The scorching heat and thick smog in Moscow have not reached levels that could be considered critical, the Russian capital's chief pulmonary specialist said on Thursday.
While the smog in the Russian capital has been far worse than usual for more than a week as smoke from nearby peat bog and forest fires has mixed with exhaust fumes and other pollutants, skies have usually cleared by noon, allowing a modicum of respite.
But on Wednesday the overnight invasion of acrid smog refused to shift, shrouding the city's streets and landmarks in a choking haze that led officials to urge residents to wear masks when outdoors.
"The peat bogs [around Moscow] are on fire not for the first time, this concentration [of toxic substances] doesn't harm the health of Muscovites," Andrei Belevsky said.
"We are prepared for an outbreak of visits," the city's chief lung specialist added.
Moscow's top doctor for drug abusers said that according to city cardiologists, Muscovites have no reason to panic due to the heat. "The mortality rate is equal to that registered several months ago," David Ioseliani said.
A scorching heat wave has gripped much of European Russia since mid-June, sparking wildfires and causing the worst drought in decades.
Moscow and a dozen other cities have been wrapped in a thick layer of smog. Health experts say pollution levels are so high that breathing was at times as dangerous as smoking several packs of cigarettes a day.
The wildfires have been sparked by temperatures up to and above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
MOSCOW, August 5 (RIA Novosti)
