TOKYO, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The release of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean was automatically halted at around 4 p.m. local time on Wednesday after an abnormal system alarm was triggered during water transfer operations, Kyodo News reported.

This photo taken on March 6, 2023, shows the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Futabacho, Futabagun of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. (File photo: Xinhua)

According to the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), workers subsequently inspected the relevant equipment and found no abnormalities. The company is currently investigating the cause of the alarm.

TEPCO began the 20th round of discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water on June 1.

According to the company's previously announced plan, the latest discharge is scheduled to continue through June 19, with about 7,800 tonnes of wastewater expected to be released into the sea, containing approximately 1.3 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium.