Record Heat Undresses Moscow

The five hottest days in the city’s recorded history could be summed up by a single image: an ice-cream truck stuck in melted asphalt on a Moscow street.

Russians, well prepared for the winter, were caught by surprise by the unprecedented stretch of hot weather as the mercury climbed to the high 80s and 90s, triggering minor power failures, causing sunstrokes and leading to a spate of drownings.

Muscovites flocked to the city’s lakes, ponds and canals, not all of them considered safe for swimming. Fully-clothed people were seen jumping in fountains, but the police were told to ignore them until the weather cools down.

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