Tuesday 11 November 2014

Moscow smog

Mysterious stinky fog descends on Moscow



10 November, 2014


Moscow stinks.

At least, that's what residents were reporting on Monday, after a strange, smelly fog descended on the city.



Muscovites took to Twitter to share accounts of a sulfur smell and a foggy haze hanging over the Russian capital. Video purportedly taken in the Kozhukhovo area of Moscow, which aired on several Russian news channels, shows a thick smog hanging over city streets. The location of this footage has not been verified, but local accounts indicate that the fog was quite thick at times..



While many were quick to comment on the smell, these two journalists based in Moscow indicated that the fog actually made it difficult to breathe.

Toxic in the air of , a lot of theories on the source. My throat feels rough. *cough*
But where did it come from? And more importantly — what was it?
 
State-run news organizations say the smog came from a leak from a sulfur dioxide processing facility at an oil refinery in Moscow.
View image on Twitter
@tvrain_live @tvrain Туман р-н Люберецкие поля / Кожухово 10:30 утра

Local news outlets reported that the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations had advised Muscovites to stay indoors with their windows closed earlier in the day. Apparently politicians in Moscow's government buildings, known as the Duma, also reported the smell.

Toxic gas in Moscow: the ministry of emergency situations is asking Muscovites not to go out and keep windows and doors closed

Other government officials were quick to reassure residents that the smog was not harmful to their health. The head of the Department of Natural Resources said that the smog was not dangerous. By the evening, the Ministry of Emergency Situations told state-run news organization ITAR-Tass that the smell came from a Moscow refinery which had temporarily stopped operations.

However GazProm Neft, which owns the refinery, said that the information is not true. The company denied that their refinery was the source of the smell and indicated that the operation was up and running as usual.

"The plant is operating normally, according to the production plan, " GazProm Neft said in a statement, quoted by the local news source.

The location of the plant in the southeast of the city can be seen on the map below.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations was quick to reassure residents that while the smell was quite alarming, it was not unsafe. However the Environmental Agency seemed to directly contradict the statement, advising residents to limit their time outdoors..

Emergency Situations Ministry insisting no danger from noxious gas shrouding . Environmental Agency advises: No long walks.

This story is developing...

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