"Nature surprised us," Andrew said, underlining that the IAEA still considers nuclear power a very safe energy energy source.
"The probability of an event such as this is very low. The nuclear industry has a very good safety record," he said.