Earlier this week, temperatures in Yakutsk, Siberia dropped to a bone-chilling -45 degrees Celsius. The coldest city in the world, in eastern Siberia, Russia, can be challenging to live in, though locals have ways of adapting to the conditions.
When temperatures hit -45 on Monday, residents were seen still carrying on with their usual routines amid frozen vehicles, icy streets and thick winter clothing.
However, due to the extreme cold, schools reportedly didn’t open on Monday, and children have been taking lessons online over the past few days instead.
Yakutsk, located on the Lena River, about 450km south of the Arctic Circle, regularly experiences some of the lowest temperatures on Earth during winter, highlighting the severity of Siberia’s climate.
The population, believed to be around 300,000 people, are said to cope with the weather by wearing appropriate clothing and sipping on hot tea.
As long as there’s no wind that makes matters worse during the winter season, locals say it’s bearable.
In the markets, refrigerators aren’t necessary for fish or meat, which freeze in seconds.
Cooking remains normal indoors however, with common foods listed as meat soups, stews, dumplings, porridge and bread.
Kiun B, who was born and raised in the city, says « you can easily freeze in minutes » if you don’t dress correctly.
In a video on her Youtube Channel, she is seen talking viewers through her many layers of clothes just to head to the mall.
Discussing her bottom half, she began: « I start with leggings. I already have my black ones on and on top of them I add a second pair.
« Then I put on camel wool knee pads to protect my joints. My knees sometimes hurt because I didn’t wear this when I was younger, so now it’s essential.
« I also wear camel wool socks for insulation and warmth, » she added.
Kiun went on to add insulated padded trousers to keep her legs « incredibly warm ».
As for the top half, the local wears a jumper, followed by a light jacket underneath her thick winter coat « made especially for Arctic winters ».
To be as warm as possible, she added a woolly hat, scarf and mittens complete with « yakutian fur boots ».
« Regular boots would freeze in minutes, » she warned.
Kiun went on to give fans an insight into the outside world of Yakutsk, admitting: « When you step outside, the cold air hits your lungs like a shock.
« It becomes harder to breathe, your throat feels dry and every breath feels heavy because of the freezing air. »
She added: « In Yakutsk, our entire infrastructure is built for extreme cold; roads, buildings and utilities are designed to survive temperatures below -70 degrees Celsius. Most apartments have 24/7 central heating just to stay warm. »
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