In Japan, workers were evacuated from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear plant today after radiation levels surged 10 million times higher than usual. The evacuation comes as a major blow to efforts to avoid a meltdown of the reactors. According to Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the operator of the plant, the radiation in the water is 10 million times higher than that seen usually in the No.2 reactor complex. TEPCO said, no work is being done there because of the high level of radiation. TEPCO, said, it was taking another sample to get the accurate radiation levels. It said the data for iodine-134 announced earlier in the day was actually for another substance that has a longer half-life. Hidehiko Nishiyama, spokesman for Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), said the figure is quite high. Tepco has come in for criticism for for a lack of transparency and promptness in providing information.Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano conceded that the progress was slow.’He said Tepco has been strongly urged to provide information to the government more promptly. The Japaneese government said the crisis was far from over. The devastating 9 magnitude quake and tsunami two week ago had left more than 27,000 people dead or missing.International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has sent extra teams to the damaged plant, has also cautioned that the crisis could continue for months.