Survive after a nuclear explosion. The whole truth about nuclear strike

One day this guide may save your life.

Recently, residents of Hawaii received a warning about a missile attack. However, after a few minutes it turned out that the alarm was false. But during this time, many have realized that they absolutely do not know how to behave in such a threat.

So, let's imagine that you find yourself in a similar situation: an intercontinental ballistic missile or other nuclear weapon is fired at your city. What to do?

Flash on the left, flash on the right

In order to be saved, one must first of all know what the danger of a nuclear explosion is and how it manifests itself. This is a range of effects:

Light flash;
Thermal impulse;
radioactive radiation;
Fire ball;
Explosive wave;
Fallout.

The first three phenomena propagate at the speed of light, so they overtake the victims immediately after the explosion. At the same time, exposure to heat can last several seconds and cause burns even a few kilometers from the epicenter.

The last two effects, that is, the blast wave and radioactive fallout, occur almost simultaneously, although the distance of the blast wave is somewhat greater. It is she who causes the greatest damage - overturns cars, destroys houses, etc. The last mass of radioactive fallout spreads - the explosion lifts them into the atmosphere, from where they fall down.

It must be remembered that, being indoors, we are largely protected from these effects. In addition, it is important to understand that the power of a nuclear weapon is not infinite, but is limited by the amount of explosive material in a bomb or missile. Thus, a single explosion - or even several explosions - leaves most people with a good chance of survival.

Arms control experts suggest that, for example, North Korea's arsenal may contain rocket warheads with a yield of 10 to 30 kilotons of TNT - the lower limit of this corridor is slightly less than the power of the bomb dropped by the Americans on Japan in 1945.

The greatest destruction and the least chance of survival are characteristic of the “zone of severe destruction”. For a 10-kiloton bomb (that's two-thirds of the power of the explosion in Hiroshima), this is about a kilometer radius.

It is possible that North Korea is also capable of launching a miniature thermonuclear weapon that will produce an explosion equivalent to 100 kilotons, but even in this case, the zone of severe destruction will be limited to a radius of about two kilometers.

Brooke Buddemeyer, a civil defense and radiation specialist at Livermore National Laboratory, says: "You don't need a bomb shelter for protection - a conventional building will greatly increase your chances."

However, the buildings are different, and after the blast wave has passed, it may be wiser to move.

Where to hide before an atomic explosion

It's hard to find a shelter worse than a car, Buddemeyer says. The machine provides almost no protection from radiation, including radioactive fallout. In addition, the driver can be temporarily blinded by the flash of the explosion - and lose sight for a period of 15 seconds to a minute.

“The rods and cones in your retina become overwhelmed and take time to regain sensitivity – and in that time you can easily lose control of the machine. If you are driving on the road and suddenly lose your sight - like the rest of the drivers around - an accident cannot be avoided, ”explains the expert.

So if a missile alert caught you driving, your best bet is to drive to the nearest place where you can safely park, get out of your car, and drive to the nearest building.

“Once inside, go to the middle of the house or the basement to avoid injury from broken glass, flash glare and thermal burns,” Buddemeyer says.

The expert says that the technique of protection against a blast wave is similar to protection against a tornado: "If your house is in the path of a tornado or a blast wave, it is better to be in the most durable part of it."

Another tip: avoid rooms with a lot of ceiling tiles, lights or moving objects - it's better if there is nothing to fall on you.

In an office building, take cover on the stairs:

“It is located in the center of the building, surrounded by load-bearing walls, and there are few unnecessary items, so this is an ideal place.”

If anxiety catches you at home, go down to the first floor and stay closer to the center. If there is a basement - run there. In the country, an ordinary cellar can save you.

In a building, you are also partially protected from a radiation wave, and this is important, since its excessive exposure for a short time can cause very severe damage to the body - it will stop recovering, fighting infections, and so on - this is called acute radiation sickness.

It is believed that several hours of exposure to an intensity of about 750 millisieverts leads to illness - this is about 100 times the natural and medical exposure that an average person receives during the year. With a 10-kiloton explosion, such a dose can be obtained, being approximately in a radius of two kilometers, in a zone of moderate destruction. (With a distance of several kilometers, the radiation dose drops to tens of millisieverts.)

However, Buddemeyer clarifies that most of the estimates are based on nuclear tests that were conducted in deserts.

He says: "This does not take into account that there may be some obstacles between you and the explosion - reinforced concrete, steel and other building materials that absorb radiation."

So a suitable shelter can reduce the dose of radiation by a factor of ten or more. However, it is not a fact that you need to stay in the shelter that you find before the explosion after.

How to protect yourself from radioactive fallout

The next danger is radioactive fallout. This is a mixture of products of the splitting of atoms, the so-called radioisotopes.

During the explosion, these particles rise high into the sky and can settle to the ground for another 15 minutes, and although their concentration is highest in the area of the explosion, the wind can carry them over hundreds of square kilometers.

The danger of these particles is that they continue to decay, emitting gamma radiation - it is invisible, but carries a lot of energy with it, penetrates deep into the body and can cause significant damage.

However, in terms of radiation contamination, a ground-based nuclear explosion is more dangerous than a rocket warhead explosion, since the latter are usually designed to explode high above the target, which means they raise less dust into the air.

“If the first building you come across where you took shelter from the explosion is not very reliable, and there is a better one nearby, you should move there to protect yourself from radioactive fallout,” he advises.

After the explosion, you have 10-15 minutes - depending on the distance to the epicenter - to change shelter. Ideally, this should be a windowless basement so that the earth and concrete will protect you from radiation.

However, if you do not know where to go, it is better to stay in the first shelter - there may be fires or obstacles in the form of fragments of destroyed structures around.

Buddemeyer notes: "The main thing is to be indoors both during the explosion and during the period of radioactive fallout."

A 2014 study found that in some situations it can be beneficial to wait in the first shelter for an hour after detonation, and then move to a more suitable location if it is within 15 minutes of travel.

Buddemeyer's advice is to follow the rule of "hide, don't go anywhere, get in touch" (i.e. choose a shelter, don't leave it, and try to get official instructions on where to go next via radio or cell phone).

“The consequences of radioactive fallout can be avoided - if it happens in a big city, then understanding how to behave can save hundreds of thousands of people from death or radiation sickness,” the expert notes.

There are other tricks you can use to increase your chances of survival.

So, it is useful to have at home, at work and in the car a set of the most necessary things: a radio, water, a couple of nutrition bars and the medicines you need - this will not be superfluous in any disaster, not necessarily nuclear.

To protect against radioactive fallout, you can cover broken windows or doors with plastic wrap, as well as turn off all ventilation systems that draw in air from the street. In addition, it is good if bottled drinking water and canned food or other non-perishable and non-cooking food is available.

If you have been exposed to radioactive fallout, the particles can be removed as follows:

Take off your outer clothing, put it in a plastic bag and throw it out of the shelter.
If possible, take a shower; wash your skin and hair thoroughly, with shampoo but no conditioner, or wipe your body with a damp cloth.
Blow your nose to remove radioactive dust from your nose.
Rinse eyes, nose and facial hair (including eyebrows and eyelashes) with water or wipe them with a damp cloth.
Put on clean clothes (from a drawer or from a plastic bag).

Potassium iodide tablets, often considered the most important anti-radar drug, are not a very effective means of protecting against radioactive fallout. Buddemeyer estimates that radioactive iodine makes up only 0.2% of the total amount of rainfall that you can expect on the street, and these pills are more likely to solve long-term problems associated with food contamination.

He reminds: "If you received a warning about a nuclear danger, the most important thing is to find shelter." And he adds: “In Hiroshima, people survived 300 meters from the epicenter. They didn't try to find shelter - they just ended up in the building at the time of the explosion. And they received the most serious injuries from flying glass.

Prepared by Evgenia Sidorova

Found on the Internet an invaluable memo in case - God forbid it comes in handy - a nuclear war or an attack on Moscow and other Russian cities.
After the recent well-known events over Chelyabinsk, it is also relevant.

Actions on the situation "Nuclear alert"

Headquarters of the Civil Defense of Moscow Departments of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Management of fire, emergency, rescue and medical services.

1. Preliminary information.

1.1. The most probable time for a nuclear strike on Moscow is about 18:00 Moscow time. This is because:

A ) 10 a.m. Washington time makes it possible to prepare and carry out a strike during the working morning of the relevant law enforcement agencies, without drawing prematurely heightened attention of our intelligence to the activity of the agencies of a possible enemy during non-working hours;

b) all types of urban and long-distance communications are overloaded at the end of the working day, and coordination of emergency defensive measures is difficult;
v) the attention of duty services at this particular time is reduced;
G) a significant part of the population is on the road between places of work and residence, which further complicates the coordination of measures and actions;
e) transport arteries are paralyzed by traffic jams, and the population located in them is primarily unprotected from damaging factors.

1.2. The most probable yield of a thermonuclear weapon is between 2 and 10 megatons. The superpower of the ammunition is limited by the capabilities of the delivery vehicles and is due to the large area of the Moscow metropolis, the concentration of central intelligence and defense units and enterprises in it, and along its perimeter - the belt of missile and aviation cover systems, but first of all - the high security of the shelters of the presidential and government apparatus and control services Ministry of Defense being the main target.

1.3. The most probable time from the moment of the warning signal "Nuclear alert!" until the moment of the striking blow:

a) about 14 minutes when launching ground-based launch vehicles from the territory of the American continent;
b) about 7 minutes when launching missile carriers from submarine-based missile carriers occupying positions in the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. This corresponds to the flight time of ballistic missiles moving in above atmospheric space along ballistic trajectories at a speed of the order of the first space speed, i.e. 7.9 km/sec, or approx. 28,000 km/h. In practice, in combat conditions, it is possible to foresee some failures and communication delays, which can actually reduce the notification time to several minutes.

2. Signal "Nuclear alert!" served voice on all TV and radio broadcasting channels, and is also duplicated by the beeps of railway locomotives and watercraft - one long beep and two short ones, repeated several times.

3. Persons provided with shelters according to their official position, immediately begin to act according to the evacuation plan in case of an atomic alarm under the direction of civil defense representatives, or building commandants, or team leaders, or independently. It is necessary to act without panic, in an organized manner, without the slightest delay. Any manifestations of panic must be immediately suppressed by any possible means, up to the use of force and weapons. Not more than 6 minutes later (or earlier on the order of the senior officer in charge of the shelter, who made sure that there are assigned groups in full force in the shelter) after the first warning signal, all entrances to the shelter must be blocked and blocked according to combat mode, regardless of the cases of those who did not have time to take refuge in them and the number of those left outside. Attempts to prevent the closure of the entrances by any person, without exception, must be immediately suppressed by any means, up to the use of weapons.

4. At the signal "Nuclear alert!" asylum seekers, act independently, depending on where they are currently located, without delay and panic, taking all necessary measures to protect and hide from the factors of nuclear destruction. One should act calmly, competently, assessing the specific conditions of one’s place of residence, encouraging others to follow their example and instilling confidence in them with their voice and action. First of all, it is necessary to take care of the safety of children and women, as well as the elderly.

4.1. If the house has a basement, you should hide in the basement. The cracks in the doors must be plugged with any cloth, it can be wetted. It is useful to take a small supply of drinking water with you.

4.2. While in a building, it is better to hide in a closed room - an inner corridor, a bathroom, a pantry - which is separated from the outer walls by an additional partition and has no windows. It is also useful to plug door cracks and stock up on water.

4.3. In a room with a window, lie on the floor with your feet against an outside wall, covering your head with your hands. Choose a location at the bottom or side of a window so that the light falls on you as little as possible. It is better to hide from the light behind a heavy object - a wardrobe, a sofa, a table.

4.4. Those on the streets should immediately take shelter in buildings, at least in their entrances, or use other natural shelters, which include:

a) underground - the best of all possible shelters;
b) any basements, boiler rooms, underground garages;
v) sewer wells and tunnels of any underground routes;
G) foundations and lower premises of new buildings;
e) underground passages and road tunnels;
e) warehouses, underground toilets, etc.

4.5. While in public land transport, you should immediately leave it and take cover (see above). ….

….4.9. All entrances to the subway are closed immediately upon a warning signal. Any manifestations of panic among the population or attempts to counteract the immediate closure of the entrances are immediately suppressed by the employees of the station pickets of the police with appropriate means, up to the use of weapons to kill. However:

a) all escalators switch to descend; after all citizens descend to the station platforms, all escalators stop;
b) station personnel switches the power supply of all equipment to emergency in the economy mode;
v) trains do not depart from stations; trains located in tunnels on hauls continue to move to the nearest station and remain at it or within the limits of possible proximity;
G) trains that find themselves on hauls in open space must reach the entrances to the tunnels and, if possible, go deep into them.

5. In clear cloudless weather during daylight hours, the approach of a descending warhead can be identified by a white contrail similar to that of an aircraft at a higher altitude, arcing down from the upper atmosphere towards the center of Moscow at high speed.
Remember: the sound of an approaching and descending warhead will not be heard due to its supersonic speed.

6. With the accuracy of modern guidance The epicenter of the explosion will be located within the Boulevard Ring, focusing on the Kremlin-Lubyanka-Arbat area.

7. A ground explosion should be expected in Moscow. This somewhat reduces the radius of the general damage compared to an overhead explosion, but increases the strength of the seismic wave, which leads to ground movements of the type of tectonic disturbances of a nature similar to an earthquake of high power in the upper layers, leading to crushing and destruction of even significantly buried shelters of an increased degree of strength in the radius ten to fifteen kilometers.

8. Thermal damaging factor.

8.1. At the epicenter of the explosion, a light flash occurs, the brightness of which is many times greater than the observed sunlight. Within 0.03-0.04 sec. the flash is formed into a dazzling luminous sphere 1.5-2 km in diameter, with a temperature of 10-20 million "C. It covers the center of the city within the radius of the Boulevard Ring - the Kremlin - Polyanka, and everything entering this space instantly ceases to exist, turning into a plasma state.

8.2. Within a radius of 3-4 km, all objects of organic origin that are directly exposed to the direct thermal radiation of the explosion (uncovered people, animals, plants, wooden parts of buildings facing the explosion) instantly evaporate and incinerate. Asphalt road surfaces, metal fences, roofs and parts of building structures, concrete and brick walls, including those with stone and ceramic cladding, both open to direct thermal radiation from the explosion and covered to a depth of several meters, melt, evaporate, instantly burn out. . All substances, both organic covered and inorganic heat-resistant, within the radius of the Garden Ring, immediately after the moment of explosion, burn out within a few seconds with a temperature of tens of thousands of degrees.

8.3. Within a radius of 20-25 km, all wooden, plastic, painted surfaces, plants facing the direction of the explosion and accessible to direct thermal radiation flare up, metal roofs burn through, concrete, brick, glass, metal, stone are melted; window frames burn, glass evaporates, wires melt, asphalt catches fire. The active fire zone instantly covers the city within the limits of the Moscow Ring Road. Outside the Moscow Ring Road there is a ring forest fire. Completely built-up areas and forest park zones ignite. The reservoirs of the Moskva River and Yauza evaporate, the upper layer of the Khimki reservoir boils up. Remember: direct radiant heat exposure lasts from fractions of a second to several seconds and even up to several tens of seconds, depending on the power of the explosion, and spreads only in a straight line, that is, any obstacle between you and the explosion, in the shadow of which you find yourself, can save your life in a situation of sufficient distance from the epicenter of the explosion.

9. The damaging factor of the shock wave.

9.1. The action of the air shock wave begins immediately at the moment of the explosion and follows the thermal radiation, however, lagging behind its instantaneous effect as the distance from the epicenter of the explosion is farther, the longer the period of time. In the second affected zone, the speed of the air shock wave reaches 1-5 thousand m/s, i.e. everything in this zone, moreover, already exposed to heat, is blown away by a powerful explosion in the direction from the epicenter to the periphery, turning into a leveled surface of crushed debris burning at high temperatures (the so-called blowing off of the landscape). Crushed burning fragments of substances located between the radii of the Boulevard and Garden Rings are ejected by a shock wave along an expanding concentric circle into zone three.

9.2. In the third zone, i.e. within Moscow inside the Moscow Ring Road, the shock wave speed decreases somewhat, especially at the very surface, but continues to remain above supersonic, i.e. up to 300-500 m / s at the border of the Moscow Ring Road, which causes instantaneous destruction all ground structures, both high-rise and low-rise. The red-hot and burning parts of the surfaces facing the epicenter, mixing with other materials during demolition, give the so-called. fire carpet with a temperature that ensures the combustion of metals and the melting of ceramics. During the passage of the shock wave, individual parts and parts move in the air at speeds of the order of artillery shells, aggravating the process of destruction of everything that rises above the surface. All plantings break out, water from all reservoirs is squeezed out.

9.3. The forests, settlements and airports closest to the Moscow Ring Road are also subject to complete or predominant destruction, partial or complete destruction and combustion.

9.4. Within the entire affected area, an area of sharply reduced atmospheric pressure arises due to both the burning out of oxygen in the air and the concentric expansion of air masses. As a result, soon after the passage of the shock wave, a reverse shock wave appears, directed towards the epicenter. It is characterized by a much lower speed, commensurate with the speed of an ordinary hurricane, but it brings masses of fresh oxygen to the entire area of fire, which creates the effect of bellows, creating the so-called. firestorm over the entire affected area. The zone within the Moscow Ring Road is likened to a leveled surface of hot coals in a furnace.

10. Seismic impact of a ground explosion causes the effect of an earthquake with compaction and shearing of the surface layers. All underground structures of the subway within the Circle Line and the stations closest to it are being destroyed and completely collapsed. All bomb shelters within the Garden Ring are completely destroyed. All basements within the Moscow Ring Road are completely destroyed. All sewerage and ventilation underground structures in the space of Prospekt Mira, the Zoo, Serpukhovskaya, Ilyich Square are crushed, destroyed and collapsed. All entrances and exits from the metro, ventilation shafts, emergency and service exits are filled up, or crushed, or completely blocked by a layer of hot mass on the surface.

11. The external picture of the explosion looks normal and characteristic of a thermonuclear explosion of high power. The white plasma sphere, which covers the center of Moscow like a two-kilometer dome and is four times higher than the Ostankino television tower, after a few seconds begins to fade, twitch with a crimson smoky veil and separates from the surface, floating up. The burning city lies in all directions, like a circle of dominoes, covered with swirling smoke, and streams of smoke and fire rush from the periphery of the circle of the Moscow Ring Road to the rising sphere, forming a characteristic mushroom stem that expands below to the limits of the affected area, narrowing at the top to a sphere that is shrouded in a cloud mushroom caps. The swirling smoke at the foot of the mushroom reaches a kilometer height, the diameter of the stem narrows to eight hundred thousand meters under the hat. The mushroom continues to rise, and although the rise looks slow due to its gigantic size, after three to five minutes it reaches a height of 25-35 km. With a high-power explosion, this picture can stand for up to several hours.

12. The fire itself, which makes it impossible to start any kind of rescue work, can last, taking into account the affected area of the metropolis of Moscow, up to several days.

13. High background radiation will not allow the start of any rescue work in the metropolis earlier than in 15-20 days, with the exception of special operations of particular importance. Carrying out any rescue operations should be considered expedient in an area no closer than 5 - 10 km behind the MKAD line.

14. The funnel at the epicenter of the explosion is the crater is about 2 km in diameter and up to 200-300 m deep in the center. Its surface is a vitreous mass up to 10-12 m thick.

Second affected area is a relatively flat surface covered with a layer of vitreous sintered mass 0.3-0.9 m thick.

Third affected area It is a bumpy surface, largely covered with a vitreous sintered mass with a thickness of several millimeters to several centimeters. Tests of such ammunition, conducted by both the USSR and the USA and France, showed with reliability that attempts to carry out any rescue work within the indicated radiuses have no real grounds . The defeat of open and sheltered manpower, equipment and buildings reaches 100%. Rescue work should focus on resettlement and assistance to people who find themselves outside the zone of direct destruction, outside the 100-kilometer zone.

The world has been in a fever lately. And, although we hope to the last that it will carry over and the governments of the whole world will be able to agree, a chill runs down the back from time to time. What if not? Life tells why nuclear weapons are scary, but you should not be afraid of him, lose sleep and drink valocordin. And also what to do if the worst happens.

Sunday morning, you got up early and, while the city has not yet woken up, make tea in the kitchen. The sun slowly rises outside the window, as if promising a good day. But what is it? A strong flash of light hits the eyes, after a few seconds all the windows in the house fly out, and on the horizon, in addition to the familiar landscape, a growing porcini mushroom of a nuclear explosion can be seen. The civil defense siren howls hysterically in the street. And tea is tasteless, and you don’t feel like eating, and you need to run ... But where and why? Where is the nearest bomb shelter and are they waiting for you there? Will it help against modern bombs, and is it true that only one atomic bomb is enough for the whole city?

old and scary

It should be noted right away that the chances of a full-fledged nuclear war are minimal. Both Russian and American headquarters played out this scenario more than once, convinced of its destructiveness. And, although the concept of "nuclear winter" has not been reliably proven (more than 2000 nuclear explosions have already been carried out in the world, and catastrophic consequences are not visible), neither side wants to live on a planet that is hopelessly damaged by radiation. Therefore, everything about bombs and bomb shelters that you will read in this article should be considered only theoretical exercises that will never be needed in real life.

In fact, over the past fifty years, nuclear weapons have not undergone any major changes. The United States of America is still successfully using bombs created in the 60s of the last century. Delivery vehicles are changing, new missiles and warheads are being created that are capable of delivering a military atom to enemy territory. The bomb itself remains as simple and deadly as it was decades ago. Most often, an air or ground nuclear explosion is assumed. It is he who will be created by the warheads of a rocket that has broken through the air defense system.

The explosion occurs at the moment of detonation of a nuclear charge at the target or its fall to the surface. At the same time, 50 percent of the energy goes to the formation of a shock wave and a funnel in the ground, 30-40 percent will go into light radiation, up to 5 percent - into penetrating radiation and electromagnetic radiation, and about 15 percent will turn into radioactive contamination of the area. Most likely, the explosion will be carried out in the atmosphere, at a small distance from the ground, so the greatest destructive power and efficiency is achieved. For example, in Hiroshima, a bomb was detonated at an altitude of 600 meters above the surface.

light and blow

The most terrible manifestation of an explosion is not at all a mushroom from raised dust, but a fleeting flash and a shock wave. They are the ones that do the most damage. It all starts with light radiation, which is a stream of radiant energy. Its source is the luminous area of the explosion - heated to high temperatures and evaporated parts of the ammunition, the surrounding soil and air. If the ammunition exploded in the air, you will see a ball, if on the ground, then a hemisphere.

It is light radiation, the temperature of which reaches 7700 degrees, that can burn those who fall into the affected area, leaving only shadows on the walls. A black-humor anecdote advises to make a dog out of fingers in the event of exposure to light radiation, leaving a riddle on the wall for future generations. The area affected by light radiation is the smallest, but the most destructive, there will be nothing alive in it, by definition. The fridge that Indiana Jones was hiding in won't help either.

By the way, the duration of the fireball is very short. For a tactical nuclear explosion, it is three hundredths of a second at all. You will just see an instantaneous flash, and the shock wave will come. Most of the destruction is caused just by it. A shock wave is a shock wave in a medium that moves at supersonic speed (more than 350 meters per second). In an atmospheric explosion, a shock wave is a small area in which there is an almost instantaneous increase in temperature, pressure, and air density.

Here, from the shock wave, bomb shelters help very well. Even an ordinary basement of an apartment building will give you a chance to survive if you fall into the affected area. However, first you need to be in the basement before the explosion occurs, and the probability of this is high only if you live there.

invisible waves

Electromagnetic radiation is dangerous for technology, so there is no point in dwelling on it. It’s just that, most likely, there will no longer be an opportunity to call or take a selfie from phones that have fallen into the affected area. Their filling will be hopelessly damaged by an electromagnetic pulse. The same should be said about modern cars: you won’t be able to start them.

The third factor of damage, dangerous to humans, is penetrating radiation, or - in other words - ionizing radiation. The radius of destruction of penetrating radiation during explosions in the atmosphere is less than the radii of damage from light radiation and shock waves, since it is strongly absorbed by it. Penetrating radiation affects people only at a distance of two to three kilometers from the explosion site, even for large charges. Therefore, you simply should not be afraid of it, if you are in the affected area with air heated to seven thousand degrees, there is no point in fearing penetrating radiation.

Collage © L!FE. Photo: © Pixabay

Radiation

And after all this, we can talk about radiation contamination of the area. Radioactive contamination is the result of a significant amount of radioactive substances falling out of a cloud raised into the air. The three main sources of radioactive substances in the explosion zone are the fission products of the bomb filling, the part of the nuclear charge that did not react, and radioactive isotopes formed in the soil and other materials under the influence of neutrons.

It is this factor that causes acute radiation sickness, from which almost the majority of those who were hit died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki (according to estimates - 80,000 people), and a few years later the total number of deaths exceeded 160,000 people and, according to some estimates, came close to 200,000 people.

With radioactive contamination, it’s simple: if after the explosion you ended up in a room where the glass remained (and in Japan, windows were knocked out by a shock wave at a distance of 14 kilometers from the epicenter), then you can close the window and stay at home. If it is possible to get into a tightly closed basement without drafts, it is better to get there. Knowing what kind of basements are usually in Russia, it is easier to stay at home, trying to seal and close all possible ventilation openings. No need to torture yourself with drinking iodine in the form that is in your medicine cabinet: it will not help. It is better to uncork a bottle of wine and calm down.

In addition, most nuclear warheads are now thermonuclear, in the so-called pure category of nuclear weapons. Experts believe that after a few hours the radiation background will decrease so much that the evacuation will begin. Therefore, radiation should be less afraid than other reasons.

Should I run to a bomb shelter?

Alas, stories about bomb shelters as good protection against a nuclear explosion are more likely just fairy tales for complacency. In order for bomb shelters to really work effectively, it is required that people were already there at the time of the explosion. The offspring of World War II, they are still effective in conventional shelling and bombing, you can see this by watching reports from Ukraine. However, in the event of a full-scale nuclear war, the GZ system, most likely, simply will not have time to work out, people will not reach shelters, and ultimately this will lead to even more deaths.

In addition, as modern studies show, the inventory revealed the presence in the treasury of the Russian Federation of 16,271 objects of protective structures, state funding for the maintenance of which has not been carried out for more than 20 years. At the moment, most of them are simply closed, do not function, there is no water and food supply to sit out the allotted time to reduce the impact of radiation contamination. There is simply no point in relying on them, and, as already mentioned, the chance of getting there on time is vanishingly small.

Bad news

Demonstration of personal protective equipment in a protective structure in the Moscow region. Photo: ©RIA Novosti//Ilya Pitalev

Residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg, some bad news for you. In the event of a full-scale nuclear war, your favorite cities will become the main targets for nuclear strikes along with strategic military installations. Residents of Moscow can hope for the missile defense of the capital, but most likely it will simply not be enough in the case of several hundred warheads flying into the very heart of our homeland.

Residents of other cities - also do not relax. If you have serious military or strategic enterprises in your city, then the missiles are aimed at your city too. At the same time, unlike the Muscovites, there is not even a meager chance to shoot them down on approach - as it falls, it will fall.

Fear is stronger than bombs

We also want to remind you once again: the most destructive effect of nuclear weapons is psychological. According to the general opinion of experts, the most serious and long-term consequences of the Chernobyl disaster include the consequences of a socio-psychological nature. Fear, anxiety, fear of radiation sickness killed many more people than suffered from radiation.

The fear of a nuclear explosion, which I hope will never happen over any of the cities of our cozy and small Earth, is killing you right now. And a war with full-scale use of nuclear weapons, we hope, will never come. Stop worrying and finish your morning tea. Health and peaceful sky above your head!

The Cold War ended over two decades ago, and many people have never lived in fear of nuclear annihilation. However, a nuclear attack is a very real threat. Global politics is far from stable and human nature has not changed in recent years, nor in the last two decades. "The most constant sound in the history of mankind is the sound of the drums of war." As long as nuclear weapons exist, there is always the danger of their use.

Is it really possible to survive after a nuclear war? There are only predictions: some say yes, others say no. Keep in mind that modern thermonuclear weapons are plentiful and several thousand times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Japan. We really don't fully understand what will happen when thousands of these munitions explode at the same time. For some, especially those living in densely populated areas, trying to survive may seem completely futile. However, if a person survives, it will be someone who is morally and logistically prepared for such an event and lives in a very remote area of no strategic importance.

Steps

Preliminary preparation

Make a plan. If a nuclear attack occurs, you will not be able to go outside, as it will be dangerous. You should stay protected for at least 48 hours, but preferably longer. With food and medicine on hand, you can at least temporarily not worry about them and focus on other aspects of survival.

Stock up on foods that are not perishable. Such products can be stored for several years, so they should be available and will help you survive after an attack. Choose foods that are high in carbs so you get more calories for less money. Store them in a cool dry place:

White rice
Wheat
Beans
Sugar
Pasta
Powdered milk
Dried fruits and vegetables
Build up your stock gradually. Every time you go to the grocery store, buy one or two items for your dry rations. In the end, you will stock up for several months.
Make sure you have a can opener with you.

You must have a supply of water. Water can be stored in food grade plastic containers. Clean them with a bleach solution and then fill them with filtered and distilled water.
- Your goal is to have 4 liters per person per day.
- Keep common chlorine bleach and potassium iodide (Lugol's solution) on hand to purify water in the event of an attack.
You must have means of communication. Staying up to date, as well as being able to alert others to your location, can be vital. Here's what you might need:
- Radio. Try to find an option that works with a crank or solar power. If you have a radio with batteries, don't forget spares. If possible, connect to a radio station that broadcasts 24-hour weather forecasts and emergency information.
- Whistle. You can use it to call for help.
- Mobile phone. It is not known whether mobile communication will work, but if it does, you should be prepared. If possible, find a solar charger for your phone model.
Stock up on medicines. Having the necessary medicines and being able to provide first aid is a matter of life and death if you are injured in an attack. You will need:

Prepare other items. Add the following to your survival kit:
- Flashlight and batteries
- Respirators
- plastic film and adhesive tape
- Garbage bags, plastic ties and wet wipes for personal hygiene
- Wrench and pliers to turn off gas and water.
Follow the news. A nuclear attack is unlikely to happen out of the blue. It will certainly be preceded by a sharp deterioration in the political situation. If a conventional war breaks out between countries that have nuclear weapons and does not end quickly, it could escalate into a nuclear war. Even individual nuclear strikes in one region can escalate into an all-out nuclear conflict. Many countries have a rating system to indicate the imminence of an attack. In the USA and Canada, for example, it is called DEFCON.

Assess the risk and consider evacuation if a nuclear exchange looks realistic. If evacuation is not an option, then you should at least build a shelter for yourself. Assess your proximity to the following destinations
- Airfields and naval bases, especially those hosting nuclear bombers, submarine-launched ballistic missiles or bunkers. These places for sure will be attacked even with a limited exchange of nuclear strikes.
- Commercial ports and airstrips over 3 km long. These places, probably for sure
- government buildings. These places, probably, will be attacked even with a limited exchange of nuclear strikes and for sure be attacked in an all-out nuclear war.
- Large industrial cities and most populated regions. These places, probably, will be attacked in the event of an all-out nuclear war.
Learn about the different types of nuclear weapons:
- Atomic bombs are the main types of nuclear weapons and are included in other classes of weapons. The power of an atomic bomb is due to the fission of heavy nuclei (plutonium and uranium) when they are irradiated with neutrons. When each atom splits, a large amount of energy is released and even more neutrons. This results in an extremely fast nuclear chain reaction. Atomic bombs are the only type of nuclear bomb still used in warfare. If terrorists can capture and use a nuclear weapon, it will most likely be an atomic bomb.
- Hydrogen bombs use the ultra-high temperature of an atomic charge as a "spark plug". Under the influence of temperature and strong pressure, deuterium and tritium are formed. Their nuclei interact, and as a result, a huge release of energy occurs - a thermonuclear explosion. Hydrogen bombs are also known as thermonuclear weapons because deuterium and tritium nuclei require high temperatures to interact. Such weapons are usually many hundreds of times stronger than the bombs that destroyed Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Most of the US and Russian strategic arsenal are just such bombs.
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In recent days, everyone is just discussing whether the third world war between the USA and Russia will begin or not. In the media and social networks, you constantly come across materials about the coming "nuclear apocalypse", which in turn provokes attacks of fear and hysteria in many. Over the past years, we have already managed to forget the warning signals, and the younger generation knows about the threat only from computer games. Life tells what to do if a mushroom cloud appears on the horizon.

Outside, of course, is not the Caribbean crisis, but the degree of paranoia in the air has risen sharply. And although no one promises to turn other countries into "nuclear ashes", there are still enough reasons. The last of these is the US threat to launch a missile attack on Syria.

The nuclear threat has already been erased from people's memory. It is unlikely that anyone will now name what one long beep and two short ones mean, or quickly answer where the nearest bomb shelter is. A nuclear mushroom on the horizon has become something like a zombie apocalypse - pure fantasy from books about stalkers and the third world war. We imagined how a reader of such literature would survive after a real nuclear strike.

First day

The threat of nuclear war was a tempting prospect for me. "Battles with marauders", "survival in radioactive forests", "collisions with mutants" - it sounded even cooler than "zombie apocalypse". I surfed the Web, found out that if something happened, Washington would start bombing cities at six o'clock in the evening, and read what products to take. I went to the dacha and took grandfather's cartridges - in the event of an apocalypse, they will become the most valuable resource. In addition, I bought a gun through an anonymous browser. In addition, I bought a used car so that I could drive into the forest after the explosion.

Valuable Tips:

The need to take weapons and ammunition with you is one of the most common myths about a nuclear apocalypse. Marauders and even more so mutants are nothing more than a figment of the imagination of writers. If you take weapons and ammunition with you, then you will have to part with them at the first checkpoint.
Instead of stuffing your backpack with pasta, pack as much medicine as you can. You will need antibiotics, insulin, and a variety of wound care products. Please note: you will not get really effective anti-radiation agents in advance. Drinking iodine, as most guides advise, is also not worth it, except for complacency.

Second day

A huge nuclear mushroom appeared on the horizon. I admired it from the window of my house, then quickly grabbed my backpack and went down to the garage. I turned on the car and drove into the forests - to survive.

Valuable Tips:

You hardly need transportation. And in the forest you will definitely not hide from the explosion (and subsequent radioactive fallout). If after the explosion you find yourself far from the affected area, then the car, of course, will help. However, a pre-prepared car in the garage of your home is not the most useful thing. In the first hours after the explosion, it is better to sit at home. If the glasses survived, then just hang out a signal for help and wait. You need to wait somewhere for three days - during this time the radioactive background will significantly decrease.
The walls of the house are good at weakening radiation pollution. Prepare the most closed clothing and try to assess the situation. Don't panic. Turn on the TV and try to understand what happened - an explosion at a nuclear power plant, a terrorist attack, or the third world war began. After that, wait for the rescuers or the military. Only they really know what to do. Memos that have been roaming the Web for decades, and guides from stalker forums, are best not to believe. Only the military has real manuals, and they are unsuitable for civilians.
It is better not to stare at the "mushroom" - you can earn a retinal burn.
Don't really count on mobile communications - if the third world war starts, then most likely there will be no access to it.

Valuable Tips:

Not all metro stations are suitable. You want deep stations that have sliding doors and good ventilation. Among the deep stations, one can note "Admiralteyskaya" in St. Petersburg and the station "Park Pobedy" in Moscow. The subway can indeed be more useful than the bomb shelter, as it is regularly inspected. But it is also not recommended to sit in the subway for a long time. When the background subsides, try to leave the affected area. At the same time, it is better to move underground - reduce your stay on the surface to a minimum.
Once again: no need to go anywhere or run away. Try to figure out which blast zone you are in.

Valuable Tips:

Don't expect your life in a bomb shelter to be filled with drama. Kitchen, toilet, bedroom - that's your itinerary for the next couple of weeks.
The main entertainment is, of course, information from the outside. Bomb shelters are equipped (if you're lucky) with points of contact.
Despite the nervous situation, it is better not to run around the bomb shelter so as not to increase the production of carbon dioxide.

Day ten

We went up to the surface for the first time. Now the adventures should definitely begin: searching for food, hunting, fighting looters.

If you still have to look for food, then do it as far as possible from the affected area. We are talking about 100 kilometers from the epicenter of a nuclear explosion. Forget about hunting cats and dogs - the simpler the food, the less nuclides it contains. Therefore, it is better to do with plant foods. But in general, of course, it is wiser not to get food, but to eat exclusively canned food.
Better to stay with the military as long as possible. The military will collect buses for emergency evacuation of people. After being transferred to the campground, you will need to change clothes and undergo decontamination. If the dose of radiation received is too high, you will be sent to the hospital. In addition, you need to get anti-radiation products.
In the event of the start of a third world war, they will come for you from the military registration and enlistment office. The rest will wait for the transfer to the rear.
In the event of a single explosion, you will be transferred to children's camps and rest homes for temporary accommodation.