Japan's Nuclear Disaster Rating Raised to Highest Level

Japan raised the severity of its nuclear disaster to the highest level on an internationally-recognized scale Tuesday, as the aftereffects of the devastating earthquake and tsunami continue.

Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant now stands at a 7-rating on the scale, which stands at 5. A level 7 event includes a considerable release of radiation with widespread health and environmental effects, while a 5-rated event, which is what Fukushima was classified as, is a limited release of radioactive material, with several deaths from radiation, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"This is a preliminary assessment, and is subject to finalization by the International Atomic Energy Agency," said an official at the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA).

Japan's infrastructure and economy have taken a crushing blow since the March earthquake. Since then, tsunamis and innumerable aftershock quakes have made recovery even more difficult. Additionally, the nuclear plant has suffered multiple setbacks in its repair, including radiation releases.

A Reuters report notes that "The country's nuclear commission also released a preliminary calculation for the cumulative amount of external exposure to radiation, saying it had exceeded the yearly limit of 1 millisieverts in areas extending more than 60 km (36 miles) to the northwest of the plant and about 40 km to the south-southwest, Kyodo reported."

Japan's Nikkei Index is down 1.7% in trade Tuesday, to 9,550.