‘Losses can reach 5bn rubles’: extreme heat in Tatarstan
Abnormally high air temperatures are observed across Russia
Abnormally hot weather has been registered throughout Russia. 38 new temperature records have been set in the country. Such weather has affected Tatarstan as well. In Kazan, the maximum daytime temperature will reach +36 degrees. Read about how the anomalies can affect the economy, health and well-being of people in the report.
5 billion rubles of losses
Due to the abnormal heatwave in Tatarstan, the republic's farmers may suffer heavy losses. Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Ecology, Environmental Management, Agro-Industrial and Food Policy of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Takhir Khadetev told Realnoe Vremya.
According to him, losses of grain crops in the republic could approximately amount to almost 500,000 tonnes.
“We can still save potatoes and vegetables thanks to watering. This weather is quite acceptable for maize and sunflower. There won't be any big problems here. Perhaps, the harvest will be even better, but such heat is a problem for grains. Today, grain losses are estimated to be about 15-20%. It’s difficult to judge how the situation will develop further,” he noted.
Currently, the main task for Tatarstan farmers is to increase soil fertility — it is necessary to develop an adaptive landscape farming system for each farm. The only Chupan public regional landscape reserve in Vysokaya Gora district of the republic is an analogue. Such soil retains moisture well, and the plant tolerates abnormal heat more easily.
“Overall, it’s been a good year, even despite the return of cold weather. It rains. And if there had been no rain, say, for more than 40 days, the situation would have been completely different,” the speaker emphasised.
Takhir Khadeyev also added that this weather is no longer abnormal and it is time to adapt to it: “I won’t even say that this heatwave is abnormal. We are gradually entering this zone, and this heat has being repeated every year. It should be considered as natural weather. Climate is changing. If we take it as an emergency, we will never develop tactics for producing crops at high temperatures. We need to understand and adapt taking into account the developments of our scientists and leading agricultural producers who produce high yields under the same conditions. For example, in 2010, the republic received no more than 0.7 tonnes of harvest per hectare. At this time, under the same conditions, Kiyat agricultural enterprise, Buinsk District in Tatarstan, where chief agronomist Nikolay Fedotov worked, received 0.29 tonnes. It is four times more than the republican average — that’s how important the role of a specialist is!”
No surge in ambulance calls
Despite the extremely high temperatures, there is no surge in calls for ambulance in Kazan, Farid Galyautdinov, chief physician of the Emergency Medical Care Station of Kazan, told Realnoe Vremya.
According to him, during the first days of July, only a few people called ambulance because of heatstroke — about 5-6 people per day. In total, the number of calls has not changed — about 1,100 calls per day, and the situation has not changed during the hot days.
In addition, the number of heart attacks and strokes remains unchanged — about 6-7 and 15-17 patients respectively are admitted with them per day, the speaker noted.
The doctor also gave residents of the republic some tips to improve their well-being during hot weather. One of the recommendations is to drink more water, stay less in direct sunlight, spend more time indoors, and work less in the garden for older people.
“It’s impossible to escape the hot weather”
The most difficult thing is survive high temperatures in public transport. The stuffiness makes both passengers and staff feel sick. As Kazan bus ticketing officer Railya Mutygullina told Realnoe Vremya, the recent days have been the hardest during the daytime — from about 14.00 to 19.00.
“It’s impossible to escape the hot weather.” You can only make you feel better. I bought a small fan. I am sitting with it, although when the air gets hot during day, it doesn’t help either. It’s like air coming out of a steam room,” she complained.
The worker also shared that she is using a spray bottle or a damp towel to feel better. At final stops if possible, she is pouring some water on.
“It’s even worse for drivers.” They sit in their cabin like in a jar — there is glass from all sides, which causes terrible heating of the cabin — it is true hell. The workload is huge due to this weather. At the end of the shift, you feel as if you’ve been on a train for three days; your legs are failing,” the woman said.
Abnormal heatwave in Russia
In Russia, 38 new temperature records have been recorded in the last week. The temperature in some regions of the country has reached +37 degrees.
However, such records are not yet the limit. Dangerously hot weather is expected in some parts of Russia in the coming days. In the southern regions and the Lower Volga River area, temperatures can reach 40 degrees, Roman Vilfand, scientific director of the Weather Centre of Russia, told TASS news agency.
“The temperature across the Volga Federal District is reaching up to 37-38 degrees. In the South, in the Lower Volga River area, it is up to 39-40 degrees. There is a similar situation in Rostov region. In Krasnodar territory, the temperature may rise to 39 degrees. In Gelendzhik — to 35 degrees,” Vilfand noted.
The extreme heatwave affected the operation of public transport as well. In Kazan, the rails were damaged because metal got hot near Devyatayeva Street. In this regard, the city was forced to suspend the movement of trams on Route 2, and trams on Route 1 shortened their route.