Nuclear testing linked to 4 million premature deaths: NPA report
The issue has drawn renewed attention after US President Donald Trump suggested last November that Washington could resume nuclear testing, while accusing Russia and China of already doing so, a claim they rejected.
Nuclear weapons testing between 1945 and 2017 has affected everyone on Earth and is linked to at least four million premature deaths from cancer and other diseases, according to a new report by Norwegian People's Aid (NPA).
The report said more than 2,400 nuclear devices were detonated in tests worldwide over the period, and the health and environmental impacts are still being felt in many communities today.
Of the nine nuclear-armed states, only North Korea has conducted nuclear tests since the 1990s, the report noted.
The 304-page report said a long-running culture of secrecy, limited international engagement and lack of data have left many affected people seeking answers and support.
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NPA chief Raymond Johansen said past nuclear testing "continues to kill today" and urged a stronger resolve to prevent future testing or use of nuclear weapons.
The issue has drawn renewed attention after US President Donald Trump suggested last November that Washington could resume nuclear testing, while accusing Russia and China of already doing so, a claim they rejected, according to the report.
The report said people living near test sites have faced higher illness rates, congenital anomalies and long-term trauma. It also said radioactive fallout from atmospheric testing spread widely, leaving radioactive isotopes in people's bodies across generations.
It alleged that some governments continue to withhold key information, including studies and locations of radioactive waste, and said compensation schemes have often fallen short of victims' needs.
