TOKYO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Radioactive materials were found leaked from a reactor of a nuclear plant in Niigata prefecture of central western Japan on Tuesday, after the area was hit by a major quake a day earlier.

    According to the operator Tokyo Electric Power Co., uranium 131 and 133 as well as other radioactive elements were found in the exhaust from the No. 6 nuclear reactor at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata.

    On Monday, water containing radioactive material leaked from the No. 6 nuclear reactor of the nuclear power plant. The No. 6 reactor was suspended at the time for regular checks.

    Also due to the 10:13 a.m. (0113 GMT) quake measuring at 6.8 on the Richter scale, an electric transformer caught fire at the No. 3 reactor of the nuclear plant. The fire was brought under control around noon on Monday.