70 Years Ago: Atomic Bomb Razes Nagasaki, Kills 74,000 People

Three days after Hiroshima, Nagasaki today commemorated the atomic attack that 70 years ago razed to the ground this city in western Japan and killed about 74,000 people, reports the news agency Patria.

On August 9, 1945, at 11:02 a.m., the explosion of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki destroyed 80 percent of the buildings, including the famous Urakami Cathedral. On Sunday at the same time (4:02 a.m. Central European Time), residents observed a minute of silence in honor of the victims, and bells rang throughout the city known for its large Christian community.

The "Fat Man" bomb was intended to be dropped on Kokura, north of Nagasaki, where a large weapons factory was located. However, due to unfavorable weather conditions, the American B-29 bomber had to change its target.

"I call on young people to listen to what their elders tell them and think about what they can do for peace," said Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue before 6,700 people, including Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, and delegates from 75 countries.

In addition, he called on "U.S. President (Barack) Obama and representatives of countries that possess nuclear weapons" to come to Nagasaki. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as he did on Thursday in Hiroshima, reiterated Japan's readiness to advocate for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

"I once again emphasize Japan's readiness, as the only country to have suffered an atomic bomb attack, to lead the global movement against nuclear weapons," he said, listing several international conferences where, he promised, he would convey that message.

Three days before Nagasaki, the first atomic bomb "Little Boy" dropped on Hiroshima claimed 140,000 lives. These two bombings by U.S. forces would compel Japan to lay down its arms on August 15, 1945, marking the end of the war in the Pacific.

Due to radiation and severe illnesses that developed, the number of people who died from the effects of the two atomic bombs reached 450,000 by August 2014, of which 292,325 were victims from Hiroshima and 165,409 from Nagasaki, writes Index.