How much destruction would you expect from a Nuclear Bomb in a major city?

Question

I live in Houston Texas and I often wonder how far outside the city limits is safe from a nuclear bomb. I keep thinking that one day these terrorists are going to get one through and it scares me. I currently live about 10 miles away from downtown houston. Does anyone know what I could expect if one went off?

Answer 1

First stop being paranoid. It'll be very very very very difficult for a terrorist to get one. It simply is as simple as they make it out in movies. Also, that would depend on the size of the nuke. Some could blow up Houston twice over, others are at a smaller radius..so it depends.

Answer 2

It would depend on the means of delivery, the type of burst and the desired effect. Houston is a fairly large layed out city, instead of using one device it would more effective to use three small one kiloton devices air bursted at three different points around the city. This would flatten the center of the city with blast effect and cause fires encircling the city.

To destroy an underground complex or take advantage of an underground fault, one would set the device to create a subsurface detonation. Suppose you want to destroy the population of a coastal city yet leave the city relatively intact? Drop the nuke into the harbor and use the resulting tidal wave to kill off the population, beside some flooding the city will be intact.

If I remember correctly, Houston is located on very flat terrain which allows a nuclear weapons blast effect to travel long distances easily. The first thing a nuke does is flash; the sudden release of thermal energy in a 360 degree circle, nearly everything within the fireball is going to be vaporized. At the very same time you have the release of Gamma radiation which will irradiate everybody exposed to it and an out going shock wave which flatten most standing structures. Now all the matter that was vaporized will produces an ash which any survivors will begin inhaling almost immediately, this is Alpha and Beta particles of radiation which will seek out your bone marrow causing to die off in weeks or months following the blast, providing those Gamma rays didn't toast you when the device went off. Just when you think you might be safe, that out going shock wave returns coming back toward the blast point. The odds are that about fifty percent of the population will be killed outright by the blast. Another quarter of the exposed population will die within two weeks to two months following the attack. another 20 percent might survive from one to several years following such an attack only to die from the delayed effects of radiation induced cancers. Of the remaining 5 percent some may survive another 20 or 30 years.

Answer 3

It depends on the yield of the device. 1000 tons of tnt equals 1 kiloton. 1000 kilotons (KT) equals 1 megaton (MT).

Also, as the gentlemen mentioned below, it can depend on the location of the device for the effectiveness of the weapon. Basically, this is the down low...

there are two types of weapons employed on the battlefield today. Strategic and Tactical.

Strategic Nukes
are only in the hands of a few nations. They are measured in megatons, and were designed to destroy cities. Generally, they are between 20-30 megatons, which will obliterate most everything within a 40-50 mile radius. However, the russians have built a 50 megaton and detonated it. It basically, would wipe out 100 mile radius. Why would the russians build this device you ask? Because they do not have as reliable accurracy from their ballistic missiles as we do, so they build them bigger in case they are off miles away from target. These large bombs create a cloud that will go into the stratosphere and carry radiation throughout the globe. Enough of them will create a nuclear winter and possible extinction level event. So, if a strategic nuke hit 10 miles from you, you most likely would die from the initial blast unless you were underground in a bunker of sufficient blast resistence.

Tactical Nukes
are weapons designed to destroy bases or other key targets such as a naval vessel, large encamped land force etc. These are generally measured in kilotons. There are different ranges of kilotons from small 1kt-100kt or bigger. These types of weapons create a cloud in the troposphere and the radiation is localized at a regional level. From 10 miles away you will probably be effected and possibly die, but most likely not from the initial blast unless it was a sizeable nuke (10 KT or more).

Commentary
The worst possible war scenario would be a combination of ICBM, Sub, Bomber exchange between USA (about 5,000 Strategic Weapons 4,000 tactical weapons) and Russia (about 16,000 Strategic Weapons about 5,000 tactical weapons or more). Nuclear winter, possible ELE.

If a terrorist group or small country were to have a Nuke it would most likely be a Tactical weapon unless they were able to get their hands on one from the big three (USA, Russia, China). All the rest of the nations do not have any known strategic weapon only the smaller devices including South Africa, Israel, Pakistan, France, UK etc. and the other countries we do not know about yet unknown?


What to do, now and then!

Don't look at the light of the initial blast, duck and cover behind the strongest object between you and the blast. If you survive leave the area immediately and take your clothes off, wash very cleanly shower soap rinse(radiation can be washed off of you) take iodine tablets if needed(can purchase them for a few bucks) have a plan or destination/communication with family or friends emergency evac plan. If it is a significant exchange or vollies then do the above and find a place under ground for months, but at least the first few weeks. The highest concentration of fallout will occurr immediately following the exchange and 2-3 weeks after. The half life will decrease significantly afterwards, but may still be deathly to touch or inhale radiation for years to come. Eventually head south Brazil, New Zealand etc. as the trade winds hopefully will maintain the concentrations of radiation in the northern hemisphere at least for six months. Be prepared for a nuclear winter blocks out the sun and then hell on earth from serious greenhouse gases.

But, to tell you the truth I think that you should be more worried about hurricanes, Houston probably not a primary target? NY, DC, L.A., S.F., Chicago leave immediately! Everyone else is gonna be a second choice target although Houston will be in the top ten at least for population. Unless a war with Russia, then even where I live in Lake Tahoe will probably be targeted.

Guess what! You are pretty much guaranteed not to get out of this universe alive! So, take precautions, but don't live in fear, what will it gain you? Nothing! If you are concerned about your after life or the unknown pray to Jesus and put it in his hands...He owns it all!

Answer 4

A nuclear bomb would completely destroy anything in its blast radius. Materials there would be disintegrated and vaporized. Outside the blast radius might see significant damage, but you can survive in this area. What is not widely known, and perhaps the most dangerous thing, is the EMP (electromagnetic pulse) would knockout all electronics for a good distance, well beyond several hundred miles for large nuclear bombs. Everything - light bulbs, cell phones, computers, cars would be completely useless.

Answer 5

I read somewhere where they the experts say that the average blast radious is about 10 miles. And the surrounding 20-30 miles will get hit with the radiation. So that will pretty much take out a whole city.

Answer 6

Depends on a lot of factors. But a dirty nuke(used uranium rods) set off on ground or in a basement will take out about a 5 mile area. If they get it at optimum height maybe 7-8 mile area.
If they get a hold of weapons grade plutonium and build a large one and launch it under perfect conditions 50 mile radius with 90% destruction in a 10 mile radius.

Do you feel better? No? Stop worring about stupid BS if they had one they would use it. They don't have one, how do I know....no city has been bombed.

Answer 7

Politicians dropped those bombs, not scientists. Oh, BTW, the war replaced into already over while they have been dropped, too. there replaced right into a mad rush to get them on planes and drop them previously the easily resign ceremony, so as that shall we do a attempt of them on those cities without being noted as evil. We very very nearly did not make it...

Answer 8

If a 5000kt weapon went off dead center Houston. A 2.6
mile circle would be completely destroyed, everything gone!
Out to 4,8 mile ordanary houses and buildings would be destroyed to rubble.Moderate damage to concrete buildings.
8.4 miles out,there will be severe damage to reg/houses
and moderate to concrete ones.12.4 miles out,light damage to all buildings and trees.15+ miles out , fractered or shattered glass and light blast wave damage.

Answer 9

Everything within 2 miles is dust, then for every 10 miles 10% less devistation, all the way out to 100 miles. then you have to wory about water contamination, food, air. so for me I want to be in the 2 mile radius.

Answer 10

Depends on the size of the bomb.
More kilotons=more damage over a wider area.