French explode device
PA Wellington The French Government exploded a nuclear device at its Mururoa testing site in the South Pacific on November 11, according to New Zealand seismologists. Dr Warwick Smith, the Government Seismologist, said that the explosion took place about 7 a.m. Greenwich mean time (8 p.m. New Zealand time) and was a relatively small test. Shock waves from the test were monitored by the New Zealand Government recording station at Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. He said the test was the first since the French completed a series of four on July 8, 11, and 18 and August 3. The blast on November 11 was recorded as one of two kilotons compared with a 10kiloton to 15-kiloton blast on August 3. “It is not uncommon for the French to carry out a series of tests at Mururoa at this time of year,” said Dr Smith.
The test would have been done underground but there was no available evidence of any damage to the atoll’s sub-marine coral.
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Press, 26 November 1981, Page 3
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169French explode device Press, 26 November 1981, Page 3
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