The news comes four days after northern Japan was hit by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre 25 miles under water near Sendai, a city devastated by the tsunami on March 11.

On Thursday evening people living along more than 300 miles of coastline north of Tokyo were warned of a tidal wave up to 6ft high and told to move to higher ground.

To date, police have confirmed that 12,596 people died as a result of the earthquake and tsunami last month. A further 14,747 are listed as missing presumed dead.

Recent aftershocks have renewed concerns about the fragile condition of the Fukushima facility, which continues to leak radiation into the ocean and atmosphere.