- Title: RUSSIA: SMOG FROM FOREST FIRES CONTINUES TO CHOKE MOSCOW.
- Date: 6th September 2002
- Summary: (EU) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SEPTEMBER 05, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV/GV: VIEW OF KREMLIN IN SMOG; GROUP OF TOURISTS WALKING IN SMOG THROUGH RED SQUARE (6 SHOTS) 0.40 2. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) GERMAN TOURIST SAYING "The weather in Moscow is bad. Not the kind of weather we have in Bavaria. It's bad weather but we hope that it will become a bit better" 0.58 3. VARIOUS: HOTEL BUILDING IN SMOG; SUN COVERED WITH SMOG; CATHEDRAL IN THE SMOG; CARS WITH LIGHTS IN THE STREETS (8 SHOTS) 1.39 4. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) NADEZHDA, VISITOR OF MOSCOW, SAYING "Yes. I felt the smell of smoke while approaching Moscow by train. We came from Ryazan" 1.48 5. MV/GV: BARELY SEEN CARS ON THE ROAD; PEOPLE ON THE STREETS; TRAFFIC IN SMOKE (2 SHOTS) 2.00 SHATURA REGION, MOSCOW (SEPTEMBER 5, 2002) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) 6. GV/MV/CU: FOREST BURNING; SMOKE COMING FROM THE GROUND; PEAT BURNING IN THE GROUND (6 SHOTS) 2.37 7. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) YURI, LOCAL VILLAGER " It's hard to see how these guys try to put out the fire. They've been pouring water all day long. I don't know how they do this" 2.46 8. LV/GV/CU: FIRE FIGHTER POURING WATER FROM HOSE; WATER STREAM (6 SHOTS) 3.18 9. FOREST IN SMOKE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st September 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MOSCOW AND SHATURA REGION, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Reuters ID: LVA8FX28MXSQGG7ON2C7SH1MSL61
- Story Text: Moscow has been plunged into heavy smog that pushed
the levels of carbon monoxide from two to three times higher
than their normal level. Residents were advised to stay
indoors as thick smog from forest fires choked the city.
Moscow on Thursday (September 5) was almost completely
covered with heavy smog bringing the vision on the streets
closer to nil. Heavy smoke fill the city making it hard to
breath.
Groups of foreign tourist strolled along smoky Red Square
following the guide's red flag barely visible in the smog.
"The weather in Moscow is bad. Not the kind of weather we
have in Bavaria. It's bad weather but we hope that it will
become a bit better", said a German tourist from Bovaria.
Meteorologists say that ecological situation has worsened
in the past 24 hours due to expanding forest fires in the
south-east of the capital.
Dry weather throughout the whole summer has caused heavy
peat fires.
In the Shatura region, outside Moscow children and
pregnant women were told to stay inside as the smoky haze
blotted out Kremlin spires and slowed traffic to a crawl.
Officials said carbon monoxide levels may stay up to 60
percent above normal in the next few days, but said the smog
would have no long lasting effect on residents in good health.
Smog crept into homes, offices and metro stations as
firefighters battled up to 200 blazes in forests and peat bogs
on the city's eastern fringes.
But schools and offices remained open and city officials
urged residents to stay calm.
Firefighters backed by several aircraft and water tanks
were battling fires in the Moscow region raging over more than
500 hectares (1,250 acres) of forest and brushland.
fc/
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