1000 year Heat Wave and Unprecedented Flooding

The worst heatwave in at least the last 1,000 years continues to devastate Russia while unprecedented flooding continues in Pakistan.  We’ve all witnessed the misery in Pakistan on our TVs but few of us know of the devastation occurring in Russia. The BBC and a few newspapers are just starting sporadic reports of the hellish scene that is destroying the landscape there.

Snippets monitored this morning from the Russian TV news network Russia Today (RT.com) indicates a continuing emergency as wildfires caused by an extreme heatwave continue in 17 Russian districts. Experts are saying this is the worst Russian heatwave for at least 1000 years based on physical records.

This has become a catalysing ‘wake-up’ call for Russians whose government has steadfastly denied the human cause for climate change. As mentioned in an earlier article Russian President Medvedev has admitted that humans are causing climate change and he urged all countries to take urgent action to cut the emissions of greenhouse gases.  This sudden turnaround is a dirct result of the apolcalyptic heatwave conditions that Russia is experiencing this summer.  For the past 30 days Moscow has consistantly matched or exceeded the high temperatures of Cairo and most other capitol cities around the world.

Here are some of the comments from today’s Russian news media:

# Experts are saying this is the worst Russian heatwave for at least 1000 years based on physical records.

# The death rate in Moscow is twice normal for this time of year.

# Over 100,000 people have left Moscow by air this past Sunday in an effort to escape the heat and toxic fumes from wildfires and peat bog fires. Many are going to tropical areas to escape the heat!

# Russia is covered by thick smoke and haze with visibility down to less than 50 metres in some areas.

# The levels of poisonous carbon monoxide are 4-5 times the normal levels in Moscow’s air creating concern for public health throughout the region.  CO2 levels are also elevated.

# Peat bog fires continue and will be difficult to control as they burn underground.  They are the main source of the poisonous carbon monoxide gas emissions due to incomplete combustion.

# The number of fires went from 650 to over 850 over the weekend according to NASA satellite monitoring of the situation.  Some fires are now under control but continue to burn.

# Property loss is estimated to be at least $15 billion.

For most of us, the evidence is clear and the warning is stark.  We must do everything possible to reduce our CO2 emissions as a matter of urgency.  Because the question in most people’s mind is “will we be next?”  It’s time for action not more words about solving the climate crisis.  Scientists have warned for decades that increasing CO2 in the atmosphere will create extremes in weather patterns as the climate changes from the relatively stable conditions that we have all grown up with into a more horiffic state of extremes.  The same area might experience devastating killer heatwaves in summer and record flooding in winter which washes away precious agricultural topsoil.

Russia has lost an estimated 30% of its grain crop as a result of the heatwave and wildfires.  President Medvedev announced a ban on grain exports and Vladimir Putin said today that the ban may last indefinitely as Russia will seek to stockpile grain for its own use in case the heatwave is repeated next summer.  This will cause grains prices around the world to skyrocket and bring higher food prices to the UK.

Of course, we have our own dis-believers who against all evidence to the contrary believe there is nothing to worry about and we should continue business as usual. One such ‘scientist’ was interviewed today on TV.  Piers Corbyn from Weather Action Foundation stated that the current heatwave in Russia is caused by the phases of the moon, and the sun-earth-moon magnetic state!

For those of us still living in the real world, you can help the people affected by flooding in Pakistan by donating to the Disasters Emergency Committee, www.dec.org.uk   For those living on planet Corbyn, perhaps a little moon dust srinkled around the house three times a day might help.