W76 on Cairo
100 kt thermonuclear weapon · Egypt · Population 9,540,000 · Density 19,000/km²
About this scenario
This page calculates what would happen if the W76 (USA, 1978) detonated over Cairo (Egypt). Common SLBM warhead.
The capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world; the Greater Cairo region holds over 21 million. With an urban-core density of about 19,000 people per km², even a relatively small detonation over the city center would affect a large population.
The W76 delivers 100 kt of explosive yield — 7× more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. The tables below show calculated effect radii for an air burst (optimized for blast spread) and a surface burst (which produces massive fallout).
Air-burst effects (W76 over Cairo)
| Effect zone | Radius | Est. affected |
|---|---|---|
| Fireball (vaporization, 100% fatal) | 0.91 km | ~49,962 |
| Severe blast (20 PSI, ~98% fatal) | 2.20 km | ~233,976 |
| Moderate blast (5 PSI, ~50% fatal) | 4.71 km | ~516,662 |
| Light blast (1 PSI, glass injuries) | 13.39 km | ~469,161 |
| 3rd-degree thermal burns | 4.43 km | — |
| 2nd-degree thermal burns | 7.93 km | — |
Estimated total fatalities: ~800,600 · Estimated total affected (inside 1 PSI light-blast radius): ~10,706,283.
Surface-burst effects (with fallout)
A surface burst trades blast spread for radioactive fallout — much smaller blast radii but a large lethal fallout plume drifting downwind. This is what would happen if the W76 struck ground level rather than detonating optimally above Cairo.
| Effect zone | Radius (surface burst) |
|---|---|
| Fireball | 0.73 km |
| Severe blast (20 PSI) | 1.21 km |
| Moderate blast (5 PSI) | 2.59 km |
| Light blast (1 PSI) | 7.37 km |
| 3rd-degree thermal burns | 2.66 km |
| Lethal fallout zone | ~75.7 km |
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See the actual blast zones overlaid on a map of Cairo with population-density-based casualty estimates updated in real time as you move the detonation point.
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FAQ
What would happen if the W76 detonated over Cairo?
In an air burst over Cairo, the W76 (100 kt) would produce a fireball about 0.91 km in radius. The 5 PSI moderate-blast zone — where most residential buildings collapse — would extend to 4.71 km. Light blast damage and shattered windows would reach 13.39 km. Given Cairo's urban density (~19,000/km²), this scenario yields an estimated 800,600 immediate fatalities and about 469,161 additional injured.
How many people would die in Cairo from a W76 strike?
An air burst of the W76 over Cairo could cause an estimated 800,600 immediate fatalities and 469,161 additional injuries. The fireball alone (radius 0.91 km) would kill approximately 49,962 people; the severe-blast zone (20 PSI, radius 2.20 km) would add 233,976; the moderate-blast zone (5 PSI, radius 4.71 km) would add 516,662 more. Real numbers depend heavily on time of day, sheltering, weather, and altitude of detonation.
What is the blast radius of the W76 on Cairo?
For an air burst over Cairo: fireball 0.91 km, severe blast (20 PSI) 2.20 km, moderate blast (5 PSI) 4.71 km, light blast (1 PSI) 13.39 km. Thermal radiation causes 3rd-degree burns out to 4.43 km. A surface burst would shrink the blast radii by roughly 40 percent but generate massive radioactive fallout extending ~76 km from ground zero.
Is the W76 bigger than the bomb that hit Hiroshima?
The Hiroshima bomb (Little Boy) had a yield of about 15 kilotons. The W76 at 100 kt is 7× more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.