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As temperatures sink to -60C in Yakutia, heroic Chinese tourists take a swim!

By 0 and 0 and 0
15 January 2018

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Chinese tourists decided to take a dip in temperatures believed to be below -60C.  Picture: YakutiaMedia

Never mind how cold it gets, life goes on as normal at the outdoor fish market in Yakutsk, but even locals in this vast territory were surprised when Chinese tourists decided to take a dip in temperatures believed to be below -60C.

In recent days the temperature almost as low as it gets in Siberia, with Oymyakon - the coldest village in the world - recording an official low of -59C.

Natural mascara


In the city of Yakutsk, temperatures in recent days nudged -50C  Picture and video: Anastasia Gruzdeva

A new electronic thermometer in the village - in Yakutia region, also known as Sasha Republic - showed it to be colder, at  -62C.

But then it broke - because it was too cold!

Some residents recorded temperatures as low as -67C at their properties, in touching distance of -67.7C, the coldest-ever officially recorded for a permanently inhabited settlement anywhere in the world, and the frostiest in the Northern hemisphere. 

Minus 62 in Oymyakon


Minus 65 in Oymyakon

A new electronic thermometer in Oymyakon showed it to be colder, at  -62C. Some residents recorded temperatures as low as -67C at their properties. Pictures: @sivtseva9452, Ykt.ru

This didn’t stop some visiting Chinese tourists stripping off and tourists taking swim, as this remarkable video shows.

These heroic cold warriors won admiration from locals. 

As Yakutian journalist journalist Elena Pototskaya said: 'Today at the Pole of Cold in  Oymyakon - in 65-degree frost - Chinese tourists swim in ice-free spring Yeyemu.

'Today at the Pole of Cold in  Oymyakon - in 65-degree frost - Chinese tourists swim in ice-free spring Yeyemu.'  Video: Elena Pototskaya

'This does not freeze even in severe frosts in Oymyakon. Horror! Us locals, are afraid to go out in such a cold. And here ... the tourists are swimming …!'

Officially, Oymyakon hit -67.7C (-89.9F) in February 1933, and another settlement in the region, Verkhoyansk, claims a reading of -68C in 1885. The latter is not officially recognised. 

In the city of Yakutsk, temperatures in recent days nudged -50C - but as this video shows, the fish market remained open and doing good business. 

Cold in Yakutsk


Cold in Yakutsk


Cold in Yakutsk


Cold days in Yakutsk. Pictures: @m_troeva, @volshebniy_misha, @alfi__ya, foto_by_oleg7

Resident Vladimir Danilov takes you on a tour of the market showing some of the excellent local fish you can buy.

'It's  minus 48 degrees outside maybe... I came to buy stroganina,' he said.

'This is our fish. Here is the treasure... the broad whitefish to make stroganina - for 850 roubles.' ($15)

Stroganina is a popular dish of the indigenous people of Siberia - raw, thein, long-sliced frozen fish.

'While filming the trading rows my hands froze to wild pain. And sellers stand here all day long. How do they warm themselves?' 

'Here is the 'tsarina' - nelma. No price, maybe they’re shy to show, as it is too expensive, about 1,000 roubles I think. ($17.70). Very expensive. From this side you can see fish, for every taste.' 

He admitted: 'The local time is 17.00. While filming the trading rows my hands froze to wild pain. And sellers stand here all day long. How do they warm themselves?' 

Elsewhere in Oymyakon cameraman Semyon Vinokurov commented while filming: 'Today we have the temperature -56C at 1 pm. In the morning it was -60C. 

Fish market


Fish market


Fish market

Fish market in Yakutsk. Pictures: Vera Salnitskaya

'Now we’re brushing the snow off our Yakut horses. For us this is normal. It's strange that journalists call and ask how you live here. I answer, you come and see for yourself that we live an ordinary life.' 

Elsewhere the was ballet on ice in minus 41C as a Siberian pirouettes in the cold winter. Photographer Petr Chugunov persuaded a ballerina in Yakutsk to show her moves in true Snow White conditions. 

Semyon Vinokurov shows that even at minus 60 Oymyakon lives a normal life. 

'I really did take pictures of the ballerina outside in minus 41, it is not Photoshopped,' he said. 'It was my idea, actually it is my project, to photograph ballerinas on the city streets. 

'Previous pictures were taken in the warm season, and this one is so far my only winter image. I got much criticism with people are saying that the girl must be  cold or  will have some other issues with her health.'

But, he said, it didn't take long and he had a warm coat and valenki - felt boots - for her to put on immediately afterwards. 

Ballerina


Ballerina

Photographer Petr Chugunov persuaded a ballerina in Yakutsk to show her moves in true Snow White conditions. Picture: Petr Chugunov, CrimeYakutia

Yet as well as triumph over the cold, there was tragedy too. 

A horse breeder and four friends went to check his animals near the Kenkeme River. The car stalled and they set out on foot. 

They had to carry one man who had a bad back and could not walk. The group were not properly dressed for the harsh weather and two tragically froze to death before the others were rescued.

Russia’s iciest region of Yakutia plunges to near record lows. Pictures: Semen Sivtsev, @khakhsaat_djulus, @moonanemone, @ion_ionsky

Oymyakon


Semyon Sivtsev


Khakhsaat Djulus


Cold in Yakutia


Cold in Yakutia


Cold in Yakutia

Comments (56)

it sounds way way way too cold for me, but the pictures are absolutely stunning.
Easton, saint George utah
05/03/2022 08:05
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Just saw a YouTube video about living in Yakutia. Amazingly tough people and shows how adaptable the human species is! Stunning landscape pictures on Google Images too.
Alan B, Brighton, UK
11/03/2022 06:08
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Absolutely incredible. I had no idea of how cold it is in this area. The people of Yakutia get my utmost respect
Kate Bernon, Canada
10/03/2022 18:50
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The remote - cold - parts of Russia is so impressing! Would love to go there! I hope Russia one day will open up to tourists. Why not a Trans Siberian Motorway all the way from St Peterburg to the Bering Strait? Call me when you are ready! ;-)
Lars H Ericsson, Stockholm
14/01/2021 03:45
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I would like to know a bit about the schools in that city (if any), and how the children get to school. Are there buses provided? If there are no schools in that city Oymaykron then where is nearest school? And what about churches? I did see there is a store for purchasing fish, etc. What about running water in private residences? All of this is VERY interesting! Thank you.
Nancy Friend, Hepzibah, WV (USA)
16/01/2020 02:22
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what happened to the global warming?????????
Linda Mason, Australia
07/06/2019 19:22
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Em um dos lugares mais frios do mundo, cabe às autoridades da Sibéria fazer casas ou alojamentos mais adequados com um bom aquecimento interno para que essas pessoas tenham uma melhor qualidade de vida. As dificuldades econômicas e sociais dessa comunidade precisam de maior apoio por parte das autoridades locais. Cada família deveria receber ajuda financeira do governo. Afinal,os verdadeiros heróis são os moradores de Yakutia que conseguem sobreviver em condições tão extremas e de maneira tão precária e não esses chineses excêntricos se banhando em águas geladas.
Natercio Inacio da Silva, Guaratuba - pr Brasil
29/09/2018 10:12
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I admire you people how you live there. Amazing
John Chis, Australia
06/02/2018 12:15
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Probably those village people are immune to the coldest cold by now & maybe their clothes are made from the finest insulation in the wool & material they wear, or maybe its in their genes. As for the Chinese swimmers, maybe they had one of their hottest curries ever before going in. And the picture of the sights are truly remarkably beautiful...its akin to "Heaven". An "Ice Heaven".
Jaker, Dundalk
19/01/2018 04:51
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COLDER THAN MARS???
THIS IS REALLY UNBELIEVABLE!!!
A BIG SALUTE TO THE NEVER DYING SPIRIT OF THE RUSSIANS!!!
Amar Jadhav, Mumbai, India
19/01/2018 02:37
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Well we never had seen temperature like this. Holy Cow....
Vivek, Pune/India
18/01/2018 14:17
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How can they survive in this temperature!!!
Sreekumar.P.T, Jagadalpur/India
18/01/2018 13:36
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Super....I never seen this much ice...i want to visit Yakutia..
Rajesh, Salem/India
18/01/2018 12:29
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Hope, people of Siberia overcomes this disaster weather.
Avijit , Kolkata, India
18/01/2018 10:23
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It's like that everyday in Chicago. Just kidding. Stunning beautiful pictures. I love the ballerina shot!
Greg Gillis, Chicago, IL
18/01/2018 09:07
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