Japan's nuclear crisis has worsened with radiation levels surging at a quake-hit reactor at the Fukushima plant. Authorities on Wednesday briefly pulled out emergency workers as another fire erupted slowing the desperate efforts to avert a meltdown. The work was suspended temporarily at the plant, where an estimated 70 per cent of nuclear fuel rods have been damaged at the No.1 reactor and 33 per cent at the No.2 reactor.