WORLD
People up to 100 kilometres away could suffer third-degree burns, and windows could shatter hundreds of kilometres from the blast site.
Tensions between India and Pakistan rose sharply after the Indian Armed Forces carried out strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes were in response to a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which shook the region and raised security concerns across the country.
The rising conflict led to blackouts and high alerts in several Indian states. However, in a significant development, both India and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to halt all military actions by land, air, and sea with immediate effect. The ceasefire was welcomed globally.
As discussions continue, concerns about the nuclear capabilities of both countries have also come into focus. In this context, experts have highlighted the world's most powerful nuclear weapon — the Tsar Bomba.
According to a report by WION, the Tsar Bomba was developed by the Soviet Union in 1961 and remains the most powerful nuclear bomb ever tested. Its explosive force is estimated at 50 megatons of TNT, making it over 3,000 times stronger than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II.
Originally designed to be even more powerful, the bomb’s yield was reduced from 100 megatons to limit nuclear fallout. Still, its effects were massive — the explosion created a fireball 8 kilometers wide and a mushroom cloud over 60 kilometers high.
If dropped on a city, the Tsar Bomba could destroy everything in a 35-kilometre radius. People up to 100 kilometres away could suffer third-degree burns, and windows could shatter hundreds of kilometres from the blast site.
While India and Pakistan’s ceasefire brings hope for peace, the mention of nuclear arms reminds the world of the devastating impact such weapons can have.