[SiempreViernes]

Most radiation kills are due to slow secondary effects, so it's relatively easy to get out of the way. I don't think anyone really argues that if people would move back before deconamination they would all be fine.

Just for reference, the number of people worldwide who died due to contamination from atmospheric atom bomb testing is estimated to be 430 000 by the end of last century:

"Radioactive Heaven and Earth, The health and environmental effects of nuclear weapons testing in, on, and above the earth", pages 163-165

[cocoablazing]

That is an extrapolation using the unproven linear no threshold hypothesis.

[jimktrains2]

Isn't that the same as attributed to burning coal in undera year world wide?

Those were also tests where the escape of massive amounts of radiation into the environment was a planned, even if indirectly, effect.

Also, as a sibling comment said, that numb is probably overstated by a large amount.