Hundreds Drown Across Russia As They Seek Relief From Record Heatwaves

[hatrack]

Hundreds of people have drowned in Russia trying to keep cool during a heatwave that has been sweeping across the country. As temperatures soared to record-breaking highs, hitting 37C in central regions, sweltering Russians have been throwing themselves into rivers and lakes to cope with the heat.

But many have ignored warning signs about hidden dangers at certain spots or drank alcohol before swimming, putting themselves in danger. Russia's emergency ministry confirmed that almost 300 people have drowned during the heatwave, with at least 63 people dying in one day alone.

A ministry spokesman said: "Last week, 285 people died in Russia's waterways. The main reason for people drowning is swimming in places that are not equipped and the use of alcohol."

Russian weather forecasters said the country had not experienced such a prolonged heatwave since 1981. Moscow's City Hall had to send out trucks to water the streets after reports that in some areas people's shoes were getting stuck in melting tarmac.


EDIT

http://tinyurl.com/2ubudlh

[valerief]

1. Melting shoe hot? Damn! That's really, really hot! nt

[Ready4Change]

2. Not shoe melting. Tarmac melting.

Tarmac roads are basically tar. Get it hot enough it turns to goo. Sticky stuff. But at lower temps than need to melt shoe rubber.

[valerief]

3. Ah, thanks for setting me straight. Still damn hot, though!!!! nt

[inna]

4. 37 degrees Celsius = 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit

It's not THAT bad.

[cutlassmama]

5. without A/C that is bad. Is the whole Country alcoholic over there?

[Better Today]

6. Oh, pulease. It hits 105 around here, and I've got no A/C and do just

fine. Perhaps it's because I'm used to it, but to be throwing themselves into water so carelessly as to drown themselves at 98 is just completely ridiculous.

[freeplessinseattle]

11. there's this thing called acclimation.....

even animals get affected. have some compassion.

[jakeXT]

7. Is the pope catholic?

[inna]

9. Not the "whole country" of course, but...

this report does sound disturbing.

I wonder what the stats on drowning in the US look like. Probably, nowhere close.

[valerief]

8. Wow. I didn't read closely enough. To us here in the Northeast, that's summer. nt

[NickB79]

12. What are the humidity levels though?

98F and low humidity and 98F and high humidity are like night and day.

From personal experience, going from a Russian-like climate (Minnesota) to a tropical one (Puerto Rico) in the middle of summer a few years ago to visit the wife's family was almost unbearable for the first week. The heat wasn't that bad, but my god, I never knew humidity like that existed.

[XemaSab]

10. Wasn't it a high pressure system in Siberia that led to the melt in 2007?

:shrug: