Rising tensions with Russia have brought the possibility of a nuclear attack back into focus. Should the USA become a target, cities like El Paso, Texas, and parts of Arizona would face severe consequences.
Newsweek utilized maps created by Alex Wellerstein, a professor and historian specializing in nuclear technology, to analyze the impact of a Russian nuclear strike with their most potent missile.
In the El Paso area, which stretches deep into Mexico and up to Alamogordo, over 849,000 people would be killed, with nearly 953,000 others injured.
The article explains that a midair explosion would have only minor effects up to 4,000 miles away, such as broken windows or slight structural damage. However, the immediate effects near the blast site are catastrophic.
The fireball radius (represented by the inner yellow circle), where everything would be vaporized by intense heat reaching millions of degrees Fahrenheit, would cover about 15.1 square miles. The more extensive blast damage (shown by the inner gray circle), spanning 442 square miles, would obliterate homes and likely ignite widespread fires.
Anyone within 2,360 square miles (the thermal radiation zone, marked by the outer orange circle) would be at risk of third-degree burns, which often numb the pain but cause severe scarring, long-term disability, and possibly amputation. – Newsweek
Potential Casualties From a Nuclear Blast
This Article Includes
If a nuclear strike were to occur during the day when populations are at their peak, the following casualties could be expected:
- Houston: 1,238,500 dead, 1,995,390 injured
- Dallas: 1,045,700 dead, 1,957,170 injured
- San Antonio: 761,840 dead, 754,110 injured
- Albuquerque: 417,980 dead, 359,500 injured
- Phoenix: 972,050 dead, 1,475,300 injured
What About Other Cities?
Newsweek’s interactive map allows you to simulate a nuclear attack on any city and see the projected impact based on various types of bombs and detonations. Simply select a city, adjust the parameters, and the results will appear below the map.