A newly released map has identified which parts of the UK would be most at risk in the event of World War Three, with postcodes graded from A to G based on their likelihood of surviving a national catastrophe.
The 'Doomsday' checker, created by Ukrainian tech entrepreneur Serhii Kashevko and derived from property research website Inspector Walls, allows residents to search their postcode and receive a grade, with G representing homes most at risk in an apocalyptic scenario.
How the grading works
The grade is calculated based on a property's proximity to key sites, such as the Ministry of Defence HQ, but also takes into account potential shelter points such as deep Tube stations. The website stresses that the grading is not a forecast and is not an exact science.
According to the model, much of Northern Ireland, west Wales and the Scottish Highlands come out safe. However, major cities are at higher risk due to strategic targets and high population density. Other areas in the red zone include towns near major defensive infrastructure such as RAF and Royal Navy bases, including Plymouth, close to HMNB Devonport.
Inspiration from Ukraine
Kashevko said he was inspired to create the tool, which also scores conventional factors of interest to home buyers and renters, including noise, after he and his partner moved to Bushey in north London. He told Metro: 'Everyone's been talking about this, in every country.'
'Every home is rated for energy performance, but it makes sense for every home to be rated for doomsday performance, especially in these times,' he added.
Surprising findings
Some of his findings were surprising. While many people, particularly those in the capital, would think to run for an Underground station in the event of an air raid, as Londoners did during the Blitz, this may not always be the safest option. Higher ground, such as large hills, is a plus both in the case of flooding from a burst dam but also as a shield from missile attacks, particularly if you happen to be near critical national infrastructure.
The type of building we live in also matters, Kashevko says. A 1980s flat in the Isle of Dogs scored higher than a newly-built high-rise in Canary Wharf, because the former has access to a 160-litre water tank.
Safest and most dangerous areas
Fermanagh and Omagh in Northern Ireland come out statistically as the safest place in the UK, with Snowdonia-protected Gwynedd given the lowest doomsday rating in Wales and the Shetland Islands rated as the most secure location in Scotland. The coastal town of Thanet in Kent ranks as England's safest place, with its distance from infrastructure and transport links a contributing factor.
Gosport, however, has the highest doomsday risk in the UK, with several London boroughs also ranking high due to their proximity to key targets.
Kashevko admitted his home in Bushey remains a 'coin toss' but is safer than his previous address in Bermondsey, which scored a poor 'D'. He added that people should take the findings with a pinch of salt and not panic, but be alert if they are living in higher risk areas. 'I wouldn't take it seriously but these times are so uncertain', he said.
The ten most dangerous places to live, according to the Doomsday checker, are Gosport (close to HMNB Portsmouth) with a score of 67.4, Portsmouth at 65.2, Westminster at 64.5, Cheltenham at 64, Rushmoor (near British Army headquarters) at 63.5, City of London at 63.1, Southwark at 62, Plymouth at 61.7, Islington at 61.6, and Hammersmith and Fulham at 60.8.
The safest places include Fermanagh and Omagh, Northern Ireland at 2.2, Derry City and Strabane at 2.4, Causeway Coast and Glens at 3.4, Newry, Mourne and Down at 3.5, Shetland Islands at 7.1, Mid Ulster at 7.1, Gwynedd (Wales) at 8, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon at 8, Orkney Islands at 8.1, and Thanet, Kent at 8.8.
'When I was in Ukraine just before the war, two or three months before the war, everyone started talking about this,' he added. 'But most of the people were joking. We didn't believe it. Sometimes you don't know what could happen and it's good to be prepared.'
The entrepreneur said he didn't believe 'nukes would come to the UK' but that cyberattacks presented a genuine threat. Given the rising public interest in 'Black sky' events and their impacts, the site has already logged more than 150,000 searches. Just over half of homes in Wales ranked either A or B, which, in Kashevko's words, may explain why 'Reddit thought I was running a secret marketing campaign for Bridgend'.
UK households have been told to stock essential food and water for up to three days, as well as a wireless radio as part of the Government's 'Be Ready' campaign.
