An increasing number of ethnic Koreans are being evacuated from Japan amid a growing fear of a potential catastrophe from a radiation leakage at a Japanese nuclear plant.

The Foreign Ministry in Seoul said that a South Korean government rapid-response team evacuated 146 ethnic Koreans to the prefectures of Niigata and Akita on Tuesday.

As of now, all the 214 ethnic Koreans who live in Sendai, one of the hardest-hit regions, have been evacuated from the city. Some have even come to South Korea.

The rapid-response team is devising measures to transport other ethnic Koreans to safe areas.