Muscovites struggle to breathe as acrid smoke grips city

[villager]

Source: CNN


Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- The famous Moscow skyline of the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral vanished Friday as a blanket of thick, noxious smoke shrouded the Russian metropolis, leaving 10 million residents with sore throats and burning eyes.

The acrid smoke, stemming from thousands of square miles of wildfires, worsened considerably in Moscow, with carbon monoxide levels climbing to five times higher than what is considered safe, according to the Russian health ministry.

People were encouraged to stay indoors, but that is somewhat impractical advice for the bustling city. Instead, Muscovites struggling to breathe reached for masks and went about their business.

The smoke even penetrated people's apartments, office buildings and the subway, providing little chance for relief. There was no immediate word on injuries. Health experts told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency the pollution levels were as dangerous as smoking several packs of cigarettes a day.

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Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/08/06/russia.smog/

[hlthe2b]

1. as bad as it has gotten in Colorado with past wildfires...

it has never been this bad-- though I can recall going out to buy three new portable air filters a few years back from fires south and west of Denver. I feel for the people of Moscow.

[Warpy]

4. It's gotten this bad in NM

from massive fires here and in Arizona. One year we lost sight of the mountains on the edge of the city for a whole week due to smoke. I felt like Limbaugh was sitting on my chest, breathing was a painful struggle.

It got bad once in Boston from Appalachian fires. There was no smell of smoke, but the air looked like heavy fog and the sunshine that got through it was red.

I know what they're going through and it's horrible. It's about to get worse, as I understand fires are also threatening the Chernobyl area.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. K&R. Yikes! What awful news!

Life is pretty crowded in that city, which does contain many beautiful landmarks... ;(

[DJ13]

3. Thats awful!

[JDPriestly]

5. Global warming folks.

The good news about the heat wave in the Midwest and on the East Coast this year is that they, like most Californians during past years may have learned something about global warming.

I wonder when the fires will start here in Southern California. We have been getting them every year.