What if new york was nuked

People exposed to radiation would have an increased risk for cancer, especially in the blood, thyroid, breast, stomach, colon, lung, liver, and bladder. The spike can be dramatic: Between and , survivors of the atomic bombings in Japan were 46 percent more likely than the general population to develop lethal cases of leukemia.

The most radioactive region of the plume would reach its full length of 20 miles an hour after the explosion, exposing every unsheltered person in the area to toxic levels of radiation; if it were to spread north from Times Square, it would reach as far as New Rochelle.

Within a day, this danger zone would shrink to about a mile in length. Within a week, it would have dissipated completely. A much bigger but less radioactive region of the plume, called the hot zone, would reach its maximum length of 60 miles — extending, say, as far north as Monroe, Connecticut — two hours after the explosion. A week later, the hot zone would still extend 20 miles from the city, and it would take many more weeks for it to disappear altogether.

Although radioactivity in the hot zone would likely be too weak to cause any acute symptoms of radiation sickness, it could still subtly damage the human body and increase the chance of cancer. How far and in what direction a plume of fallout travels depends on the altitude of the mushroom cloud, as well as temperature, wind, and other meteorological variables.

Farmers in upstate New York and neighboring states might be told to shelter their animals and postpone or destroy their harvests, due to contamination. The smallest and lightest specks of radioactive debris would meanwhile rise high into the atmosphere, circling the Earth many times before returning to the ground in rain or snow.

If the plume encountered storm clouds, a large amount of drifting fallout could suddenly descend, creating a hot spot of radioactivity many miles from ground zero.

More than 70 years ago, America became the first and only country to use nuclear weapons in war. Despite witnessing the immediate and enduring horror of those attacks — despite decades of technological advances in nuclear warfare — the U. Much of the short-term response to a nuclear explosion in a city like New York would be improvised — adapted from plans meant for other kinds of disasters. To get food into the city, say, or repair disabled subway lines, emergency officials might draw on contingencies outlined in the event of another Hurricane Sandy.

Once the immediate threat passed and first responders were able to descend on ground zero, disaster teams would begin decontaminating the city through a combination of methods that seem oddly mundane: vacuuming, power washing, steam cleaning, sandblasting, and road resurfacing. Beyond the first few days, however, it appears that no federal or state agency has detailed plans in place for recovering from a nuclear attack. After the United States dropped Little Boy on Hiroshima, it took only four days to repair water pumps and get some streetcar and railway lines up and running.

But it took the city four years to complete its initial restoration efforts and another decade to recover its prewar population. What rebounds most quickly, amid the death and destruction of a nuclear attack, is life itself. Within weeks of a nuclear blast in Times Square, trees and shrubs in Central Park that survived the explosion would begin to grow new shoots. Just as wind-borne seeds will colonize the still-warm slopes of a recently erupted volcano, here, too, new plants would start to stretch their roots into the charred soil.

Small creatures that survived by virtue of being underground or underwater — ants, beetles, spiders, mice, fish, salamanders — would grow and multiply. Mourning doves would build nests on fire escapes warped and melted by the blast. By the spring of , within a year of the bombing of Hiroshima, red oleander was blooming once more. Reporting contributed by Ferris Jabr. Casualty estimates and fallout map based on research by Alex Wellerstein of nuclearsecrecy.

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Aria Bendix. Simulations show how each of the cities would be affected by a kiloton blast — the kind detonated over Hiroshima. New York City would have the most fatalities. San Francisco would have the least. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Wellerstein's NukeMap tool lets you detonate a hypothetical nuclear bomb over any major city in the world.

We live in very bizarre times. Nuclear weapons are commonplace, at least insofar as lots of countries have access to them but never actually use them, but tensions between superpowers never seem to go away. The US is in an open war of words with Russia, while North Korea, despite being on its best behavior lately, is still seemingly a threat to just about everyone.

Do not leave your building or evacuate your area until instructed to do so by government officials. The most dangerous radiation levels in the outside air will decrease significantly over the first 24 hours but can last for days. So getting indoors as soon as possible and staying put until officials say the threat has passed is key. Avoid eating anything in your home or building that was exposed to fallout particles drifting in from open windows or doors. And make sure to rinse all plates, glasses and silverware before using them.

Other than that, "you can eat canned goods, food that is in your refrigerator or freezer, boxed foods and food in bottles or jars," the city says. Fruits that have to be peeled bananas, oranges, etc. You can also eat fruits and vegetables that are not normally peeled, such as apples and carrots — but be sure to rinse them thoroughly beforehand. As for water: "It depends on several factors and whether or not the city's or your building's water supply has been affected," city officials say.

However, until you hear from public health authorities that NYC tap water is safe to drink, bottled water is the only source that we are certain is free of contamination.

Bottled water and other drinks in containers, while safe, "should be rinsed with a water supply known to be free of contamination prior to opening," the city says.

At the risk of looking like a paranoid apocalypse nerd, there are some steps you can take to make sure you and your family are as prepared as possible for nuclear war before it starts. City officials recommend keeping a seven-day emergency supply of life essentials inside your home "in an easily accessible container or special cupboard.

Although hiding in your car is not recommended during a nuclear event, you may have no choice. So the city recommends keeping the following supplies in the trunk of your vehicle :. In case you have to evacuate or flee, pack what the city calls a "Go Bag" ahead of time. Here's what you should put inside:. You should also pack a Go Bag for your pet , the city says.

Here's what to include:. Simone Wilson , Patch Staff. Find out what's happening in New York City with free, real-time updates from Patch. Let's go! You know, just in case.