It begins with a blinding flash that fills your entire range of vision. Moments later, a blast of scorching air pulsates over you. If, after a few moments of shock, you realise you’ve survived the initial nuclear blast, you need to act now – because it’s not over yet.
In the next few minutes, radioactive debris will rain down. Find shelter, preferably inside a building with a concrete structure. Once inside, remove your outer layers and wash with soap to get rid of any radiation. The fallout will remain most dangerous for the next 24 hours, so avoid leaving shelter. Follow these steps from Ready, a US public service campaign designed to educate and empower people to prepare for emergencies, and you might just survive a nuclear attack.
Of the estimated 13,000 nuclear warheads in the world today, almost 10,000 are in active service and all have the potential to cause mass destruction – and even bring an end to human civilisation. Even a ‘small’ regional...