India advises its nationals to return from Japan

With the accident severity level at the nuclear plant in Japan raised, India has advised its nationals that those who wish to "temporarily and voluntarily" return home from Tokyo or other affected areas may do so.

"Taking the totality of circumstances into consideration, the ministry is of the opinion that those Indian nationals, especially family members who wish to temporarily and voluntarily return home from Tokyo or other affected areas, may do so," the ministry said in a release .

It said the help lines at the embassy of India in Tokyo are open for any information or assistance. Meanwhile, there is a steady flow of Indians from Japan with Air India already bringing in over 1,600 Indians from the quake and tsunami-hit country and the total numbers crossing more than 6,000.

Air India has deployed 423-seater Boeing 747 to bring more people from March 16.

The accident severity level at the plant was raised from four to five on the 7-point international scale by Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, placing the crisis two levels below Ukraine's 1986 Chernobyl disaster, a week after the magnitude 9 quake and massive tsunami had rocked the country leaving over 17,000 people dead or unaccounted for.