TOKYO (Reuters) - The wind near a quake-damaged nuclear complex in northeast Japan, which has released radiation into the atmosphere, will blow from the northwest and out into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, a weather official said.
The wind speed will get stronger in the afternoon, blowing as fast as at 12 metres (39.4 ft) per second, said the official at the Japan Meteorological Agency in Fukushima prefecture where the plant is based.
The Fukushima Daiichi plant, run by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), is about 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo on the country's northeast coast.
Fire broke out at the plant on Wednesday, prompting some people to flee the capital which has suffered low levels of radiation, but not enough to damage health, officials say.
Public broadcaster NHK said earlier in the day flames were no longer visible at the plant.
A massive earthquake and tsunami on Friday crippled the plant's cooling functions, forcing operator Tokyo Electric Power Co to pour sea water into the reactors, releasing radioactive air into atmosphere.
Officials said radiation in Tokyo was 10 times normal on Tuesday, when the wind was blowing from the north and northeast.
(Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Nick Macfie)