4 ms·

I believe it is because most of the damage done by a nuclear bomb is caused by radiation, not by the initial blast (do correct me if I'm wrong, I am by no means

• mikeash 14y ago
  Not really. The fallout can be a significant danger, depending on the bomb size and design. However, it's much easier to survive than the initial blast, in general. It can be a substantial problem for survivors, but the blast will kill far more. The main reason the explosions aren't comparable is because this meteor exploded far higher than a nuclear bomb would detonate. By the time the blast reached the ground, the energy had been spread out over a large area. If it had exploded at a typical nuclear bomb detonation height (say, 1km or so), the destruction would have been comparable, although survivors wouldn't have to worry about finding shelter from fallout.