Tensions between Russia and the U.S. are growing, and the possibility of a nuclear attack is once again being discussed. If the U.S. were to be targeted, cities like El Paso, Texas, and areas in Arizona would be severely affected.
Newsweek used maps created by Alex Wellerstein, a historian and professor who studies nuclear technology, to show the impact of a possible Russian nuclear strike with one of their most powerful missiles.
For El Paso, the blast zone would stretch into parts of Mexico and reach as far north as Alamogordo, New Mexico, potentially killing 849,010 people and injuring nearly a million more.
The article explains that a midair explosion from a nuclear weapon would cause minor damage up to about 4,000 miles away, such as broken windows and slight damage to buildings. However, the immediate effects near the explosion would be devastating.
The fireball from the blast would vaporize everything within a 15.1 square-mile radius, where temperatures would soar to millions of degrees. The area within the next 442 square miles would experience significant damage, with buildings destroyed and likely widespread fires.
People within a 2,360 square-mile area could suffer severe burns from the intense heat. These burns would often be painless but would cause lasting damage, scarring, and may even require amputations.