Written by Steve Cannon for USSA News.
Key Takeaways:
- EMP attacks can cause power outages, communication failures, transportation disruptions, food and water shortages, financial collapse, and societal breakdown.
- An EMP can destroy electronics and digital circuitry, making it impossible to use personal devices, travel, access water, or process transactions.
- Preparing for an EMP attack means having a plan to protect yourself and your family, secure food and water supplies, and cope with the aftermath.
What Will Happen After an EMP Attack?
An EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack, whether caused by a solar flare, a nuclear explosion, or a non-nuclear weapon, can have devastating effects on our modern civilization. In this article, we will examine the possible scenarios that may follow an EMP event and highlight the dangers and challenges that you should be aware of.
Power Outages
An EMP can fry the electronics and digital circuitry in the areas of impact, cutting off electric power to homes, businesses, and the military. This means no lights, no appliances, no communication devices, and no essential systems. The impact would be widespread and long-lasting, with entire cities without electricity for weeks or even months. As a result, stores, banks, and other businesses would close, and the economy would suffer.
Communication Failures
An EMP can also render many personal electronic devices inoperable, including laptops, phones, and radios. This would limit access to information, hinder communication, and hamper efforts to provide help or coordinate a response.
Transportation Disruptions
An EMP can affect air, sea, road, and rail transportation, making it difficult or impossible to evacuate, travel, or transport goods. Vehicles that are not EMP-proof would be affected, causing traffic jams, collisions, and other hazards. Airports, traffic control systems, and navigation instruments could also fail, grounding flights, rail and sea transportation, and disrupting the supply chain.
Food and Water Shortages
An EMP can disrupt the water supply systems, which rely on electricity for pumping and processing. Water shortages would follow soon after the grid goes down, and the food chain could also be affected, as refrigeration systems could fail, causing produce to spoil and retail stores to run out of supplies.
Financial Collapse An EMP can also cause financial collapse, as shops and banks need electricity to process transactions. Banks would close, ATMs would stop working, and stores would only accept cash. The impact on the wider economy could be severe, as downtime could cost businesses thousands to millions of dollars.
Societal Collapse An EMP can trigger a domino effect of cascading failures, with no power, communications, transportation, food, water, or money. The resulting panic, looting, violence, and lawlessness could lead to widespread death and societal breakdown.
FAQ
- What is an EMP attack? An EMP attack is a type of event that generates a strong electromagnetic field that can destroy electronics and digital circuitry. An EMP can be caused by a solar flare, a nuclear explosion, or a non-nuclear weapon.
- How can I prepare for an EMP attack? You can prepare for an EMP attack by having a plan to protect yourself and your family, secure food and water supplies, and cope with the aftermath. You can also educate yourself on the dangers and challenges of an EMP, and invest in EMP-proof equipment and infrastructure.
- What are the dangers and challenges of an EMP attack? The dangers and challenges of an EMP attack include power outages, communication failures, transportation disruptions, food and water shortages,