Читать книгу The Worst World Disasters of All Time - Kevin Baker - Страница 20

Temperatures on 31^st July, 2010 in western Russia.

Date: Summer 2010.

Location: Russia.

Disaster Type: Heatwave.

Fatalities: 15,000+ deaths.

Resulting Damage: $15 billion worth of damage + 25% reduction in annual crop production.

In the summer of 2010 Russia experienced a devastating extreme heatwave, which brought extreme drought conditions and record temperatures, the highest recorded temperatures in at least the past 500 years.

A ‘blocking high’ situation caused the heatwave, which is when an area of high pressure intensifies so much so that low pressure systems cannot break it down. A ‘blocking high’ situation may linger on for weeks or sometimes even months.

Temperatures in Russia reached near or above 40 degrees Celsius, which was the type of heat not experienced in Russia since at least the last middle ages. In fact, a record temperature of 44 degrees Celsius was set on 11^th July, in Yashkul, Kalmykia, which is the highest ever recorded temperature in Russia. Due to the high pressure weather conditions pollution could not escape, resulting in Russia being enveloped in an inescapable blanket of deadly smog. Carbon dioxide levels were recorded at almost 5 times higher than the maximum level required for safety.

Because of the intense heat, people were jumping into rivers, lakes and canals, resulting in a staggering 1,200 deaths in June alone from drowning, contributing to a total of around 2,000 people who drowned by the end of the heatwave. The main problem was that some people were jumping into water after becoming recklessly drunk, due to Russia’s heavy drinking culture. Many people who had heart conditions, allergies or asthma along with other health issues perished in the combination of unbearable heat and heavy pollution. Russia, as you would guess, was not equipped with air conditioning units as hotter countries are and the people of Russia were not used to high temperatures.

Around 774 – 779 wildfires broke out, with fire crews being overstretched and unable to keep some fires back; Russian troops had to join the fire fighters as reinforcement. Around Moscow dried, carbon-rich peat bogs caught fire and smouldered, adding to the pollution with dangerous fumes. Satellite pictures revealed that the smoke from the numerous fires rose up to ten kilometres in height into the atmosphere. At least 9 million hectares of crops perished as part of a major European heatwave that covered 2 million square kilometres, which is a total area fifty times bigger than Switzerland.

People who could afford it flew out of Russia to escape the situation. Moscow airport recorded the amount of people flying out of the country at around 100,000 people per day at one point.

Some atmospheric scientists worry that what seem like freak heatwave incidents today could become the norm in the near future, where global warming threatens to change natural weather conditions.