Indian and Pakistani politicians frequently raise the spectre of a nuclear war whenever tension between the two arch-rivals escalates.
Needless to say, very little thought is given to the great damage nuclear warheads are capable of wreaking when such statements are aired. The impact of such an exchange not just entails great loss of life but also disastrous consequences for the environment.
We used eight nuclear bombs from the US, the USSR, North Korea, India and Pakistan and virtually detonated them in two Indian and Pakistani cities each to gauge their impact.
This is what we found:
ISLAMABAD
Type of bomb: Davy Crockett – tiniest US bomb produced (20t)
Estimated fatalities: 1,410
Type of bomb: Crude nuclear terrorist weapon (100t)
Estimated fatalities: 2,230
Type of bomb: North Korean weapon tested in 2006 (500t)
Estimated fatalities: 6,310
Type of bomb: Little Boy – Hiroshima Bomb (15kt)
Estimated fatalities: 60,350
Type of bomb: Fat Man – Nagasaki Bomb (20kt)
Estimated fatalities: 65,750
Type of bomb: Largest Indian weapon tested (60 kt)
Estimated fatalities: 1,07,260
Type of bomb: Castle Bravo – largest US bomb tested (15 Mt)
Estimated fatalities: 9,70,910
Type of bomb: Tsar Bomba – largest USSR bomb tested (50 Mt)
Estimated fatalities: 25,56,690
LAHORE
Type of bomb: Davy Crockett – tiniest US Bomb produced (20t)
Estimated fatalities: 7,520
Type of bomb: Crude Nuclear Terrorist Weapon (100t)
Estimated fatalities: 10,930
Type of bomb: North Korean Weapon tested in 2006 (500t)
Estimated fatalities: 27,360
Type of bomb: Little Boy – Hiroshima Bomb (15kt)
Estimated fatalities: 2,14,330
Type of bomb: Fat Man – Nagasaki Bomb (20kt)
Estimated fatalities: 2,34,550
Type of bomb: Largest Indian weapon tested (60 kt)
Estimated fatalities: 4,40,210
Type of bomb: Castle Bravo – largest US bomb tested (15 Mt)
Estimated fatalities: 53,12,110
Type of bomb: Tsar Bomba – largest USSR bomb tested (50 Mt)
Estimated fatalities: 77,35,140
NEW DELHI
Type of bomb: Davy Crockett – tiniest US bomb produced (20t)
Estimated fatalities: 1,410
Type of bomb: Crude nuclear terrorist weapon (100t)
Estimated fatalities: 6,350
Type of bomb: North Korean weapon tested in 2006 (500t)
Estimated fatalities: 21,200
Type of bomb: Little Boy – Hiroshima Bomb (15kt)
Estimated fatalities: 1,97,280
Type of bomb: Fat Man – Nagasaki Bomb (20kt)
Estimated fatalities: 2,15,910
Type of bomb: Largest Pakistani weapon tested (60 kt)
Estimated fatalities: 3,67,900
Type of bomb: Castle Bravo – largest US bomb tested (15 Mt)
Estimated fatalities: 69,72,300
Type of bomb: Tsar Bomba – largest USSR bomb tested (50 Mt)
Estimated fatalities: 1,39,89,210
Colours used for determining effect
Radiation radius (500 rem) – Green
Fireball radius- Dark yellow
Air blast radius (20 psi) – Pink
Air blast radius (5 psi) – Grey
Thermal radiation radius (3rd degree burns) – Light yellow
