A nuclear bomb explosion can obliterate an entire area. The atomic attacks on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Japan in 1945 resulted in the deaths of 210,000 people. Over a lakh people were disabled. But did you know that 2059 nuclear explosions have occurred worldwide since the Hiroshima attack?
Over the past 80 years, the United States has seen the most nuclear explosions. Following this are Kazakhstan and then France. India has witnessed nuclear explosions on three occasions. Pakistan, India’s neighbor, has experienced nuclear explosions on two occasions.
Why did these explosions happen?
The Arms Control Association states that after 1945, a global arms race to build nuclear weapons began. Nuclear testing programs were initiated to develop these weapons. Between 1945 and 1996, the United States conducted 1030 explosions. The United States currently possesses 3900 nuclear weapons.
Following the United States, Russia also began conducting nuclear explosions for testing purposes. Russia carried out the most nuclear explosions in Kazakhstan. Russia conducted its first nuclear explosions around 1950. Russia has over 4100 nuclear weapons.
France has conducted 210 nuclear explosions so far. All these explosions were carried out for testing. China and Britain have conducted 45 explosions each. North Korea was the last to test its weapons through nuclear explosions.
China has 600 nuclear weapons, while India has 180. Pakistan is said to have 150 and North Korea 50 nuclear weapons.
Where did these nuclear explosions occur?
The United States conducted its over 1000 nuclear explosions in Nevada, the Marshall Islands, and the central Pacific Ocean. Similarly, Russia tested its nuclear weapons in Kazakhstan and the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean.
Britain trialed its weapons in Australia and the Kiritimati archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, while France conducted these explosions in Algeria and French Polynesia. China conducted its nuclear tests in Lop Nur, a remote desert site in the western Xinjiang province.
India’s nuclear tests were carried out in Pokhran, while Pakistan’s were in Balochistan. North Korea conducted its nuclear tests on an island bordering China.
The effects of explosions are gradually being felt
Most nuclear tests were conducted either in sand or water. The effects are now being seen after years. In Kazakhstan, 1.2 million people have applied for compensation. These people say that even their future generations are suffering from the explosions.
The United States has moved the people of the Marshall Islands to other places. Despite this, 27,000 people are suffering from it. France even apologized to the people of Algeria. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the people here would always be indebted to Algeria.
The effects of these nuclear explosions are also impacting climate change. Scientists are now calculating whether these explosions have led to an increase in temperature and, if so, by how much?