The fog that killed 12 thousand people: how 65 years ago the inhabitants of London choked

So what really happened?

On December 5, dense fog fell on the streets of London and held out over the city until December 9. At first, the British were not at all surprised, because this is quite normal for the city. However, the very next day people began to become ill in large quantities.

All these factors led to temperature inversion: the stagnant cold air was under a layer of warm, which covered him like a blanket. Due to the fog mixed with dust, exhaust fumes and chimney smoke, a persistent smog hung over London, which did not pass for several days. The air became very thick and yellow-black, and due to the fact that there was no wind in the city, harmful emissions increased exponentially.

Terrible consequences for the British

Policeman regulates movement with fire

The killer fog held over London for 5 days and turned out to be fatal. People began to get sick on a massive scale, because every day it became harder to breathe. The work of public transport, cinemas stopped, the ambulance stopped traveling. On the street you could not even see your own legs. But in particular, people with a weak respiratory system, as well as old people and infants, were affected, about 100 thousand people fell ill. During these five days, more than four thousand inhabitants died. However, the death toll was not at all final: subsequently another 8 thousand Londoners died, the Great was able to deliver an irreparable blow to the body.

The killer fog affected the health of the British very much. Only the likelihood of developing asthma in infants who have suffered smog up to a year is eight times higher than those who have not been exposed to polluted air.

This event was an occasion to reflect on the attitude towards the environment. The country adopted new environmental standards, limited the use of dirty fuels, and provided financial support to residents to switch from open flames to gas. Of course, it is sad that such a terrible event made us think about indifference to the world around us. But this is one of the most striking examples of what neglect can lead to nature.