Too cold for school in Yakutsk, as temperature hits minus 45C

Grades 1 to 5 were cancelled on Monday in Yakutsk, the world's coldest city, which is located in the permafrost region in the Sakha Republic. It was the first time temperatures reached minus 45C (minus 49F) this winter, triggering the closure for younger students. 

However, those aged over 11 were expected to attend classes and kindergartens also remained open so that parents of younger children could still work if they were ready to take their youngsters out in such bone-chilling temperatures. 

In fact, thermometers can sink much lower in Yakutsk. The lowest temperature recorded in Yakutsk was minus 64.4C (minus 83.9F).

For students aged 12 to 14, schools shut their gates when the cold dips to minus 48C (minus 54.4F). Those aged 15 to 17 have to attend school unless the temperature plunges to minus 50C (minus 58F).

But local children think nothing of going to kindergarten and school in winter cold that would close classes in many parts of the world. Recently our photographer Vera Salnitskaya caught up with children in Yakutsk as they went to school in temperatures of minus 30C (minus 22F).

Nadezhda, aged 6, walked to her kindergarten classes with her aunt Anastasia. 'I'm not cold, and I was even sweating while walking,' she said. 'I put on two socks, tights, leggings and warm trousers. And I am not cold. I like winter. And I play the violin.'

Renat, 9, was taken to lessons by mother Maria, and said: 'We can skip school when it is too cold. On other days, I put two pairs of warm pants (trousers) and we are not cold.'

Aikhal, 5, went to kindergarten with his mother Anastasia. 'I am not cold,' he boasted. 'Usually we take 30 minutes to get ready, then go on foot. We can go to the kindergarten at any temperature, there is no limit.'

Mark, 5, puts on a down coat coat and the obligatory two layers of trousers, along with serious head gear. His father Andrey said: 'We have breakfast and dress. Sometimes we walk on foot, sometimes go by bus.'

Vlad, 7, was on his way to lessons with his mother Anastasia, 28. 'Classes start at 8.40 am, after the New Year they will begin at 8 am. We wake Vlad in one hour before we need to go, he has time to have breakfast and watch cartoons. We usually cook porridge, not that this is his favourite.'

Vlad said: 'I don't love sandwiches. All kids in my class come to school with them, but i think it is not healthy. I will eat only shredded carrots.'

Anastasia said: 'Usually we go to school by car. Only when it is very cold we are to go on foot. It is hard to drive in such conditions, with frosty fog, and zero visibility.

'Usually kids go to school in down pants and change them in school. Vlad puts on tights, then down pants. We have two pairs of pants - thicker ones for the extremely cold weather and thinner ones for warmer. '