What If It Happened Here? To make the effects of nuclear bombs clearer, let’s imagine what would happen if a one-megaton warhead exploded above Times Square in New York City. The blast from the explosion would destroy even the strongest buildings that were less than 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from Times Square. Nearly everyone within this area would be killed. Within an area 15–20 kilometers (9–12 miles) from Times Square—most of New York City and parts of New Jersey—most buildings would be damaged and most people surviving the blast would be wounded. Radiation poisoning would affect the majority of the survivors as well as their unborn children for many years. The background map is a screen capture from Google Maps. The photograph of New York City is by Sam valadi, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
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