Moscow deaths double amid smog to 700 people a day

MOSCOW — Deaths in Moscow have doubled to an average of 700 people aday as the Russian capital is engulfed by poisonous smog from wildfiresand a sweltering heat wave, a top health official said Monday.

Moscowhealth chief Andrei Seltsovky blamed weeks of unprecedented heat andsuffocating smog for the rise in mortality compared to the same timelast year, Russian news agencies reported. He said city morgues werenearly overflowing, filled with 1,300 bodies, close to their capacity.

Acridsmog blanketed Moscow for a six straight day Monday, withconcentrations of carbon monoxide and other poisonous substances two tothree times higher than what is considered safe. Those airbornepollutants reached a record over the weekend — exceeding the safe limitby nearly seven times.

About 550 separate blazes were burningnationwide Monday, mainly across western Russia, including about 40around Moscow, according to the Emergencies Ministry. Forest and peatbog fires have been triggered by the most intense heat wave in 130years of record keeping.

Alexander Frolov, head of Russia'sweather service, said judging by historic documents, this heat wavecould be the worst in up to 1,000 years.

"Our ancestors haven'tobserved or registered a heat like that within 1,000 years," Frolovsaid at a news conference. "This phenomenon is absolutely unique."

He said the heat in Moscow reflects the global climate's increased volatility.

Dailyhighs have reached up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), comparedto the usual summer average of 75 F (24 C). And, according to theforecast, there will be no respite this week.

DiarmidCampbell-Lendrum, a climate change and health expert at the WorldHealth Organization in Geneva, said deaths could certainly double withhigher temperatures alone — a phenomenon seen during Europe's 2003 heatwave.

"The impacts tend to be more severe in places that are notused to these kinds of temperatures," he told The Associated Press."These temperatures wouldn't be out of place in the southern U.S. orAustralia, but in Russia, the infrastructure is not used to thesetemperatures and the risk of death will increase."

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