Posted on 12/06/2005 12:12:53 PM PST by F14 Pilot
All schools and nurseries in the Iranian capital, Tehran, have been closed for two days because air pollution has reached dangerous levels. Two million school children have been given an unexpected day off.
The authorities have advised children, the elderly and people suffering from heart and lung disease to stay indoors.
There are three million cars in Tehran, of which two-thirds are more than 20-years-old and lack modern exhaust filters. Petrol is heavily subsidised.
It is estimated that up to 5,000 people die every year from air pollution in the city.
Tehran has been suffering from severe smog since the beginning of December.
The authorities have blamed vehicle pollution and have urged people to stop driving and to use public transport instead.
'Panting for breath'
State television has not given the exact level of pollution, but did say that levels of carbon monoxide, suspended particles and other pollutants had become critical in Tehran and the southern district of Shahr-e Rey.
The BBC's correspondent in Tehran, Frances Harrison, says one hospital specialising in respiratory problems has received a lot more patients in recent days, suffering because of the poor air quality.
The geographical location of Tehran, wedged between mountains, means if there is no wind or rain the dirty air gets trapped, our correspondent says.
Newspaper headlines say Tehran is panting for breath and carry pictures of grey smog hanging over highways packed with traffic.
One newspaper has published a map indicating unhealthy air in central and northern Tehran, with some spots designated as very unhealthy.
BinG
Two million school children?
That's a BIG city.
Two million school children? Wow.
Obviously the Kyoto Protocal would have solved this problem - It's America's SUVs fault that Tehran has so much pollution.
< /blow me>
ping
Will this be another reason the moonbats will claim things were better under Saddam?
There are rumors that the increased number of people staying home will result in an increase in the death toll from the C-130 crash. Anyone have the latest info on that?
17 milion students through out Iran!
Bush's fault
The number I saw for the population of the city was 4.5 million. Sound right?
More than 12 milion
I was looking for some pics of Iran and found this site...
http://www.worldisround.com/articles/98910/
Hell they ought to be building a superhwy to the moon with that kind of brain power. Or "student" islam for unemployed.
Nuke reactor would help reduce smog levels from nearby oil-fired power plants.
/sarcasm.
Perhaps someday if the Persians can cast off the moon-god mullahs, I should like to visit this place. It's a beautiful city, even with fifteen million people.
This is IRAN, not Iraq.
LOL.
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