What to do in case of a nuclear attack on Belgium or Europe
What to do in the event of a nuclear attack on Europe, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Which Belgian cities are likely to be destroyed. How can I survive a nuclear attack or accident. Manual, emergency kits, and prepping?
Due to Russia's weekly threat to attack Belgium or Europe with nuclear weapons, the question is rightly asked to what extent the Belgian and European population is prepared for a Russian nuclear attack?
How realistic is a nuclear attack?
Mutual nuclear deterrence has worked for years until recently we are faced with a Russian dictator who is willing to sacrifice many citizens to achieve his goal. The large number of war casualties from the war in Ukraine is an example of that. For Western Europe, the use of nuclear weapons is a rather unthinkable scenario, however, nuclear weapons are for a Russian dictator just a bigger bomb that is available in his military arsenal. Mutual deterrence has lost part of its power if the opposing party is willing to suffer nuclear retaliation.
Which nuclear bomb can hit us?
Academics point out to us repeatedly that modern nuclear bombs are extremely powerful and that they can wipe small countries in Europe off the map, but there are several other nuclear weapons that can also be used.
A nuclear EMP weapon (Electro Magnetic Pulse) is detonated at high altitude, also called high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP), causes an electromagnetic disturbance that burns out all electrical components in the area. The entire electrical network is then completely destroyed in one go, causing several other systems to start failing as well, such as; hospitals, water purification, factories, all transport, agricultural machinery, … to nuclear power plants. Repairing all burned-out electric motors, transformers, and electrical controls can take months. Electricity, gas, and water can be out for months in such scenarios.
A nuclear torpedo (Poseidon) can be detonated underwater off the coast and causes a tsunami of radioactive water that can flood the coast. The effect of such a nuclear underwater explosion depends on several factors, but given that the North Sea off the Belgian coast is quite shallow, the tidal wave would likely be limited, but could ultimately still flood large parts of West Flanders and Antwerp.
A nuclear submarine with small tactical nuclear weapons (low yield tactical nuclear weapons) or tactical nuclear missiles is currently the most realistic threat to the European countries located along the North Sea.
The Russian first strike solution (preventive strike)
The strategic nuclear weapons in Europe are located quite close to each other, and if the Russians decide to disable the European nuclear strike capability first, then it is quite predictable that a Russian nuclear submarine would enter the North Sea and fire its payload of tactical nuclear missiles from there at the RAF Lakenheath airbase in England, the Volkel airbase in the Netherlands, and the Kleine-Brogel airbase in Belgium, as well as all the most important airports, capitals, and military installations of these three countries. There is a very high chance that America will not strike back with nuclear weapons as long as American territory is not attacked. This would force the largest part of the European Union to surrender.
France is completely independent with a much larger nuclear arsenal than the other European countries. France is considerably larger and harder to attack than the small European countries. France is the only European nuclear power that could carry out a counterattack without the approval of the Americans. A nuclear attack on French territory would therefore also result in a French nuclear counterattack on Russian territory.
England has its own independent nuclear weapons, which are mainly based on the American Trident ballistic nuclear missiles that can be fired by the English submarine fleet. England could in principle decide itself, but it has a very close cooperation with the United States.
Germany and Belgium also have nuclear weapons, but cannot drop them without American approval. Germany is quite large, and with a nuclear attack with tactical nuclear weapons from the sea, only a part of Germany can be reached. From over land, Germany is harder to hit. Belgium currently has no air defense and is an easy target. New purchases can make the Belgian air defense stronger within two years.
America calls the NATO nuclear umbrella a "Relic of the Cold War". The European illusion that America would start a nuclear war against the Russians to protect Europe is now also penetrating Europe. Europe is already working on its own European nuclear deterrence based on the French and English nuclear weapons.
Limited destruction of the European territory
Tactical nuclear weapons are considerably weaker than the old known heavy atomic bombs, and the destruction will therefore be limited to a city or large infrastructure and a fringe zone with nuclear fallout. Several areas in Europe will not be affected by the explosions of the tactical nuclear weapons.
Predictable targets in Belgium
Several Belgian cities or military installations can be chosen as targets by the Russians. We will only give you the most obvious ones...
The destroyed cities in Belgium
The location of the predictable military targets for a tactical nuclear attack by the Russians can be divided into three large axes.
- The strategic North Sea axis of ports and airports along the coast, with the most important cities being Zeebrugge (seaport), Ostend (seaport and airport) and Koksijde (military airbase).
- The central Belgian axis with the most important cities Antwerp (Seaport and Deurne airport), Brussels (NATO headquarters and Zaventem airport), Mons (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), Charleroi (airport) and Florennes (Military airbase)
- The military strategic axis with the most important cities Peer (Kleine-Brogel military airbase), Zutendaal (FN ammunition production), Liège (FN-Herstal weapons production and airport)
What to do in the event of the explosion of a tactical nuclear weapon?
Do not look into the flash of the nuclear explosion!
Secondary injuries!
Experts point to the large number of secondary injuries that occur as a result of the flash. Secondary injuries are injuries that occur due to the sudden bright flash of a nuclear explosion. As an example, one can take a highway where suddenly everyone goes blind and a kilometers-long pile-up occurs.
Forest fires!
Due to the heat, large forest fires occur. Make sure there is an FFP3 filter in your emergency kit and possibly dust goggles.
Try to find shelter as soon as possible!
If you already know beforehand that you cannot find shelter within 15 minutes, then make sure you have a Geiger counter and an NBC suit with a gas mask in your emergency kit. Nuclear, Chemical, Biological and Radiological protective clothing and other means are then a must to walk around in a contaminated area for a longer time. The Geiger counter can then warn you if nuclear fallout is present.
The nuclear fallout
Despite the fact that smaller nuclear weapons will be used earlier, there will still be serious nuclear fallout from the explosions of the tactical nuclear weapons, which will largely depend on the wind direction and wind strength.
After the nuclear explosion, find shelter as quickly as possible! It is generally assumed that 15 minutes after the nuclear explosion, the nuclear fallout reaches the ground! The risks of radiation exposure 1 hour after the nuclear explosion decrease by 55% and after 24 hours the risk of radiation exposure decreases by up to 80%. Only after 24 hours can you consider moving to another safer shelter. Stay in your shelter until 48 hours after the nuclear explosion if possible.
The wind at the coast blows along the coastline, resulting in the entire coastal strip being a victim of nuclear fallout.
For the military strategic targets inland, the wind direction is unpredictable and the nuclear fallout can spread in all directions.
We also report Rijsel because a hit from a nuclear missile there can also cause nuclear fallout in Belgium.
The highest chance of a habitable zone after a nuclear attack
The destruction of several cities in Europe and Belgium will be limited in the event of the use of tactical nuclear weapons, where several habitable zones will still remain. It is therefore of great importance for the affected cities to be prepared for nuclear fallout and to be well informed about whether or when transport will be organized to the habitable zones! Sign up for BE-alert and make sure you have an emergency radio.
How to protect yourself in the event of a nuclear attack on Belgium
1) Make a plan and do the necessary prepping.
Several European countries already have plans ready for what must happen in the event of a nuclear attack. The countries bordering Russia are naturally already the furthest along with that. Germany has also already drawn up a plan. The Netherlands already advises the population to have an emergency kit. Belgium now has a new nuclear and radiological emergency plan according to the Royal Decree of June 16, 2024. The updated emergency plans contain very specific and direct measures for the population. The National Crisis Center (NCCN) has launched the campaign "Together Prepared". Hereby, concrete measures are expected from citizens to increase their own safety. Unfortunately, not much publicity is given to the campaign to better prepare for a crisis situation because they do not want to unnecessarily worry the population. The result is that only 4% of Belgians have a full-fledged emergency kit and 96% simply do not think about it and are completely unprepared!
If you want to survive a nuclear attack as an individual, you will have to make your own survival plan depending on where you spend a lot of time, where you live, and how safe your home is!
- If you work or stay a lot in one of the nuclear fallout zones, then you best make sure you have at least a 24-hour survival kit at hand (or in the car).
- If you live in a nuclear fallout zone, you best make sure you have a three-day or 72-hour portable survival kit ready.
- If you live in a habitable zone after a nuclear attack, then you best make sure you have enough water and food available to survive at least 10 days without internet, electricity, gas, and tap water.
2) Communication and situational awareness.
- Be aware if you stay or live in a military strategic zone that can become the target of a tactical nuclear attack.
- Make sure that in the event of a real threat of nuclear weapons you have a smartphone or emergency radio with you so that you can follow the latest messages and advice from the government. As long as no nuclear explosion has happened yet, there is a fairly large chance that the phone and internet will still work. Make sure you know what an EMP and a Faraday cage is, it will help you understand the situation, prevent panic, and have solutions ready.
- If there is a real threat of nuclear weapons, then a shelter plan will most likely be drawn up by the government per municipality, city, or province.
- Make sure you have such a shelter plan in your 72 hour survival kit / emergency kit included. It is of vital importance to hide inside a building for the first 24 hours after a nuclear explosion. The rule is, the more protected by concrete or underground, the better! (atomic shelter, metro, underground parking, basement). Be aware that all windows in the buildings will break up to 20 kilometers from the nuclear explosion and that glass shards can cause serious injuries. A flat building with windows offers very little protection if it is located in the vicinity of the nuclear explosion. Make sure you have an first aid kit that is specially equipped to treat cut wounds.
- Make sure you have your emergency kit or survival kit within reach and that you can quickly take it with you if you have to run to a shelter. After the nuclear explosion, you only have 15 minutes before the nuclear fallout falls to the ground. Make sure you have everything with you to be able to survive the first 24 hours or more after the nuclear explosion or accident in a closed space.
72 hour personal survival belt
3) What should you pack in your 24-hour survival kit?
Link to Emergency kits Belgium
Your 24-hour survival kit can be made in a backpack, sports bag, survival belt or insulated thermal bag. The purpose of a 24-hour survival kit is to be able to survive for 24 hours either in a shelter or on the road to reach your home or a safe place. (this can be a large traffic jam or on foot if all transport fails). In a medium-sized backpack you can easily pack items with which you can survive for 72 hours.
- Make sure you can store some personal items such as keys, some extra cash, bank cards, identity card, etc.
- Make sure you have tightly sealed water bottles, field bottle or emergency ration water with a minimum of 2 liters. Emergency ration water pouches are soft and more comfortable to carry in a backpack than hard water bottles. As an extra you can take a compact water filter and water purification tablets.
- Make sure you have some cans of food that you can eat immediately without cooking this to survive the first 24 hours. Mixed food such as canned tuna mixed with vegetables or something else that you can eat cold and quickly. (at least 3 years shelf life). Take survival cookies with you as an extra. Also useful are long-lasting emergency food that can keep you alive even if you haven't looked at your emergency kit for years. Make sure you have a can opener or set with knife, spoon and fork . Multitool or Swiss pocket knife can also be useful.
- Make sure you have a proper first aid kit so that you can treat life-threatening injuries for several days. (Pressure bandage, tourniquet, standard first aid kit,..
- Make sure you have protection from the elements such as rain, cold or bright sun; Poncho, Poncho liner, emergency blanket, emergency poncho or emergency sleeping bag, UV protection,
- Make sure you can communicate and orient yourself. Whistle, lights to call for help or a map, compass and binoculars to find the safe direction.
4) What should you pack in your 3-day or 72-hour survival kit emergency kit?
A 3-day survival kit is a backpack, carry bag, suitcase or trolley with a capacity of at least 35L or more, in which you can store enough goods to survive for 3 to 4 days. Keep in mind that after a nuclear explosion most vehicles or machines (radio) that contain an electromagnetic coil will no longer work. This 3-day survival kit can be used in the nuclear fallout zone with the aim of getting to the survival zone on your own. Among the many pieces of advice for emergency kits you must remain objective so that you choose an emergency kit that you can still carry! Remember 1 liter of water weighs 1 kg. 1 can of fruit of 1 liter weighs even more than 1 Kg.
- A medium-sized tactical backpack with Molle webbing is very interesting because you can attach extra pouches to the outside. In these extra pouches you can store goods by topic and they are accessible without having to open the entire backpack every time for every small item you need.
- Make sure you have a survival belt with pouches where the most important items to survive are in if you have lost your emergency backpack. ( Water, food, light, small emergency radio and and poncho as protection against the rain, first aid kit, pocket knife or multitool and small survival set) Buy survival belt here. Make sure you have a cross distribution of the equipment in your survival belt and emergency backpack.
- Make sure you have several tightly sealed water bottles, cans or pouches of water with a minimum of 6 to 8 liters. 6 liters of emergency ration water pouches are feasible in a backpack and a practical weight distribution with food and other survival items. You cannot use surface water yet but a water filter and water purification tablets can be useful if you want to use water from sealed water reservoirs.
- Make sure you have some cans or pouches of food to survive for 3 to 4 days. Meat, fish, vegetables or fruit in a can. (at least 3 years shelf life). Make sure you can eat a variety! A small stove, gas burner and a cooking set can help you heat up or cook rice, spaghetti or canned food. Make sure you have fire, fuel or a spare gas cartridge. (A glass jar with food can easily break). A cup of hot coffee or tea can give your mood a boost during an emergency situation!
- Survival cookies or emergency ration food enough for 3 days are long lasting and take up little space to store in your backpack. They can be used as an extra addition to the diet so that you can eat a variety.
- Make sure you have a can opener, knife, spoon and fork. A multitool or Swiss pocket knife can be very handy in case of emergency. Better yet, make sure you have a small technical set with scissors, needle and thread, a sturdy flat pliers, some small screwdrivers, Allen keys and a small adjustable wrench to perform small repairs or technical interventions. A whistle, different types of light sources and a mirror to give an emergency signal, a compass and map of your area. A dust mask and dust goggles when you walk outside. Protective NBC clothing and a gas mask with NBC filters can significantly increase your chances of survival.
- Make sure you have a proper first aid kit to treat cuts through glass or fractures from falling and refresh for several days. Take a week's supply of your medication with you if you have to take it daily. Make sure you have iodine tablets. Possibly a (cheap) spare glasses.
- Make sure you have a emergency radio with flashlight, XL solar panel, dynamo, powerbank and batteries, so that you can follow the news if the phone and the internet fail. (make sure you have a charging cable that fits your smartphone). Protect your electrical devices against the electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Wrap your radio, phone or walkie-talkie in a plastic bag, wrap that in aluminum foil and make sure the antenna does not touch the aluminum foil (make a Faraday cage). There are also special anti-radiation blankets.
- When you have to flee on foot to a safe zone you will need more than an emergency kit proposed by the government. A large backpack or a carry bag on wheels can better contain the necessary items to make a long walk. Actually you need a full trekking backpack.
- Make sure you have spare clothes and store them in a dust- and waterproof bag. Products for your personal hygiene, spare underwear, socks, T-shirt, sweater, hoodie, training, thick pants, thick sweater, hat, handkerchief, raincoat or poncho. Fire-resistant and cut-resistant clothing are an extra protection. A toilet bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, razor, aftershave, toilet paper,.. (small models do not take up much space)
- Make sure you have cash and copy of your identity card and driver's license. A card with your allergy and blood group.
- Make sure you have an insulating mat to sleep on, an insulating blanket, poncho liner or an emergency sleeping bag to keep you warm. An inflatable pillow to avoid neck problems.
- A shopping trolley can provide you with a tent, a chair, some camping equipment and some extra food or water that you can then use in a tent camp or refugee shelter.
Provide each person in your family with an emergency backpack so that if you are separated from each other you still each have your own basic survival equipment at hand. There are also small backpacks for children.
6) What to store as a supply to survive for 10 days?
If you live in one of the habitable zones after a nuclear attack, then your immediate chances of survival are much greater but you still have to take into account the consequences of light nuclear fallout and the practical consequences of the destruction of large parts of the country, total chaos, refugee flow, rationing, aggression and a shortage of everything!
- Make sure you have a 3-day or 72-hour emergency kit ready as described above in case of emergency. Keep everything else in reserve in your home.
- Make sure you have at least 20 liters of drinking water in tightly sealed bottles in reserve and possibly a 20L jerrycan with newspaper water to wash or cook. If you can fill your bathtub with water if there is a real nuclear threat. Anyone who has a hot water boiler has a large reserve of drinkable water themselves without electricity or tap water. Make sure you know how to drain your hot water boiler to get to the drinking water. A water filter and water purification tablets can be useful for sealed water reserves.
- Make sure you have food to survive for at least 10 days and make sure you do not have to eat the same thing every day! Build up your reserve cans sporadically by bringing some extra cans with you when grocery shopping. Store these cans in a safe place and replace them after a year with fresh cans.
Store shelf-stable food.
- pay attention to your freezer if the power goes out and eat what can still be saved.
- quick-cook rice, pasta, baking flour, powdered milk, salt and various spices
- sugar, honey, chocolate
- dried vegetables and fruit
- canned food that you like to eat. Taste them beforehand and sporadically build up a supply of products that you buy regularly.
- Your favorite drink, sweets or spirits as a throat lozenge or antidepressants to maintain good morale. Cigarettes and coffee can be used as currency. A deck of cards or chessboard against boredom.
- Make sure you have some sturdy plastic tarpaulins and duct tape to seal gaps and any broken windows. Close all windows and doors and turn off the ventilation system. Make sure you have gas cooking equipment for indoors or a BBQ for outdoors.
A war emergency kit differs from the general emergency kit recommended by the government. A war emergency kit contains more items that are useful for personal protection against aggression or injury.
Anti-armed drone attack emergency kit with shrapnel-resistant vest and helmet
- Make sure your home is securely locked. Make sure you have safety equipment, gloves, cut-resistant clothing, discreet stab- and bulletproof vest, helmet, class 4 plate carrier. There will be chaos and aggression, such as attempted break-ins and looting.
- Ensure your safety! Do not tell anyone what supplies you have in your home! Be discreet and avoid fights or armed incidents. Even a minor injury can become fatal if no medical help or medicine is available.
- We cannot speak about weapons. Gun ownership is determined by the Belgian weapons law. The fact is that there is an increase in the number of gun owners who legally own a gun and are members of a shooting club.
- Make sure you have a Faraday cage to store all your electrical devices in. A steel cage, metal storage cabinet or enclosure that is grounded to the earth where you can store your computer, emergency radio, walkie-talkies, generator and other electrical devices. Do not throw away your old freezer with a steel enclosure yet and use it as a grounded Faraday cage and storage cabinet.
- Make sure you have a comprehensive and solid first aid kit or make sure you have a double or at least one for each person in the house to treat cuts from glass, fractures from falling, stab wounds and gunshot wounds for at least 10 days. The contents depend on your knowledge of first aid. This can be a simple first aid bag for those who know almost nothing about it, a larger first aid kit for someone who has taken first aid courses from the Red Cross, up to a tactical IFAK first aid kit for use on the battlefield.
- Make sure you have a one-month supply of your medication if you have to take it daily.
Such survival planning can significantly increase your chances of survival, but also painfully clearly shows that a nuclear incident or attack is not completely ruled out!
If the unthinkable does happen, this will be doomsday prepping for the victims, with stays in overcrowded and sealed basements with little ventilation, no possibility of using candles, making fire to cook food!
Also read Third World War approaching nuclear attack war in Belgium