Nuclear tests causing radiation casualties and non-radiation casualties

Database of radiological incidents and related events--Johnston's Archive

Nuclear tests causing radiation casualties and non-radiation casualties

compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last updated 29 January 2009

This is a listing of nuclear tests resulting in acute casualties, including injuries not caused by ionizing radiation. It is a subset of the Database of Radiological Incidents and Related Events, plus four events involving only blast and flash injuries, indicated by (*). Links in the table are to more detailed incident summaries.

Notes on table:

code: coding for type of accident. See this page for list of codes.
highest dose: highest dose to any individual; in cases of more than one casualty, most doses were significantly lower. "L" indicates casualties involving localized exposures. "N" indicates the individual(s) receiving the highest dose died from effects other than ionizing radiation.
deaths: figures are for ionizing radiation-induced deaths only; parenthetical figures include those from other effects (e.g. thermal and blast effects of explosions).
public: codes indicating case involved known exposure to the public (i.e. non-employees). See this page for list of codes.
source: radioisotope involved, if known. See this page for list of codes.
release: radioactive release into the environment, if any; for point events (e.g. criticality accidents or nuclear detonations), activity is for 1 hour after event.

date location/link to entry type of accident/event code highest dose (rem) deaths injuries public source release

01 Mar 1954 Bikini Atoll, Pacific Ocean fallout from atmospheric nuclear test NT 300 1 93+ x * NW

14 Sep 1954 Totsk range, Russia, USSR nuclear test NT ? 0 ? * NW

22 Nov 1955 * Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan, USSR blast effects from nuclear test NT low 0 (2) 0 (47) x no rad. inj.

30 Oct 1961 * Novaya Zemlya, Russia, USSR thermal flash effects from nuclear test NT low 0 0 (1) no rad. inj.

26 Oct 1962 * Pacific Ocean near Johnston Island thermal flash effects from nuclear test NT low 0 0 (2) no rad. inj.

14 Oct 1969 Novaya Zemlya, Russia, USSR venting from underground nuclear test NT 80 0 ? * NW

31 May 1974 Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan, USSR venting from underground nuclear test NT 150 0 100 x? * NW

15 Feb 1984 * Nevada Test Site, Nevada, USA pit collapse from underground nuclear test NT low 0 (1) 0 (14) no rad. inj.

date	location/link to entry	type of accident/event	code	highest dose (rem)	deaths	injuries	public	source
01 Mar 1954	Bikini Atoll, Pacific Ocean	fallout from atmospheric nuclear test	NT	300	1	93+	x	* NW
14 Sep 1954	Totsk range, Russia, USSR	nuclear test	NT	?	0	?		* NW
22 Nov 1955	* Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan, USSR	blast effects from nuclear test	NT	low	0 (2)	0 (47)	x	no rad. inj.
30 Oct 1961	* Novaya Zemlya, Russia, USSR	thermal flash effects from nuclear test	NT	low	0	0 (1)		no rad. inj.
26 Oct 1962	* Pacific Ocean near Johnston Island	thermal flash effects from nuclear test	NT	low	0	0 (2)		no rad. inj.
14 Oct 1969	Novaya Zemlya, Russia, USSR	venting from underground nuclear test	NT	80	0	?		* NW
31 May 1974	Semipalatinsk test site, Kazakhstan, USSR	venting from underground nuclear test	NT	150	0	100	x?	* NW
15 Feb 1984	* Nevada Test Site, Nevada, USA	pit collapse from underground nuclear test	NT	low	0 (1)	0 (14)		no rad. inj.

© 2009 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 29 January 2009.
Return to Home. Return to Nuclear Weapons. Return to Database of Radiological Incidents.