Any nuclear war would mean the destruction of a portion of the world as had happened in Hiroshima and no one would want to face such a situation. However, given the ever changing scenario in the Korean peninsula, coupled with the ICBM of North Korea and threats of a possible nuclear attack, it is advisable to be prepared to face the eventualities.
Precautions to be taken
Daily Mail UK reports that according to experts, the possibilities of a nuclear war is increasing with North Korea testing its first ever ICBM. Hiroshima happened more than half a century ago when there was very little awareness among people about the horrors of such a war and the extent of destruction that could follow.
Today, there is more information available, and that must be utilized to reduce losses.
In the opinion of an expert in radiation, 48 hours after the initial blast is the most critical phase because that is the period when chances of poisoning from the fallout of nuclear radiation would be at its peak. It is necessary to protect oneself during this period, and one has to seek a shelter, and the choices would boil down to an underground bunker or under several layers of lead. He must also have with him an emergency kit to last for at least 48 hours.
Composition of the emergency kit
The recommendations of an emergency kit as visualized by a health physicist and expert on radiation at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is for four essential items like a radio, water, some food, and medication.
These essential items should be kept ready, and the individuals must be in a position to move to the shelter at short notice because the time available would be at a premium.
The radio – this should preferably be a hand-cranked one installed with a USB port to charge other devices. Radio is better than the mobile phone because mobile towers may suffer damages from the nuclear blast or may not function because of power outages.
Moreover, a radio would be necessary to listen to emergency broadcasts and instructions from the authorities.
Water – to ward off thirst and also to remove radioactive fallout.
Food – this is an obvious selection.
Medication - essential medications or treatments must also be a part of the emergency kit.
Launching a nuclear war by North Korea is a hypothetical situation but, the fact remains that reaction time available would be limited, and the effects of the blast would depend on a whole lot of unpredictable factors.
Proper shelters are a must as would be sharing of information through regular broadcasts to keep the people updated on the latest situations. That will help to boost the confidence level. Blast casualties from an ICBM attack cannot be avoided, but people can be saved from radiation illness.
