NUCLEAR DETONATION RISKS IN SOUTH ASIA: SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENT OF HAZARDS, EVIDENCEBASED PROTECTIVE MEASURES, AND PUBLIC PREPAREDNESS STRATEGIES

2026-04-25 2026-04-27 2026-04-29 4/30/2026 12:00:00 AM DownTown News 2 2026 Review article 89 101 2026 ID N-5730-2015 English Saqib Almas, Taha Nazir, Israr Ahmed , Nafasat Hussain South Asian nuclear rivalry, nuclear weapons effects, fallout protection, blast injury, thermal flash, radiological emergency, disaster preparedness, emergency management, public protection, crisis resilience South Asia remains one of the world’s most volatile nuclear flashpoints, with India and Pakistan together possessing an estimated 350–400 warheads as of 2025 and ongoing territorial disputes that could escalate rapidly. A hypothetical regional nuclear exchange involving 100–300 weapons (15–100 kt yields) could produce 50– 125 million immediate fatalities and trigger global climatic disruptionthrough stratospheric soot injection. This analytical review synthesizes declassified effects literature, modern modeling (e.g., FEMA, 2022), and empirical data from historical detonations to delineate the three primary hazard phases—intense thermal flash, blast wave, and radioactive fallout—while providing evidence-based protective protocols. Emphasis is placed on pre-event preparedness, immediate response (“Get Inside, Stay Inside, Stay Tuned”), and decontamination strategies that demonstrably reduce mortality. Policy recommendations stress public education, shelter retrofitting, and international risk-reduction mechanisms. The analysis underscores that while nuclear use remains low-probability, its consequences demand rigorous, science-driven civil-defense planning