Moscow Heat Wave Brings Death, Sex, and Ice Cream

In case you weren’t aware, this week Moscow has been experiencing a record heat wave, with temperatures soaring to 32.1 C (close to 90 F). These surprisingly high temperatures have sent droves of people to seek relief in city fountains, ponds, and the river, causing more than a few alcohol-induced drowning accidents, an apparent negligence toward undergarments (thank you, nEUrosis), and a robust appetite for ice cream.

Reuters: 28 die in heatwave drunk-drownings

Twenty-eight people, many of them drunk, have drowned in the Russian capital this month as Muscovites cool off from a record heatwave in ponds, fountains and canals, rescue services said on Wednesday. “The main reason for the deaths is that people bathe in places were they are not supposed to … but at the same time 75 percent of them are not sober,” said Vladimir Plyasunov, the head of Moscow’s lifeguards.

Novosti: Muscovites eat 200 tons of ice cream per day in heat wave

“Ice cream makers have been unable to deliver enough ice cream,” the Russian ice cream union head Valery Yelhov said. “Between 150-200 metric tons is being sold daily in the capital, and sales have grown 50-60% in the past few days.” … Yelhov said that ice cream makers have been running out of ingredients and have had to dip into their reserves. He added that ice cream production grew 20-25% compared to the same period last year.