This week, Yakutsk, Siberia, experienced bone-chilling temperatures of -45 degrees Celsius. Known as the coldest city globally, Yakutsk in eastern Siberia, Russia, poses significant challenges for its residents, who have adapted to survive in such extreme conditions.
Despite the thermometer plunging to -45 on Monday, locals braved the cold as they went about their daily routines, navigating frozen vehicles and icy walkways.
The severe cold snap led to the closure of schools for the week, with students resorting to online learning to cope with the extreme weather conditions.
Yakutsk, situated on the Lena River about 450km south of the Arctic Circle, regularly withstands some of the harshest winter temperatures on Earth, highlighting the unforgiving climate of Siberia.
Approximately 300,000 residents of the city combat the extreme cold by wearing multiple layers of clothing and indulging in hot tea to stay warm.
Local inhabitants claim that the cold is bearable if there is no piercing wind exacerbating the situation during winter.
In the local markets, refrigerators are rendered useless for storing fish or meat as they freeze instantly upon exposure to the outdoor temperatures.
Despite the freezing conditions, cooking indoors continues as usual, with popular dishes including hearty meat soups, stews, dumplings, porridge, and bread.
A Yakutsk native, Kiun B, emphasizes the importance of dressing warmly, stating that inadequate attire can result in frostbite within minutes in such extreme cold.
Through a video on her YouTube channel, Kiun showcases the elaborate layers of clothing she wears just for a quick trip to the store, starting from leggings to camel wool knee pads for joint protection and insulation.
For upper body warmth, she dons a series of garments, including a jumper, a lightweight jacket, and a heavy-duty winter coat designed specifically for Arctic conditions.
To complete her ensemble and retain maximum warmth, she tops it off with a woolly hat, scarf, mittens, and fur boots suitable for the harsh climate.
Kiun further describes the shock of stepping outside in Yakutsk, where the freezing air can make breathing difficult, emphasizing the city’s infrastructure’s resilience to temperatures as low as -70 degrees Celsius to ensure residents’ comfort.