Russia:
Arctic weather hit parts of Russia on Tuesday, with temperatures plunging to minus 58 degrees Celsius (minus 72 degrees Fahrenheit) in Siberia’s forests.
Drone footage showed that Yakutsk, one of the world’s coldest cities, located about 5,000 km (3,100 miles) east of Moscow, was covered in icy clouds and fog.
“I came here to Yakutsk specifically to experience such weather – so I’m lucky because in December you don’t usually get that,” said Danila, whose beard, hat and scarf were caked in snow.
“I’m actually not that cold because I’ve prepared properly,” he said. “If I hadn’t had the right clothes, I would have frozen within minutes.”
He said his coat became quite tough due to the extreme temperatures, while his phone charged within minutes. Two pairs of gloves were necessary, as well as layers of clothing.
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Temperatures in parts of the Sakha Republic, a vast region slightly smaller than India that lies in the northeastern part of Siberia, dropped to minus 55 overnight.
The temperature in Oymyakon, a settlement of Sakha, was minus 58 C on Tuesday. Weather forecasters said that considering the humidity and wind, the temperature will feel like minus 63 degrees Celsius.
In the market of Yakutsk, fish were sold deep frozen, packed in dozens of boxes at the market. No freezer was needed. The saleswomen were wearing large fur hats.
“It’s cold,” said Pyotr, a resident. “You just have to have the right quality clothes and then everything will be fine. The main thing is to keep moving so that your blood keeps circulating.”
