Special Bulletin: Aftermath A collaborative TL

Letsassume it is not.hugo does not come until 89. I am guessing That cleanup efforts last until 1988. Anyway. The hurricane won't do much since Rebuilding has only just begun. Not a lot of people will move back right away so evac will be much easier.

The Charleston area would still definitely be uninhabited when Hugo hits ITTL due to the fact any cleanup of the area would be cost prohibitive. And the Half-life of Plutonium (Used in the weapon that destroyed Charleston) is 24,200 years which would mean that any realistic cleanup would require extreme Technological advances in the areas of Decontamination.

Early on the movie they mention the bomb being 5.2 kg of plutonium. That us said to have a yield similar to Hiroshima

The news report of the aftermath of the Destruction of Charleston at the end of the movie stated that the yield of the weapon was around 23 Kilotons which was almost 2 Kilotons more powerful than the Bomb that was air-burst over Nagasaki.
 
The Charleston area would still definitely be uninhabited when Hugo hits ITTL due to the fact any cleanup of the area would be cost prohibitive. And the Half-life of Plutonium (Used in the weapon that destroyed Charleston) is 24,200 years which would mean that any realistic cleanup would require extreme Technological advances in the areas of Decontamination.



The news report of the aftermath of the Destruction of Charleston at the end of the movie stated that the yield of the weapon was around 23 Kilotons which was almost 2 Kilotons more powerful than the Bomb that was air-burst over Nagasaki.
I belive that a longer half life means less radiation.
 
I belive that a longer half life means less radiation.

Actually a longer Half-life means a slower radiation decay and for the areas that are hit with Radioactive Contamination a extremely longer period of uninhabitability and Plutonium would require 169,400 (168,770 for Plutonium 239 which is weapons grade) Years to decay to 0.78125 percent of it's radioactive value.

I will admit that although the Half-life of Plutonium-239 (Which is weapons grade) is only a little bit shorter what I listed by 90 years (Plutonium-239 Half-life is 24,110 years) the point I am making is the shorter the length of the Half-life the quicker the Radiation decay will be while the longer the length of the Half-life the slower the Radiation decay will be which will affect the length of the of uninhabitability meaning until such time that the Radiation will properly decay to safe enough levels that the Radiation will not endanger the people who would eventually reinhabit the area in the future.
 
Last edited:
Actually a longer Half-life means a slower radiation decay and for the areas that are hit with Radioactive Contamination a extremely longer period of uninhabitability and Plutonium would require 169,400 (168,770 for Plutonium 239 which is weapons grade) Years to decay to 0.78125 percent of it's radioactive value.

I will admit that although the Half-life of Plutonium-239 (Which is weapons grade) is only a little bit shorter what I listed by 90 years (Plutonium-239 Half-life is 24,110 years) the point I am making is the shorter the length of the Half-life the quicker the Radiation decay will be while the longer the length of the Half-life the slower the Radiation decay will be which will affect the length of the of uninhabitability meaning until such time that the Radiation will properly decay to safe enough levels that the Radiation will not endanger the people who would eventually reinhabit the area in the future.
So, how long till we get the tech to clean up Charleston?
 

Geon

Donor
So, how long till we get the tech to clean up Charleston?

That's a very good question. Today, we don't have the technology to do it. The area around Chernobyl is now considered off limits to anyone except a few older people who want to spend their last days in the area the lived all their lives. No one will be able to realistically live there for many years to come. The same is true of Charleston in TTL. Most likely those who want to return may be allowed to do so but will be forced to sign waivers before doing so. The government will take no responsibility if they suffer from radiation related illnesses later in their lives.
 
That's a very good question. Today, we don't have the technology to do it. The area around Chernobyl is now considered off limits to anyone except a few older people who want to spend their last days in the area the lived all their lives. No one will be able to realistically live there for many years to come. The same is true of Charleston in TTL. Most likely those who want to return may be allowed to do so but will be forced to sign waivers before doing so. The government will take no responsibility if they suffer from radiation related illnesses later in their lives.

Regarding when the Technology will advance enough to make any cleanup of the Charleston area possible will be impossible to answer. The area around Chernobyl on the other hand it would take until the end of the 23rd Century before the Radiation in the local enviroment decays to safe enough levels to possibly allow people to live in the area again since he radiation caused by the Chernobyl disaster has a real shorter Half-life which is 30.17 Years compared to the Half-life of the Plutonium-239 which was used in the device that destroyed Charleston which is 24,110 years.
 
That's a very good question. Today, we don't have the technology to do it. The area around Chernobyl is now considered off limits to anyone except a few older people who want to spend their last days in the area the lived all their lives. No one will be able to realistically live there for many years to come. The same is true of Charleston in TTL. Most likely those who want to return may be allowed to do so but will be forced to sign waivers before doing so. The government will take no responsibility if they suffer from radiation related illnesses later in their lives.
Plutonium is very toxic. As they say in the movie you woul get Leukemia within a year.
 

Geon

Donor
Plutonium is very toxic. As they say in the movie you woul get Leukemia within a year.

Not to sound like Captain Obvious but that means another 500,000 potential cases of leukemia will be coming soon after the Charleston Disaster as about half a million people were exposed to some degree or another to the fallout west of the city.
 
Not to sound like Captain Obvious but that means another 500,000 potential cases of leukemia will be coming soon after the Charleston Disaster as about half a million people were exposed to some degree or another to the fallout west of the city.
OMG! That is correct
 
Not to sound like Captain Obvious but that means another 500,000 potential cases of leukemia will be coming soon after the Charleston Disaster as about half a million people were exposed to some degree or another to the fallout west of the city.

All of the experts will be telling the public that Long Term deaths related to the Fallout exposure will be expected. The actual amount (Of those 500,000) who do contract Leukemia from the fallout exposure will depend on whether they do get exposed to any amount of the fallout before they evacuate the areas subject to the fallout exposure.

What else that needs to be taken into account is.

1. - Those who have evacuated Charleston who have decided to continue on to other parts of the country (If they have families elsewhere in the country for example) far enough away from the potential fallout paths.
2. - Those who lived in the affected areas that were exposed to the fallout who voluntary decide to quickly get out of the area before the detonation had occurred (There are people that will do so).
 
All of the experts will be telling the public that Long Term deaths related to the Fallout exposure will be expected. The actual amount (Of those 500,000) who do contract Leukemia from the fallout exposure will depend on whether they do get exposed to any amount of the fallout before they evacuate the areas subject to the fallout exposure.

What else that needs to be taken into account is.

1. - Those who have evacuated Charleston who have decided to continue on to other parts of the country (If they have families elsewhere in the country for example) far enough away from the potential fallout paths.
2. - Those who lived in the affected areas that were exposed to the fallout who voluntary decide to quickly get out of the area before the detonation had occurred (There are people that will do so).
I am sure a substantial amount of people left when McKeeson Unveiled the nuke.
 

Geon

Donor
I am sure a substantial amount of people left when McKeeson Unveiled the nuke.

Human nature is funny. Consider how many people in New Orleans stayed behind when Katrina was on its way and a mandatory evacuation was ordered. It is unfortunately a sad fact of life. Even when confronted with a potential dangerous situation there is a sizable number of people who for a variety of reasons will ignore warnings.
 
Human nature is funny. Consider how many people in New Orleans stayed behind when Katrina was on its way and a mandatory evacuation was ordered. It is unfortunately a sad fact of life. Even when confronted with a potential dangerous situation there is a sizable number of people who for a variety of reasons will ignore warnings.

Or in Port Aransas and Rockport (near Corpus Christi) when Hurricane Harvey it--to be fair, 9 out of 10 residents did evacuate...
 

Geon

Donor
@Derpsternium

Can we set an actual date when this incident occurred? The TL can then be built on the days following the event. It definitely took place in 1983.
 

Geon

Donor
@Derpsternum

Here is the snippet of a newscast I came up with for Wednesday March 23rd, two days after the attack. Hope everyone likes it!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 23rd, 1983

[A special edition of ABC News – Ted Koppel reporting]

Good evening. It has now been two days since the detonation of a nuclear weapon in Charleston Harbor. For a report on the situation there we go to Peter Jennings reporting from Columbia, South Carolina.

Peter Jennings: Ted, The U.S. Air Force just an hour ago released the following films taken by reconnaissance planes over the Charleston area. [scene shifts to show overhead view of devastation] As you can see here there are clearly signs the firestorms ignited by the nuclear blast are not yet out. Surviving firefighters in Charleston have reluctantly decided to let the firestorms burn themselves out. This decision was made after several firefighters in the danger area started showing early symptoms of radiation sickness. The Commissioner of the Charleston Fire Department said this in the briefing held earlier today.

[Switch to a briefing room] “Many of our firefighters have been fighting the blazes ignited by the explosion for the last 72 hours without rest and in areas that are highly radioactive. As of now at least 20 of them are showing early signs of radiation sickness. We simply cannot ask them to continue at their present pace. And given the high radioactivity in many of these areas we do not want to further risk the health of these fire crews. We are going to be making use of the help in the form of other fire crew who have poured into Charleston from all over the United States. But we will be doing our best to ensure that each of these crews is on the line for a limited period to ensure they will not receive high doses of radiation.

Reporter: When do you foresee the fires finally being extinguished?

Commissioner: Right now, our best estimate is that it could be another 3 or 4 days before the fires are completely contained and another week before they are fully extinguished. If the weather cooperate we might be able to see things totally contained by the end of the week.

[cutback to Peter Jennings.]

Meantime here in Columbia, South Carolina thousands of refugees from Charleston and its outlying areas are arriving. Local shelters are already strained to overflowing with refugees from that devastated city still arriving by the hundreds by the hour.

We spoke with some of these people earlier and the prominent feeling is one of shock and the one question on everyone’s minds is when they will be allowed to go home.

Married couple with baby: We had to leave so quickly we barely had time to get enough formula for the baby. We’re almost out. We’re really hoping that we’ll be able to go back to our home soon.

Senior couple: Well first we’d like our son and daughter-in-law to know we’re fine. But second, we’re hoping that we’ll be able to go back home real soon. The house we live in belonged to my husband’s parents and their grandparents…

Married Couple: I’m hoping we can go back real soon. Our house is on the western edge of the city so we’re both hoping and praying they’ll let us go home soon.

Peter Jennings: Ted as you and our viewers heard the primary concern is – when will we be able to go back home? Unfortunately, according to the newly created state emergency task force created by the governor to deal with this disaster as well as a representative we talked with from the Atomic Energy Commission the answer may will be…never for some.

[cut to official from the Atomic Energy Commission]

Peter, unfortunately the weather conditions couldn’t have been worse for this disaster. Winds blowing in from the ocean have helped spread fallout inland for a radius of about 25 miles from the initial blast site. Further unlike Hiroshima and Nagasaki this was a ground burst not an air burst. That means more fallout and more radiation spread. It’s extremely possible many of the homes upwind of the blast will have to be demolished at this point. Likely we are looking at a cleanup of years. Most likely it could be as much as 2 to 3 years before some people and I emphasize some people, will be able to return. Most will simply have to be relocated elsewhere.
 
@Derpsternum

Here is the snippet of a newscast I came up with for Wednesday March 23rd, two days after the attack. Hope everyone likes it!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 23rd, 1983

[A special edition of ABC News – Ted Koppel reporting]

Good evening. It has now been two days since the detonation of a nuclear weapon in Charleston Harbor. For a report on the situation there we go to Peter Jennings reporting from Columbia, South Carolina.

Peter Jennings: Ted, The U.S. Air Force just an hour ago released the following films taken by reconnaissance planes over the Charleston area. [scene shifts to show overhead view of devastation] As you can see here there are clearly signs the firestorms ignited by the nuclear blast are not yet out. Surviving firefighters in Charleston have reluctantly decided to let the firestorms burn themselves out. This decision was made after several firefighters in the danger area started showing early symptoms of radiation sickness. The Commissioner of the Charleston Fire Department said this in the briefing held earlier today.

[Switch to a briefing room] “Many of our firefighters have been fighting the blazes ignited by the explosion for the last 72 hours without rest and in areas that are highly radioactive. As of now at least 20 of them are showing early signs of radiation sickness. We simply cannot ask them to continue at their present pace. And given the high radioactivity in many of these areas we do not want to further risk the health of these fire crews. We are going to be making use of the help in the form of other fire crew who have poured into Charleston from all over the United States. But we will be doing our best to ensure that each of these crews is on the line for a limited period to ensure they will not receive high doses of radiation.

Reporter: When do you foresee the fires finally being extinguished?

Commissioner: Right now, our best estimate is that it could be another 3 or 4 days before the fires are completely contained and another week before they are fully extinguished. If the weather cooperate we might be able to see things totally contained by the end of the week.

[cutback to Peter Jennings.]

Meantime here in Columbia, South Carolina thousands of refugees from Charleston and its outlying areas are arriving. Local shelters are already strained to overflowing with refugees from that devastated city still arriving by the hundreds by the hour.

We spoke with some of these people earlier and the prominent feeling is one of shock and the one question on everyone’s minds is when they will be allowed to go home.

Married couple with baby: We had to leave so quickly we barely had time to get enough formula for the baby. We’re almost out. We’re really hoping that we’ll be able to go back to our home soon.

Senior couple: Well first we’d like our son and daughter-in-law to know we’re fine. But second, we’re hoping that we’ll be able to go back home real soon. The house we live in belonged to my husband’s parents and their grandparents…

Married Couple: I’m hoping we can go back real soon. Our house is on the western edge of the city so we’re both hoping and praying they’ll let us go home soon.

Peter Jennings: Ted as you and our viewers heard the primary concern is – when will we be able to go back home? Unfortunately, according to the newly created state emergency task force created by the governor to deal with this disaster as well as a representative we talked with from the Atomic Energy Commission the answer may will be…never for some.

[cut to official from the Atomic Energy Commission]

Peter, unfortunately the weather conditions couldn’t have been worse for this disaster. Winds blowing in from the ocean have helped spread fallout inland for a radius of about 25 miles from the initial blast site. Further unlike Hiroshima and Nagasaki this was a ground burst not an air burst. That means more fallout and more radiation spread. It’s extremely possible many of the homes upwind of the blast will have to be demolished at this point. Likely we are looking at a cleanup of years. Most likely it could be as much as 2 to 3 years before some people and I emphasize some people, will be able to return. Most will simply have to be relocated elsewhere.
Amazing. I should write up a presidential address for the morning after.
 
Top