VOA标准英语2010年-Muscovites Flee Capital to Escape Fume

（单词翻译）

A Russian Emergencies Ministry¹ soldier floods a peat bog² to prevent an outbreak of fire near the town of Shatura, some 120 km (75 miles) southeast of Moscow, 13 Aug 2010

Some 500 fires continue to blaze across Russia.  The flames have created toxic³ fumes⁴ in the capital of Moscow. Several embassies, including those belonging to the United States and Canada, have evacuated⁶ all non-emergency personnel due to the many health risks from the smog, heat and toxic fumes.

Aviation officials say hundreds of thousands of people have left Moscow in the last several days due to the acrid⁷ smoke and smog that has enveloped⁸ the region.

American Charlotte Turner is one of them. Standing⁹ at Domodedova airport, she says she cannot wait to escape.

"It's like walking through a campfire," said Turner.  "Everywhere's just smoky. It's been terrible. It's been hard to breathe, really terrible. [You] can't even see one hundred yards. It's like smoking a pack of cigarettes for four hours."

The chief of Moscow's health department said earlier this week that around 700 people are dying each day in the city - more than twice the usual number. The high death rate has been attributed to heatstroke and conditions exacerbated¹⁰ by the dangerous chemicals in the air. The authorities have urged people to wear facemasks and advised pregnant women to evacuate⁵ the city.

Speaking on Russia's state run English language channel, Dr. Vasily Vlasov, president of the Society for Evidence-Based Medicine, agrees that Muscovites have been in danger.

"The smoke which has come to Moscow has increased the carbon monoxide concentration in the air by several times," said Dr. Vlasov.  "The smog is surely very toxic and poisonous to breathe. We've registered a death increase in comparison with the usual summertime."

That news has Lena Ivanova, who lives in the Moscow region, afraid for her and her family's health.

Ivanova says it is dangerous here, like a war. She adds that the fumes are making the animals and everyone sick, and that they are going to leave.

Hundreds of fires are still raging across Russia, affecting nearly all aspects of life and threatening to undercut Russia's economic growth. Some economists¹¹ believe that the heat wave, fires and drought could cause up to $15 billion in damage.

There has also been mounting anger over the government's response to the disaster. On Tuesday Prime Minister Vladimir Putin took to the air in a water bombing jet to help douse¹² fires in one region. But some analysts¹³ say his actions failed to convince many Russians that the authorities have a handle on the situation. Further complicating¹⁴ matters, Emergency Ministry officials say they cannot get many of the blazes under control.

Meanwhile, aid from the United States has arrived in Russia. This morning, U.S. Air Force planes touched down at Vnukovo airport, carrying water tanks, pumps, hand tools and medical kits¹⁵, among other things.