(Image: Steeve Iuncker/Agence VU)
NO REFRIGERATORS needed here. A fish market, and freezing fog that the sun struggles to pierce, bear witness to the ferocious chills of Yakutsk, Siberia鈥檚 largest city 鈥� and the world鈥檚 coldest.
In January, when Swiss photographer arrived in the Russian city, population 270,000, the temperature was -48 掳C. 鈥淚 won鈥檛 forget it,鈥� he says. In less than a minute he lost feeling in his index finger. Then his camera froze.
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With an average winter temperature of -40 掳C, Yakutsk isn鈥檛 quite the coldest place on Earth 鈥� that crown goes to Antarctica. Nor is it the coldest settlement; the nearby towns of Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk average -47 掳C in winter. But, built on a layer of permafrost, it is the coldest city, says , who studies Siberian climates at the University of Oxford. The lowest temperature ever recorded there is -64.4 掳C.
Siberia is so cold because it is isolated from the warming effects of oceans, says Vaks. 鈥淭he Pacific Ocean to the south-east is blocked by mountain ranges, and the Atlantic is too distant to moderate the cold. The only ocean that鈥檚 relatively close is the Arctic, but it鈥檚 frozen in winter.鈥�
Back in France, the Natural History Museum in Paris has just awarded Iuncker a 鈧�10,000 prize based on these Siberian shots to create an exhibition entitled Extreme Cities.
Right now, though, Yakutsk isn鈥檛 cold. Despite the permafrost, it heats up in the summer, with a record high of 38.4 掳C.
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淐oldest city on Earth鈥�
