On the morning of October 22, 1964, a nuclear bomb exploded in the state of Mississippi. The detonation didn't start a war or increase tensions with the Soviet Union, but it did manage to shake (literally) the residents of Lamar County. This explosion was part of an underground test in the Tatum salt dome, about 820 meters deep. Thanks to the magic of the Web, we can now enjoy historical images and the testimony of those who were there.
It all began with the signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty, ratified by the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States in 1963. The key word here is 'partial,' because underground detonations were left out of the final text.
Basically, a series of disagreements and the impossibility of confirming beyond doubt whether a country was conducting underground tests ended up blocking their inclusion. A quick fast-forward to October 1964 brings us to the first explosion, dubbed 'Event Salmon.'
This 5.3-kiloton bomb (a third of Little Boy's yield) would create a large cavity in the salt, leading to a second, smaller explosion, 'Event Sterling.' The scientists' idea was that by detonating the bomb in a cavity rather than solid rock, they could dampen the shock waves and escape detection by seismographs, or mask the final result.
The Day of the Test
On the day of the test, authorities evacuated the population within 2.5 kilometers, with a payment of $10 per adult (over $80 adjusted for inflation) and $5 per child. The testimonies from the children are the most colorful.
Brenda Foster, who was 9 at the time, said it was 'as if the Earth rose up and settled back into place,' with windows trembling and huge cracks in her chimney. When residents returned home, they discovered that the surface damage was more significant than they had calculated. Horace Burge turned out to be one of the most affected.
He found his chimney nearly destroyed, loose bricks in the living room, the kitchen covered in concrete, the inside of his refrigerator ruined due to collapsed shelves, and multiple glass and ceramic items destroyed.
Within days, the government authorized refunds and repairs for all those affected. In addition, payments of $5.5 million were made to those who suffered medical problems after working at the site, and another $11.3 million in additional claims.
From a certain point of view, the authorities bit off more than they could chew, but they concluded that the explosions could be detected despite the interference. Three months after the first detonation, the temperature in the hole was 205 degrees Celsius, and with the Sterling explosion, Mississippi's nuclear adventure came to an end.
Below, we leave you with a gallery of images of what happened before and after the tests.
Gallery
Source: Flashbak
