A nuclear weapon would have a significant global impact and wreak significant death, damage, and destruction. Closers to the explosion location might encounter: Death or injury (from the blast wave) mild to severe burns (from heat and fires).
Nuclear weapons are prohibited under international law under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which also forbids their use, possession, testing, and transfer.
After a nuclear explosion, blast, thermal radiation, and immediate ionizing radiation all inflict considerable damage within seconds or minutes. The long-lasting impacts, such as radioactive fallout and other environmental effects, cause harm over a number of hours to years. Nuclear weapons come in two varieties: thermonuclear bombs use fission to ignite fusion, while fission bombs use fission solely.
The severed snake represents the colonies if they do not work together. He used this to explain to colonists that the only way to defeat the British was to stand together with everyone together like the parts of the snake.