14,000 in the US from one accident across the pacific? So how does that meet the smell test with only 11,000 worldwide from over 500 above ground nuke tests worldwide?
Between 1945-1980 there were over 500 atmospheric nuke blast tests all around the world. The CDC and NCI claim that worldwide it resulted in 11,000 deaths. That too was iodine-131 radiation.
http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10621
You have to understand that an above ground nuclear test with its heat and mushroom cloud sends the fallout high into the upper reaches of the atmosphere where it takes a long long time to washout or make its way back to earth, centuries. But it does add to background radiation levels over time with each nuclear release because each nuclear release leaves its own signature pattern in the radioactive debris and is cataloged for reference so scientists know if readings are from old nuke fallouts or a new event via the signature patterns.
A nuclear bomb only requires a hand full of very pure nuke material to do it’s damage. These nuke power plants contain hundreds of thousand of nuke dirty bomb materials since it is not in pure form. So, a low altitude release especially at ground level immediately exposes the fallout to every living thing and what contamination does go air borne washes out with precipitation as it travels the globe in the lower atmosphere skipping some areas while concentrating in others and showing up in dust or dirt after it dries.