CHINA has ordered its atomic weapons industry to be ready for an “environmental emergency” after last week’s earthquake struck nuclear weapons storage and research facilities. Officials have also dispatched a team of 21 experts to inspect sites.

The announcement followed growing international concern over the safety of nuclear installations in the earthquake zone. China stores some of its vast arsenal of warheads in Sichuan province, which is also home to several reactors and two plutonium plants. Last week a French nuclear monitoring agency claimed a number of Chinese nuclear sites had suffered minor damage in the quake, but praised China for taking precautionary measures.

China’s Nuclear and Radiation Safety Centre has put all its emergency staff on alert in readiness for a nuclear leak.